Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, July 24: Residents of Parkala staged a peaceful protest led by psychiatrist Dr P V Bhandary at Kelaparkala, on National Highway 169 A here on Sunday, July 25 demanding immediate repair of damaged roads and he gave 15 days time limit to complete the work.

Expressing outrage over apathy of the roads and lack of response over the matter from people’s representatives, Dr P V Bhandary said, “The MLAs have ensured that the Parkala road work will be completed only by May 2023. It is like they begin to learn how to using weapons just before war is declared. When the assembly elections are round the corner, they will put efforts to finish off all pending works.”

Referring to MLAs who go on tours, he said, "Recently all MLAs have gone to Leh and Ladakh for studies. There is no need to go there. They can just come to Parkala Road as they can experience of Leh and Ladakh right here.  All of you have a Rs 25 lakh car but the poor do not have, “ he said. 

Further, Dr Bhandary said, ”By holding a banner that says, ‘Prime Minister Modi’ people’s representatives have won ut they are doing nothing for the betterment of society. Now there is no double engine government, we have a triple engine government. You are occupied on all the three sides like municipal council, Legislative Assembly and Parliament. When there was a Congress government you were saying that the Congress is there. Now you are everywhere. But why are you unable to repair the roads?” Bhandary questioned.

“We cast our votes to you and we have the right to get infrastructure also. This is just a symbolic protest. If it this continues you will pay for it,” he warned.

Dr Bhandary said the state will go to polls in 2023 to elect representatives for the Assembly. He said aspiring candidates will approach people for votes in the months of March or April. “It is better that they wake up before and repair the roads much before the elections. Not only is this stretch bad but also roads in MGM, Indrali and Ambagilu are damaged because of lack of proper drainage system,” he said.

He alleged that there were builders in both the BJP and the Congress party.

“If the road is not repaired within the next 15 days, we will organise sports events on highway along Parakala Road like Olympics, Kambala and running race on the slushy roads that look like fields. We are ready to go to jail. But we do not want these roads anymore,” he said.

Ganesh Pai, Professor Yashoda, Vinuta Kiran, Sulatha Bhandary, Ganesh Raj Saralebettu, Dinesh Bandhavya, Sudhir Naik, Raghavendra Karvalo, Balakrishna Parkala, Ansar Ahmed and Sriram Diwan among others were also present.