Mangaluru North: 7 common questions - different answers from Bava, Shetty, Muneer

Harsha Raj Gatty | coastaldigest.com
May 1, 2018

A news-maker for all seasons, the legislator of Mangaluru City North, B A Mohiuddin Bava is contesting for the third time at the upcoming polls. Though Bava had lost to the then-BJP stalwart Krishna J Palemar in 2008 by a margin of 14,426 votes, the former became a giant killer in 2013 and defeated the latter by a margin of 5,373 votes. The incumbent Congress MLA speaking to coastaldigest.com says that despite challenges and allegations, his constituents will put him back to power.

Meanwhile, Dr Bharath Shetty, a dentist-turned-politician, who is first time contesting the election on the BJP ticket, is confident of victory as he sees anti-incumbency wave. Another candidate Muneer Katipalla, well known in the political and activism circles is contesting from CPI (M) and says that he has a chance as people in the constituency are looking for an alternative.

coastalidgest.com posed seven common questions to these three prominent candidates of the prestigious constituency amidst their ongoing campaign for May 12 Karnataka Legislative Assembly polls, and each had a different take:

CD: Do you expect a triangular fight between the Congress, the BJP and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the constituency?

Bava: No, there will not be a triangular fight. CPI(M) contesting elections may affect Congress votes in two wards, but they will not be able to create a major impact. People are aware of the drastic development I have brought about in this region in the last five years. I can say that I have given more than my 100 per cent to the constituency and managed to concretize several roads and bring over Rs 60 crore grant for the Surathkal market. Also, I have managed to bring in grants to set right the issues in the Underground Drainage in Surathkal. Be it grants for religious institutions or loans for minorities, Congress has brought it all.

Despite being a member of a minority community, I have been elected from an area dominant by other religions. This is the love and trust people have placed on me and I am confident that they will recognize the good work I have done in the last five years and support me. The fight in Mangaluru North will be between Congress and BJP and other parties don’t stand a chance.

Shetty: There are chances that CPI(M) may take a share of votes as there is anti-incumbency against Bava. However, the direct fight is between the Congress and the BJP and there is no doubt that BJP will win the election in this constituency.

Muneer: It will be a triangular fight. Earlier, people did not have an alternative. However, with CPI(M) entering the political fray in the constituency, people are sure to support us. People have seen how the money politics, religious and communal politics and people with vested business interest have played in this constituency and see CPI (M) as the much needed alternative. Our party has been among the people and is known to solve the problems faced by the common man, so people have shown their support during our campaigns.

CD: What are the unsolved problems in your constituency? How would you solve them if you get elected this time?

Bava: There is no department or area in the constituency where development has not touched during my tenure. While usually the state government used to allocate 20 per cent funds for the constituency, I have strived to raise that figure to 40 per cent.

However, my dream of building a hospital has remained unfulfilled and have already got funds of Rs 5 crore from MRPL and 1 crore from NMPT. If I get elected in the next term, I hope to ensure that the construction of 100 bed hospital is complete. The Rs 250 crore fisheries port proposed in Kulai is awaiting approval from Centre. Funds have been sanctioned for 3800 free houses for the poor in the constituency and the work will begin soon. I hope to construct a stadium to promote sports and small industries to create a job market.

Shetty: The development in the constituency is random and unplanned, and if BJP comes to power, we want to take up an integrated approach and solve issues in the constituency. The Congress candidate is going around claiming development. Let him show it on papers. There is needless expenditure done such as the temporary Surathkal market has been constructed with permanent structures. When the market is temporary, why is so much expenditure done? Also, people are alleging for tenders to pass, commission is required to be paid. When selection of the market shops is done by picking lots, how can one pick up a probability of four shops being next to each other? Funds that are being allotted for smart city are being diverted for the underground drainage works. That is not right. During election, people make tall claims. If work was done, it should have been evident.

Muneer: One cannot claim shoddy concrete roads as development, which the incumbent Congress MLA is doing. Development needs to be all-round and that is lacking in the constituency. Do we have a government hospital? Are there Primary Health Clinics with full time doctors? Why there is no government college here? Many industries here are flouting environmental norms and why the governments have done nothing to stop them? Why are jobs in MRPL and SEZ zones given to workers from other states? Why is the drainage system a failure in Surathkal?

