Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Mar 22: The Toll Gate Horata Samithi along with like minded organizations took out a protest rally, "Toll Gate Chalo" from Hejmady toll gate to Surathkal toll gate on Tuesday, March 22. The protesters demanded scrapping of the Surathkal toll gate.

They also urged for giving toll free entry to the public residing close to the Hejamady toll gate.

Congress leader Vinay Kumar Sorake inaugurated the Toll Gate Chalo rally at Hejmady toll gate.

State president of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Muneer Katipalla said, "After we announced the ‘Toll Gate Chalo’ rally, several developments have taken place. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel met Minister Nithin Gadkari where he said it will be shifted to NMPT. We don’t have faith in his statements. There is no proof that it was an official meeting and it looked like a namesake meeting. The MP has made such statements earlier and so we are not in a  state of believing him. Whether the toll gate will be shifted or merged is left to the government. All it needs to do is decide a date to scrap the Surathkal toll gate.

Large number of people gathered showing solidarity in the protest to bring the issue to the notice of the government, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Shobha Karandlaje about the illegal toll gate, said Muneer Katipalla.

He also said, "If our demands are not met within the time limit, then we will conduct an MP Office Chalo rally, protest day and night to scrap the toll gate. Still if they fail to fulfill the demands, we will violate the laws and take steps to scrap the toll gate.

Former president of Catholic Sabha Rolphy D'Costa, District Mahila Congress president Shalet Pinto, former MLA Abhaya Chandra Jain, Mohiudeen Bava, P V Mohan, Rajshekar Kotian, fomer corporator Prathibha Kulai, advocate Dinesh Ullepady, Santhosh Bajal, B K Imthiyaz and others were present.