Mangalore: History Created as Lalu Flags off Train to Bangalore
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (GA)
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Mangalore, Dec 8: Finally the auspicious moment arrived when the long-pending train to capital was shown green signal by union railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav at the city railway station on Saturday, December 8 afternoon. It was indeed a dream come true for crores of Kannadigas as the train to the capital chugged off from the city after more than a decade.
Earlier speaking at the official gathering, Laloo Prasad Yadav said that dominant bus lobby and truck lobby had been a hurdle in resuming the train service. "But now we have intervened and started the service for the good of all. Our railway network which is the third largest in the world has seen a new era in the last few years. Ever since I took over as the railway minister, I made it a point to use the available resources to the maximum. The railway department which was running in deficit has today turned out to be one of the most profit-making public sector ventures. We did not even have money to give dividend to the employees when I took over. But today we are sitting pretty well by using all the available resources and by bringing an order into entire network," he said.
Lalu who spoke in his Bihari Hindi was at his wittiest best and thus keeping the audience attentive throughout his speech. He added that today people from OBC and other backward classes have found jobs in the railway and they have been giving their best to everything that they are doing. "Whenever I prepare the railway budget, I keep the common people in mind as they are the ones who depend most on trains. Railway is the lifeline of our country. Though it has not been that popular in southern India at large and Karnataka in particular, we would surely give adequate importance to this sector in the coming years. My next railway budget to be presented in February 2008 will be 'Wonder Budget' as it will be for the first time that a budget of those sorts will be presented," he opined.
He had a special mention about UPA chairman Sonia Gandhi whom he described as a woman of exceptional qualities. "We have seen people fighting for the post of chief minister. But here is a woman who sacrificed PM's post which came on a platter to her and gave it to someone else. She has exceptional leadership qualities because of which she stands head and shoulders above other political leaders. She represents common man of India to perfection," he said
Minister of state for railways Velu presided over the function. Governor Rameshwar Thakur, union minister Oscar Fernandes, Rajya Sabha member Janardhan Poojary, MP and state BJP president Sadananda Gowda, Udupi MP Manorama Madhwaraj, union Administrative Reforms Commission chairman Veerappa Moily, MLCs Pratapchandra Shetty, Shobha Karandlaje and Capt Ganesh Karnik, former minister Ramanath Rai, ZP president Sucharita Shetty were also present on the occasion. Former PM H D Deve Gowda, former CM H D Kumaraswamy, former PWD minister H D Revanna and Kanakapura MP Tejaswini Sriramesh could not attend the occasion.
An NGO- Jayashreekrishna Parisara Premi (R.)’s President Vishwanath U.Mada, Vice President Felix A.D’Souza, Dist Vice President Ramachander Baikampady were also present.
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