Mangaluru: The Congress party workers held a protest against the inordinate delay in the Pumpwell overbridge construction and burnt an effigy of Member of Parliament (MP) Nalin Kumar Kateel on Wednesday, August 1.
Addressing the gathering, former MLA J R Lobo held inaction by the central government and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel responsible for the delay in the construction work, which has dragged on for 8 years now. “Nalin questions even a small delay in a local developmental work of the MCC or the state government. He has been an MP for 10 years now. Why hasn’t he questioned the delay of such a small flyover?”, he questioned.
Accusing the MP of doing nothing for the district in the decade that he has been a representative, Lobo said, “Nalin does not deserve to be an MP anymore.” He even accused the union government and the BJP of neglecting the district.
Lobo also accused the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) of not maintaining the roads properly. “The highways are full of potholes. These potholes on these critical highways have caused many accidents claiming many lives,” he said.
President of the Youth Congress Mithun Rai said that the protest was to show Congress’ solidarity with the people of Mangaluru and their problems. Mounting a scathing attack on the MP, he said, Nalin was unable to complete the flyover for which the UPA government had released the funds. Mocking the MP being called “Number-1 MP” Mithun said, “I think Nalin himself patted his own back by giving himself that title.”
Mithun also announced that Congress would hold a public celebration to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the yet-to-be-completed Pumpwell flyover.
Congress leaders Ivan D’Souza, Harish Kumar among others were present.
