Raids, rumours and television
For 24/7 TV news channels, it’s no mean task to keep a hot, developing story alive and interesting as it unfolds over many days. This was evident as the saga of Income Tax searches on Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar dragged on for the better part of last week. With no clear information coming out for two successive days about the outcome of the searches, television news reached its heights on Friday, day 3 of the searches, which was the day of Varamahalakshmi festival. For hours on end, a few TV anchors commisserated that there was no “festive atmosphere” at the Minister’s home where I-T officials were looking for documents and questioning him. A few others noted that the same I-T personnel, women in particular, had turned up for work in their festival best, wondering if they had rushed to duty after hurried pujas at home. Even more spectacular were the surmises about all that was “seized” in the Minister’s home.
One of the channels went so far as to do an hour-long show with astrologers discussing Mr. Shivakumar’s horoscope and what his stars say about his political future. Interestingly, among the many people interrogated by the I-T officials was the Minister’s astrologer, who, some wondered, could not foretell what was in store for him or the Minister.
Siddaramaiah’s ‘reserved’ week
For several days last week, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s (in picture) engagement said “reserved”, leading to speculations that he was closeted with Ministers close to him and working out a poll strategy.
This also coincided with a reshuffle in the police brass, the drama of 44 Gujarat MLAs being brought to the city for “safe keeping” and the I-T raids on D.K. Shivakumar and his associates. All this sparked an old speculation: Is the State going in for early polls? Come Saturday morning, Mr. Siddaramaiah sprang a surprise city survey. However, even this resumption of the rounds after a long gap only fuelled suspicions of early polls, no matter how much the Chief Minister rubbished it.
Road renaming
Everything was set for renaming Mangaluru’s main Light House Hill Road on July 2 after the late Mulki Sundar Ram Shetty, former chairman of Vijaya Bank. A government stay on its order permitting a new name just a day before the event changed it.
A few days before that, people associated with St. Aloysius College and the CPI(M) had protested against the move. They demanded that the road be named after the 137-year-old college that is located on the same road. The bank’s regional office is also on the same road.
The GO was stayed in immediate response to a letter that J.R. Lobo, Mangaluru city south MLA, wrote to the Urban Development Department on July 1 urging it to withhold the permission to rename the road as there was opposition to it.
The stay has annoyed Buntara Yane Nadavara Matru Sangha, the apex body of the Bunts’ community to which the Mulki Sundar Ram Shetty belonged. Last week, it organised a convention of admirers of Mulki Sundar Ram Shetty and said the GO permitting the renaming should not be withdrawn.
The BJP has also questioned the objection by the college in the last minute.
As if two contenders were not enough, the United Muslim Organisation of Dakshina Kannada wants the road to be named as the Idgah Maidan Road as there is a mosque on the road. The Vokkaligara Yane Gowdara Seva Sangha wants it to be named as Bavuta Gudda Road to remember 1837 freedom struggle.
The ball is now in the court of the Deputy Commissioner, who has formed a four-member committee to come up with an amicable solution.
Doctor DC
M. Lokesh, IAS, (in picture) may be the Deputy Commissioner of Shivamogga but his medical profession comes to the fore on his official visits. Recently, when the bureaucrat was interacting with the staff of the Town Municipal Council in Shikaripur, a second division assistant fainted. Dr. Lokesh, who has a BDS degree, ensured that the staffer was made comfortable and given water, and even checked his pulse, breathing and told him to rest.
Another day, he was in Tirthahalli to review measures taken against ‘monkey fever’.
Dr. Lokesh tested newly recruited doctors with questions on the tick that causes the disease. And, should Dr. Lokesh happen to visit government schools and hostels, students can expect free tips on health and hygiene.
Bageshree S.
Raviprasad Kamila
Veerendra P.M.
