Politicians who rush during elections have now forgotten us
Victims’ cries go unheard at Napoklu Kottammudi
Madikeri: “The politicians, who rush to us even by crossing hills to seek votes during elections, are not remembering us now. No representatives or top officials visited and consoled us when we lost everything, including our homes, in the natural disaster. Nobody is listening to our cries,” lamented victims who have taken shelter at a Madrasa in Napoklu village in the Taluk.
The natural disaster remarkably hit Maade village in Madikeri's Yeradane Monnangeri town. The 83 members of 22 families, who lost their lands and homes, are housed in a camp at Darul Uloom Sunni Madrasa, located at Kottammudi Old Juma Masjid in Napoklu Hodavada village. No politicians or officers, including the Taluk Panchayat, Zilla Panchayat members, Chairman, Local MLAs, and MPs have visited this center.
"We've been in this camp for eleven days. The local Jamaat Committee and everyone in this area has cooperated with us. They have shifted the Madras classes elsewhere so as to provide us with accommodation here. They have provided all the necessary arrangements to us. The district administration has provided health care and police security. But the most disappointing thing is that neither the members of the taluk panchayat, Zilla panchayat nor public representatives are willing to visit us to ask our difficulties. The politicians, who remember us well when elections come, have now forgotten us. They even have no time to find out where we are and what we are up to. We lost homes and lands and became destitute. Redressal of our grievances quickly and permanently is our only request," said Noor Jahan, a victim in the camp.
We believed in the hills and lived. But now our hills, gardens, and homes have gone underground due to a natural disaster. The ISRO officials visited the place, where the hills were cracked and could collapse at any time. It is no longer a habitable area. Now we are in a grave situation as we very much depend on agriculture. The government must provide a permanent solution by providing homes to all the families living here,” MB Fayaz, a student at the rescue camp, urged the government.
Saleem quit the job in Kuwait and returned
My wife called and informed me about the natural disaster on August 17 when I was working in Kuwait. Our family members were all looking for a safe shelter after our house was collapsed. My wife and two children were only available at my home at that time. After learning this situation, my heart did not allow me to be there. Even though I appealed, our Kafeel (boss) did not give me a vacation to come to town. I returned to the city with the assistance of my friends. The Kafeel had asked me to return on August 27. But I do not know how to go leaving my family in this situation. Now we are living in the camp without any work, Saleem told 'Varthabharathi.'
We shelved Madrasa and sheltered victims
We have provided shelter to 83 flood victims in Madrasa. Consequently, the Madrasa classes have been shifted to a makeshift elsewhere. But no politician or government officer have visited to check these victims conditions. No top official consoled them yet. There was no assistance from the government for the initial three days. At that time, they were fed with the cooperation of the locals. Finally, when we sent a message through WhatsApp, the authorities provided health care and police protection to the victims. But how long can they live here? We urge the district administration to provide permanent settlement to these victims,” Hasan and Muhammad, secretary and joint secretary of the Old Juma Masjid of Kottammudi, said.
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PM must clarify whether he endorses Sarma's 'utterly shameful' remarks on Kharge: Priyanka
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New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said the use of "abusive" language by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is "utterly shameful" and added Prime Minister Narendra Modi must clarify whether he endorses this "insult".
Sarma had triggered a row on Tuesday when he hit out at Kharge, saying that he was "speaking like a mad man" due to old age, after the latter put the onus on central agencies to probe the charges made against the Assam chief minister.
In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The kind of abusive and derogatory language used by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against the Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, is utterly shameful and unacceptable."
She said Kharge is one of the most senior leaders in the country and serves as an enlightened representative not only of the Congress party but also of the Dalits and the marginalised sections of the nation.
"By insulting him, the BJP chief minister has insulted crores of people across the country," she said.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi must clarify to the nation: does he endorse this insult directed at crores of Indians?" she said.
The Congress on Tuesday accused Sarma of insulting party chief Kharge and demanded an unconditional apology from him for his "deplorable conduct" that it alleged reflects the "anti-Dalit mindset" of the BJP.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday had said the use of "derogatory language" against party chief Mallikarjun Kharge by Sarma was an insult to the entire SC/ST community, and the silence of Prime Minister Modi on the matter "is not his helplessness, but his consent".
"If the prime minister sees an attack on the dignity of crores of Dalits in the country and does not speak up - he is not only shirking his responsibility, but is also a party to that insult," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
Gandhi said the use of "vulgar and derogatory language" by Sarma against Kharge "is entirely condemnable, shameful, and unacceptable".
"Kharge ji is a senior and popular Dalit leader of the country - his experience, stature, and prestige are unparalleled. Insulting him is not an insult to one individual alone, but also to crores of people from the SC-ST community in this country," he posted.
This, he said, just reflected the "old and premeditated mindset" of the BJP-RSS and was nothing new.
"Whether it is the insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar, belittling Dalit leaders, or personal attacks on representatives of the SC-ST community - the history of BJP and RSS bears witness that whenever a Dalit leader speaks the truth, they stoop to humiliate him," Gandhi said.
"This is their ideology, this is their true character and face," he added.
Posing a direct question to the prime minister, he asked, "Do you support Himanta Sarma's use of this language? Your silence is not helplessness, it is consent."
