By Chris Emmanuel D'Souza
Mangaluru, Apr 18: For The last 28 years, Dakshina Kannada has been the bedrock of one political party. DK has been the unofficial laboratory ground for the RSS. Before the Lotus bloomed, the region used to be a Congress stronghold, mainly through Indira Gandhi’s charisma. Through the years, Indira had built a hard bond with the locals, but this bond eventually faded away, as the floods of National politics stormed in to the region. Lot of things changed post 1991 after BJP came to power, some good, some bad and few friendly riots too. The texture of the region found a new identity, and began to be known around the country for more wrong reasons than good.
It is not a secret that people of DK do not just vote for development and better life. But given its lifestyle and its character, many political experts have been puzzled over its political choice. Is DK electing a right candidate? If the people of the region had voted wisely keeping aside their ulterior motives, would this region not turn out into a more progressive, industrialized and peaceful place in the country? But past cannot be erased, and the ground is fertile for a good tomorrow.
Recently, one of the RSS leaders had quoted ‘That we need to bear non-performers, for nation’s interest’. And this warped image of nation’s interest is electing and re-electing unfit and rogue candidates to the Lok Sabha. Since 2009, DK has elected Nalin Kumar Kateel as their de facto Lok Sabha MP, with very modest returns. The big talks in the early 2000’s, of reshaping of Mangaluru city into an industrialized belt died down slowly after Nalin took over. One has to be brutally honest and express their views on their candidates, without fear, in a liberal democracy. Even among the hardcore and hardline BJP workers, gossips of Kateel’s debacles are making rounds. And the murmurs that the man is running by using the mask of his India’s prime minister are heard louder and heavier as the Election Day closes in. The
story is a larger reflection of countrywide scenario, where most gullible candidates are banking their political careers using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mammoth popularity.
Nalin Kumar Kateel is the epitome of inefficiency and incompetence. Why? Because despite being at the helm for ten years and for the last five years having his own party at the centre, he failed miserably to deliver. He has backtracked in every possible decision as an MP. Be it roads, infrastructure, clean drinking water, rural development, farmer issues, crime; Nalin Kumar has not done an inch of improvement from his predecessors.
The pump well fly over project is hanging there naked, undone and unfinished for the last ten years; jokes of them having even covered it with a green tarp during Modis visit made rounds on social media circles! The Nanthoor circle has become a death valley, due to string of accidents that have shaken the city, totally chaotic.
Many Mangalurean firmly believe that Nalin, is an embarrassment to DK. The man is hardly educated, with no matriculation. He fumbles while reading from a piece of paper, penned down by unknown, while addressing in the parliament. The man thinks a $ is equivalent to 15 Indian rupee! This is a disaster to DK, which brags of its educated electorate and the scores of its students. But, the people of Canara, have gotten in the habit of slitting their veins, while casting their ballots. How sad.
The dream of Mangaluru becoming the Smart City, the metropolitan to challenge its rival Bengaluru, has remained a distant dream. Dakshina Kannada was lot greener, less noisy, considerably cooler, vividly peaceful and human friendly region in 90s and 2000s. Choosing a right candidate is a personal choice, but after a disastrous ten years, Nalin Kumar’s re-election would only end up with more questions.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the above article are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Daijiworld. Daijiworld does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.