Why name a bridge after a divider?
The new Yelahanka flyover in Bangalore stands a symbol of the capital city’s development dreams. The Karnataka government has turned the naming of this flyover – already open to the public – into a controversy that is so avoidable in these times of Corona. It would have been meaningful if the focus were to be on the migrant laborers who constructed the flyover. The laborers who constructed the flyover are now on the streets without homes and away from their villages. Laborers who work on our development projects have many times been thrown out of their dwellings after completion of projects and have been termed ‘migrant laborers’.
Laborers who worked on the construction of the Yelahanka flyover are facing the same situation and have disappeared into oblivion with the state probably not even aware of the names of those who literally constructed it in the first place. Ironically, the state government is now using the opportunity of naming the flyover to drive a wedge between people. As if there is a dearth of eminent Kannadigas who have excelled in various fields after whom the flyover can be named, the state is trying to name the flyover after V.D.Savarkar who has no connection whatsoever with Karnataka and this has naturally angered the Kannadigas. It is obvious that the state government’s intention is to divert public attention from the livelihood issues that people are now facing due to the Coronavirus.
Naming a flyover or a development project, in this case, the flyover that is already being used has no obvious connection to the project itself. Usually, developmental projects are named after historical or political figures for two reasons: One, to make sure that the values that the person whom the project is named after stays alive in the memory of the people. Two, to make leaders popular. The state government is trying to achieve the second objective by naming the Yelahanka flyover after Savarkar.
The move is an extension of the Sangh Parivar’s agenda to rewrite the history of our independence, a significant part of which is to portray Savarkar, who has gained notoriety for all the wrong reasons in history, as a ‘hero, a brave heart, and a freedom fighter’. If Savarkar was a true hero, the state government did not have to resort to such gimmicks to popularize him. In fact, the country remembers Bhagat Singh, Azad, Gandhi, or Nehru not because their names have been used to identify roads or bridges, but because of their significant contribution to the country.
It is true that Savarkar participated in the country’s freedom struggle but it is equally true that later he stayed away from the freedom struggle after apologizing to the British twice. He lived the rest of his life being obedient and loyal to the British. But, this doesn’t mean we have to erase his name from the history of India’s freedom struggle. The terrible punishment of ‘Kaalapaani’ meted out by the British made him apologize and stay away from the freedom movement. The allegation that the British later used him to conspire against freedom fighters should also not be forgotten.
It is also recorded in history that Savarkar tried to stop freedom fighters from joining Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) to fight against the British. The biggest blot however is that he was one of the accused persons in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Although he was acquitted for lack of evidence, history documents that Savarkar was one of the conspirators of the Mahatma’s assassination and the one who mentally prepared Nathuram Godse to carry out the heinous act. What then is the need for naming a flyover after someone who has such a permanent blot to his name is the question that the government is facing from Kannada organizations.
If the state government is bent upon naming the Yelahanka flyover, it can name it after Kempe Gowda who built the city or it can also choose from the hundreds of people who have sacrificed everything for the freedom struggle. This way, the state government can take the credit for familiarizing and popularizing these forgotten names to the new generations. In addition to imposing Hindi and leaders from the North on Kannadigas, the way in which the state government is now trying to import Savarkar into the conscience of Karnataka is questionable. When the state has a long list of distinguished people such as Rani Abbakka, Kittur Rani Chennamma, freedom fighter H.S.Doreswamy, Dr. Raj Kumar from whom one can be chosen, what is the need for the state to choose the name of Savarkar who is such a controversial figure? If BJP leaders want to show their allegiance towards Savarkar or their pride in him, they can choose to name their party office or other buildings of the party after him. If the BJP truly believes in what Savarkar propagated, let them then adopt his stand towards cows. Savarkar had opposed addressing the cow as a ‘mathe’ (motherly figure). This move of imposing Savarkar on the people of the state is nothing but an attack on the Kannada spirit that believes in the values of uniting people and not dividing. The state government should immediately rescind its decision and name the flyover after one of those Kannadigas who have fought for the Kannada land and language and have knit its people together.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
