The tales that visiting cards tell

Politicians in Bidar have interesting designations such as ‘X-MLA’, ‘MLA-D’

March 02, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 08:38 am IST

BENGALURU - 01.03.2015 :  RTI activist T. Narasimhamurthy, in Bengaluru on March 01, 2015.  Photo: K. Murali Kumar.

BENGALURU - 01.03.2015 : RTI activist T. Narasimhamurthy, in Bengaluru on March 01, 2015. Photo: K. Murali Kumar.

The type of visiting cards received from politicians in Bidar say a great deal about them.

A former legislator in Bidar has the habit of handing out cards that describe him as an MLA. When pressed, he says he has had “no time” to reprint them after adding an ‘X’ before the MLA. He takes out his pen and writes the letter ‘X’ before the ‘MLA’ and hands it back to you.

Another MLA from Telangana, who came to attend the Basava Utsava celebrations in Bidar, had a card that described him as ‘MLA-(D)’. Before anyone could ask him what it meant, he announced that ‘D’ stands for “Defeated”. No one asked him if he had lost his first-ever election or a re-election.

Last year, Raj Kumar, a young man from Kalaburagi, a postgraduate in science, was serving as a PA to a MLA. He had the words ‘PA to’ in small letters on the left side top corner of the card, while the name of the MLA was in large bold letters. “It is enough if I am known as his man,” he would say.

However, a visiting card given by a politician from Chamarajanagar is a collector’s item. The multi-coloured card declared that his name was ‘Kala Mandira Ramanna’. This Ramanna, however, was no theatre artiste performing at a cultural centre. He had a different and interesting story that he took pride in relating. “Do you remember that a former Minister was slapped in front of a crowd in Kala Mandira in Mysuru some years ago? That was me, Sir. I got this card made, lest people forget,” Mr. Ramanna would say.

Discourse on religion

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is holding a Virat Hindu Samajotsava in Hassan on March 10. An office-bearer of the VHP had an interesting interaction with a senior offic0ial of Hassan district when he approached the latter to seek permission for the programme recently. The VHP man told the official that ensuring unity among the Hindus to fight against threats to religion is the objective of the programme. “Can you tell me when the Hindu religion came into existence?” said the official. The VHP man replied, “It is the Sanatana dharma" (meaning eternal). The official responded with,“Nobody knows when it came to existence. It has survived all these years. Meanwhile, as many religions came and disappeared. Where is the need to fight for its survival?”

Immediately, the VHP representative switched his topic to ‘love-jihad’. The officer was quick to respond, “Love is a personal matter. Why should you bother about my affair, or why should I bother about yours? Moreover, love is beyond all boundaries.”

The office-bearer had no answer that could silence the officer. He just sought the official’s cooperation for the programme’s success. The officer said the government would cooperate, provided the organisers do not invite VHP chief Praveen Togadia to the event. Later, realising that journalists were also in his chamber, the official said it was an “unofficial interaction”.

Denial of right

Human rights activists have been criticising the State government for dilly-dallying on the appointment of the chairperson of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC). The post has been vacant since S.R. Nayak demitted office on July 25, 2012. Unhappy with the delay, RTI activist T. Narasimhamurthy sought an appointment to meet Governor Vajubhai R. Vala to draw his attention to the need to expedite the process of appointing the chairperson to the KSHRC. Despite his several appeals, Raj Bhavan officials denied appointment with the Governor. With no action on his appeals, the RTI activist has filed a complaint at the Karnataka State Information Commission (KSIC). The RTI activist has been instrumental in bringing several agencies, including the Karnataka State Cricket Association, under the purview of the RTI Act through cases before the KSIC. “I have the Raj Bhavan acknowledgements for both my applications seeking appointment and reminder. Mr. Narasimhamurthy also met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra and urged them to appoint the Chairperson to KSHRC. But their response was “non-availability of candidates for the post,” said the RTI activist.

Key officials skip meeting

Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader made it to a review meeting at Kolar a day after he escaped miraculously from a road accident in Mangaluru, but it appeared like the officers were not as keen as he was.

Mr. Khader, who is also the Kolar district in-charge, was livid when he saw that many senior officers, including the district surgeon, were absent at the meeting called to discuss the spread of H1NI.

Mr. Khader directed Deputy Commissioner K.V. Thrilokchandra to issue show-cause notices to the district surgeon and other officers, who did not attend the meeting. Mr. Khader warned that disciplinary action would be initiated if senior officials absent themselves from meetings in the future.

Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, Sathish G.T., Nagesh Prabhu, and Vishwa Kundapura

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