Mangalore: Agitation launched against railways by Kannada Vedike
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (KM/NR)
Mangalore, Jan 12: An agitation was launched by the Kannada Rakshana Vedike (KRV) a federation of like minded pro-Kannada associations of DK district unit, against alleged injustice meted out to Kannadigas pertaining to the railways. It was held here at the city railway station, near Wenlock hospital on Saturday, Jan 12.
As a part of the agitation to press for early redressal, a memorandum was submitted by the former MLA, N Yogish Bhat and H Shashidar Shetty, president, KRV. As a result Mangalore-Kannur-Coimbattur passenger train was held up for some time by the agitators.
One of the major point enumerated in the memorandum was that priority should be given to deserving and well-qualified Kannadigas at all levels of the railway recruitment programme especially, while recruiting staff to the railway stations of the state. This ardent appeal was made by the agitators in the memorandum which was submitted to Lalu Prasad Yadav, minister for the railway through the station master of the city railway station.
Other charter of demands listed in the memorandum included a demand for Mangalore- Bangalore train service to be run through Udupi railway station, three language policy to be implemented at all railway stations in the state, Mangalore- Bangalore train to be renamed Yakshagandarva and Shatabdi express service to be resumed at the earliest.
Moroeve, the memorandum also stressed that the city should be made as the station of origin for the Mangala Express, which has Delhi as its destination station and that Mangalore city must be made a separate division and subsequently Konkan railway must also be included.
Office bearers of KRV and leaders of other pro-Kannada and social service organizations also took part in the agitation.