Even the opposition BJP has failed to raise its voice. CPI(M) is getting support as the incumbent government has failed. We have two mottos – ‘Fight of the common man against rich capitalists’ and ‘No corruption and No compromise’. We will look into solving all the issues the Congress and BJP government have failed to address.

CD: Early this year, two-innocents - Deepak Rao and Mohammed Basheer were murdered in your constituency by communal forces. Was the Congress government successful in handling the issue? Do you think these incidents will affect your poll prospectus?

Bava: In past five years, no communal incident has been reported in Surathkal. When recently a Hindu and Muslim were killed, BJP tried its best to turn the incident with a communal-overtone. However, the law and order was perfectly maintained and steps were taken to ensure that such issues are not blown out of proportion and the alleged culprits were caught. If the issue turned out to be a communal riot, I would not have contested this election. This incident was well handled by coordinated effort. I don't think this incident will change voter’s perception about me by even 1 per cent.

Shetty: The recent murders in the constituency are sure to affect the Congress. BJP’s name was unnecessarily dragged and people know that. BJP has been in power in this constituency earlier and not one incident of communal violence happened. When the present government was in power a lot of incidents such as cattle thefts took place. These incidents easily get communal colour, spread hatred and the Congress is trying to use the same for its benefit.

Muneer: People are pained by the incident. Many youngsters in the region have destroyed their life by involving in communal incidents. People know who causes these incidents. There is no relief to the victims’ families. The incidents that rocked the region in the first week of January this year are sure to affect the Congress and BJP’s poll prospectus.

CD: Have you reached any pre-poll agreement with Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) or Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI)?

Bava: We do not have any pre-poll agreement with the JD(S) or the SDPI. However, the members of the JD(S) and SDPI are openly praising the development I brought in the constituency in the last five years.

Shetty: We do not have a pre-poll alliance with anyone.

Muneer: We do not have any pre-poll alliance with anyone. We are directly approaching people.

CD: If you get elected, how do you see your constituency transforming in the next five years?

Bava: I have substantially improved connectivity in the regions by concretizing roads. People have already noted the positive impact the Congress party as a government has created, unlike the BJP which failed. If I get a chance to serve again, hospital, stadium, permanent market will be in our first phase of priorities.

Shetty: We plan to take up an integrated approach and implement planned development. Be it the failed Underground Drainage System or the lack of healthcare facilities that trouble the common man, we plan to solve them all and bring about a positive transformation.

Muneer: We aim to bring transparent governance, where we shall directly interact with the common man. By voting CPI (M), development the constituency lacked while BJP and Congress were in power will be brought about. Government medical college, government hospital, stopping the pollution in Phalguni River by the industries, creating jobs for the youth and other pro-people schemes are sure to transform the constituency.

CD: There are reports of dissidence within your party. Do you think it will have impact on the poll results?

Bava: There is no dissidence in Congress. In a matter of fact, Youth Congress leader Mithun Rai is campaigning for me and former MLA from the constituency Vijay Kumar Shetty is supporting me. Hence, I need not to worry about dissidence. 

Shetty: There were ticket aspirants in the BJP and it is natural to feel disappointed. However, there is no dissidence. Former MLA Krishna J Palemar and his people are supporting my candidature and are striving to get BJP into power in the constituency.

Muneer: There is no denying that there is a lot of in fight between Congress and the BJP. The party loyal workers are expressing their disappointment. People are observing the dissidence and they will opt for CPI (M).

CD: Any comments about Mangaluru City North being identified as ‘expenditure sensitive’?

Bava: It is good that Election Commission is taking stringent measures. However, I have nothing to worry as neither me nor my party workers are involving in illegal works and electoral malpractices. We are contesting election in a fair manner.

Shetty: The Election Commission has declared the constituency as ‘expenditure sensitive’ almost a month before BJP decided the candidate for the constituency. I am contesting for the first time. If such a declaration is made by the EC, it could be because of the influence of the sitting MLA.

Muneer: Till now Mangaluru City North was called as ‘communally sensitive’ and now it is called as ‘expenditure sensitive’. This is shameful for the people of the constituency and is evident that money plays a role in this constituency. We don’t have money and our only strength is people’s support. I am sure people want to wipe out the money politics to see true development.

