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Mangalore, Oct 9: Protests against the renaming of ‘Matsyagandha Express’ to ‘Lokamanya Tilak Kurla- Thiruvanthapuram’ is threatening to blow into a full-scale public issue.
Palghat Railway Division extended services of Matsyagandha (Mangalore-Kurla) train to Thiruvanthapuram from September.
However it was Railway’s enthusiasm to replace existing destinaton plates in Kannada with the name, Lokamanya Tilak Kurla- Thiruvanthapuram in Malayalam, which drew public’s ire. Railway Users’ Association adviser R L Pais says the indirect extension of Matsyagandha to Thiruvanthpuram is the beginning of an agenda to bring 451 kms of Konkan route from Thokur to Madgoa under the Palghat Division.
The extension of train services to Thiruvanthapuram will cause a lot of hardships to passengers travelling mainly from Mangalore due to the quota system.
‘‘When the train reaches Mangalore, almost all compartments would be cramped with passengers from Kerala,’’ Pais explains and adds that there would be no waiting list.
Pais had submitted memorandums on this to Union Minister for Railways Laloo Prasad Yadav, Union Minister Oscar Fernandes and Udupi MP Manorama Madhwaraj. Only the Udupi MP responded by releasing a press statement denouncing the move.
BJP has threatened to go on agitation if Malayalam boards were not replaced with Kannada boards. The Kannadigas residing in Mumbai have decided to renew their demand on a seperate train between Mumbai and Mangalore by submitting a fresh memorandum.
Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries would also hold a public meeting on this issue on its premises on October 15. Advocates, activists led by former chief of Kannada Sahitya Parishat Harikrishna Punaroor would meet soon to bring pressure on the Centre to drop its agenda.
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