Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Dec 19: A protest was organized by locals with the support of Tulunada Rakshana Vedike at Deralakatte against the despicable state of roads and demanding immediate repairs. When some people, who ostensibly were supported by the local panchayat administration, tried to block the protesters, policemen from Konaje station stopped them. Because of this development, the situation turned tense for sometime.
The protest, in which activists of Tulunada Rakshana Vedike and citizens from Adkarepadpu, Mariymmagoli, Belya Barike (Pelattadi), Badyar, Konaje site, as well as auto rickshaw owners and drivers participated, gave rise to anxious moments for sometime. The protesters demanded for the asphalting of the road that leads to Mangalore University from Deralakatte via Adkarepadpu.
A bike rally and vehicular jatha were taken out to Deralakatte from Konaje Belma, after which a protest meeting was held at Deralakatte Junction. Belma panchayat vice president and some villagers objected to holding of protest for the problems relating to Konaje village in the area falling under Belma panchayat, arguing that it was improper. Vice president of Belma panchayat, Abdul Sattar, said that roads within Belma panchayat have been repaired, adding that with the help of minister, several developments works had been conducted in their panchayat. He and his supporters termed the protest as having been backed by political aspirations.
When villagers belonging to Belma tried to stop people from holding protest at the spot and raised slogans against the protesters, Konaje police intervened and tried to calm them down. When a group of people stood their ground, claiming that they would quell the protest, Konaje police sub-inspector, Sudhakar, counselled with them and succeeded in sending them away.
Founder president of Tulunada Rakshana Vedike, Yogeesh Shetty Jeppu, addressing the gathering, said that works are getting delayed because of lethargy of government officials. He asserted that the protest is against the whole system, not against any political outfit or any individual. He said that people are facing problems because of the shabby working style of officials, and urged the concerned to immediately take up asphalting work for the road that is in a neglected state. One of the villagers, in his address, said that since the last several years, people were forced to travel by this road interspersed with potholes and broken parts. He said several lives were lost because of the condition of the road, which compelled the people to take to streets. He warned that protest by way of fast will be held in front of the office of the district deputy commissioner, if the needful is not done within a month.
Jyotika Jain of women's wing of Tulunada Rakshana Vedike, state general secretary of youth unit, Siraj Adkare, Konaje unit president, Muhammed Niaz, Raheem, Devadas, Raghava Master, Guruprasad, Ismail, Usman, Shariff, Mustafa and several others were present.