Also Read: What are the plans of Lobo, Kamath, Prabhu for Mangaluru South? Read before you vote!

Comments

Waaw what a masterstroke question .... uneducated MLAs..... One question to you what about the prime minister... whos hand we have given to the whole country....... Answer Plzz....... hope you will not call me anti national because i have asked you question right

shahid
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Dr. Bharat Shetty....... everbodys mind comes one question.... WHO IS HE?

CK Acharya
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Muneer Katipalla is very shrewd. Instead of talking about dissidence in his party he is talking about dissidence in other parties. In fact CPI-M is a broken house in Dakshina Kannada. Senior leader BM Bhat and many others have been expelled by the party and they are campaigning against the left candidates in this poll. On the other hand Katipalla’s relationship with his own party leaders is not good. A few years ago Katipalla was a chaddi dost of a journalist from Mangalore who is now in Bangalore. Now the same friends have become enemies and they are pulling each others’ legs. Many CPI-M leaders are not happy with Katipalla for many other reasons too.

Well said… but please compare the answers of ur educated candidate with the other two uneducated. Bharat Shetty is speaking only jumlas like all BJP candidates do. The other two are speaking like thousand times more educated than him.
 

Good one. How can we trust this Bharat when none of his party leaders including PM Modi have fulfilled their promises so far?

Sharath Shetty
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

The only educated among these three is Dr Bharath Shetty. Other two did not even go to college. If people of Mangalore North want development they must elect vote for Dr Bharath Shetty. If people of Mangalore North are educated they must vote for Dr Bharath Shetty. We are fed up with uneducated MLAs. Let the educated people become our representatives now onwards.

Mohammed Kulai
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Nice answers by Mohiuddin Bava. He has proved his efficiency. Winning a Hindu dominant constituency is not easy for a Muslim candidate. That proves his secular credentials. In fact he would have one in his first attempt in 2008 too. Less voter turnout that time helped his opponent Palemar. But after his election in 2013 he has proved his efficiency. In sha allah he will win again. He never indulged in communal politics. People of all communities will surely support him.

Voter
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Dear Bharath Shetty, please give Rs 15 lakh and then speak of other things.

Pulchar Byari
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Red color text for CPI-M candidate, Saffron colour text for BJP candidate, but why BSP colour for our Bavaka? Make it Kadakk pachhe.
 

Hamdan Aasif
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Nice and timely interview. Very impartial. Very innovative method. Keep it up CD team
 

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Wafa Sultana
April 4,2020

Over the last couple of days when the world was occupied with unifying efforts to fight the deadly Covid19 pandemic, sections of Indian media provided viewers a familiar scapegoat – the Indian Muslims – who are often stereotyped as a community being constantly at loggerheads with the citizenry and the State. Biased media channels were quick to resort to blaming the entire Muslim community for the spread of the disease in the country, thanks to an ill-timed Tablighi Jamaat gathering at its international headquarters in Delhi’s Nizamuddin. Unsurprisingly, the opprobrium was also marked by a sudden spike in WhatsApp forwards of videos with people wearing skullcaps licking spoons and performing Sufi breathing rituals, suggesting some sort of wild conspiracy on the part of the community to spread the virus.  Some media channels were quick to formulate, hypothesize and provide loose definitions of a newly discovered form of Jihad i.e. ‘Corona Jihad ’ thereby vilifying the Islamic faith and its followers.

While the investigation on the culpability of the organizers of the Nizamuddin event is still ongoing, there is enough information to suggest that the meeting was held before any lockdown was in force, and the problem began when there was no way of getting people out once the curfew was announced. Be that as it may, there is little doubt that organizing a meet of such a scale when there is a global pandemic smacks of gross misjudgment, and definitely the organizers should be held accountable if laws or public orders were defied. Attendees who attempt to defy quarantine measures must be dealt with strictly. However, what is alarming is that the focus and narrative have now shifted from the unfortunate event at Nizamuddin to the Tablighi Jamaat itself.

