Mangaluru: Politicians are visible only when the elections are approaching and once the elections are over they go missing, say most voters. The same has happened in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru and Dakshina Kannada districts as well, which has left the voters seething in anger.
While people in these two Parliamentary constituencies have been staging protests over two issues pertaining to their respective districts, the Members of Parliament representing them have been missing from scenes and in an interesting post that has been seen on Facebook, a page has announced that one can win three loads of sand if they find Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandalaje.
This post has been making rounds over the last two days in social media. As there is an acute shortage of sand in Udupi district, many organisations under the leadership of Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat have been staging a protest in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office in Udupi from October 25. Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar, MLA of Kundapur Haladi Srinivas Shetty, leader of the opposition in Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary, Byndoor MLA Sukumar, Kaup MLA Lalaji Mendon, former MP Jayaprakash Hegde among others visited protest venue and extended their support to the ongoing protest. However, MP Shobha Karandlaje was the only one who did not pay a visit and remained silent over the burning issue.
This has irked the protesters. A page has a post with the photograph of Shobha Karandlaje, announcing an award of three loads of sand to those who are able to trace her. This post has gone viral on social media now.
Meanwhile, the post has garnered several comments and one of the comments reads: ‘Innoo yake baralillavva Shobhakka, Varavondu Kaledaithe baarakka’.
According to the sources, Shobha Karandlaje is busy campaigning for the by-election. Though repeated attempts were made to contact her over the phone, she was not available for a comment.
MP Nalin too missing!
Situation is the same in Dakshina Kannada district as well, where MP Nalin Kumar prefered to stay away from Anti Tollgate Action Committee protest. The protesters have been demanding immediate closure of tollgate at Surathkal and the stir has reached 11th day on Wednesday, but still the MP did not visit the protesters.
The protesters have been specifically demanding the MP to hear them out, but the MP who turned deaf ears paid a visit to Udupi and participated in the ongoing protest pertaining to the sand issue.
He even went to the extent of questioning the ones protesting against the tollgate as to why they did not protest when the UPA government started the toll. Committee convener and DYFI state president Muneer Katipalla, when contacted informed that both MPs have no concern for the genuine problems of the people. “They are always busy playing dirty politics,” he added.