For those not familiar with the Tablighi Jamaat, the organization was founded in 1926 in Mewat by scholar Maulana Mohammad Ilyas. The Jamaat’s main objective was to get Muslim youth to learn and practice pristine Islam shorn of external influences. This is achieved through individuals dedicating time for moral and spiritual upliftment secluded from the rest of the world for a brief period of time. There is no formal membership process. More senior and experienced participants typically travel from one mosque to other delivering talks on religious topics, inviting local youth to attend and then volunteer for a spiritual retreat for a fixed number of days to a mosque in a nearby town or village to present the message to their co-religionists. Contrary to ongoing Islamophobic rhetoric, the movement does not actively proselytize. The focus is rather on getting Muslims to learn the teachings and practices of Islam.  This grassroots India-based movement has now grown to almost all countries with substantial Muslim populations. Its annual meets, or ‘ijtemas’ are among the largest Islamic congregations in the world after the annual Haj. One of the reasons for its popularity and wide network in the subcontinent and wordwide is the fact that it has eschewed the need for scholarly intervention, focusing on peer learning of fundamental beliefs and practice rather than high-falutin ideological debates. The Tablighi Jamaat also distinguishes itself from other Islamic movements through its strictly apolitical nature, with a focus on individual self-improvement rather than political mobilization. Hardships and difficulty in the world are expected to be face through ‘sabr’ (patience) and ‘dua’ (supplication),  than through quest for political power or influence. In terms of ideology, it is very much based on mainstream Sunni Islamic principles derived from the Deobandi school.

So, why is all this background important in the current context? While biased media entities have expectedly brought out their Islamophobic paraphernalia out for full display, more neutral commentators have tried to paint the Tablighi Jamaat as a fringe group and have tried to distance it from 'mainstream Muslims'. While the intent is no doubt innocent, this is a trap we must not fall into. This narrative, unfortunately, is also gaining ground due to apathy some Muslims have for the group, accusing it of being “disconnected from the realities of the world”. Unlike other Muslim organizations and movements, the Tablighi Jamat, by virtue of its political indifference, does not boast of high-profile advocates and savvy spokespersons who can defend it in mainstream or social media.  The use of adjectives such as 'outdated' and 'orthodox' by liberal columnists to describe the Jamaat feeds into the malignant attempt to change the narrative from the control of the spread of the pandemic due to the Nizamuddin gathering to 'raison d'etre' of the organization itself.

A large mainstream religious group like the Tablighi Jamaat with nearly a hundred-year history, normally considered to be peaceful, apolitical and minding its own business is now suddenly being villainized owing to unfortunate circumstances. Biased media reactions filled with disgust and hate seem to feed the Indian public conscience with a danngerous misconception - to be a nominal Muslim is okay but being a practicing one is not.  For those committed to the truth and fighting the spread of Islamophobia, the temptation to throw the entire Tablighi Jamaat under the bus must be resisted.

The writer is a lawyer and research scholar at Qatar University. Her research interests include Islamic law and politics.

Comments

zahoorahmed
 - 
Saturday, 4 Apr 2020

great article! provides a great perspective on tableeg jamat

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 31,2020

Mangaluru, July 31: Extending Eid al-Adha greetings to the people, S M Rashid Haji, president of the Bearys chamber of commerce & industry has termed the festival as a symbol of sacrifice and patience. 

“Eid al-Adha commemorates the Prophet Ibraheem’s (a) test of faith and sacrifices. It symbolizes sacrifice and endurance,” he said.

“Every human being during his lifetime faces one or the other test from the Almighty… Now we are collectively facing the hardship... May this festival bring goodness and peace, and herald the end of pandemic,” he said.

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News Network
May 15,2020

Bengaluru, May 15: The novel coronavirus infection tally in Karnataka state on Friday crossed the 1,000-mark with 45 new positive cases.

The tally has risen to 1032 with 35 deaths.

At present, there are 520 active cases, while 476 have been discharged following recovery

A maximum of 16 new cases are from Dakshina Kannada, followed by 13 in Bengaluru Urban.

Five cases are from Udupi, three each from Hassan and Bidar, two from Chitradurga and one each from Bagalakote, Shivamoga and Kolara, respectively.

A three-year-old is among the six minor infected by the virus.

Among the new cases, nearly 20 have a travel history to Dubai, four to Mumbai, and three to Chennai.

The rest of the patients are contacts in the Containment zone and those who tested positive earlier.

Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said that there is no community transmission as yet.

New cases reported: 45

Total active cases: 520

Total discharges: 476

Total covid deaths: 35

Death of covid +ve patient due to Non-Covid cause: 1

Total positive cases: 1032

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