Responses to Bangalore Crumbling, Part 2

‘Every Indian is hurt at the way politicians are destroying their dream city’
Presenting more readers’ responses to The Indian Express campaign, ‘Bangalore Crumbling’ (IE December 5 onwards). An avalanche of letters express shock, outrage and disillusionment

The Indian Express

Can I please talk to someone?

I would like to know if there is any direct and effective way to talk to these key people in government like the CM? We the NRIs can greatly influence this politics centralized dismantling of our hard earned pride as Silicon Valley of India. Let the hard earned prestige and glory be not lost in the hands of a bunch of people, who don’t have any foresight at all, but to achieve their petty goals.
Prashanta SHET, Vancouver, CANADA


Shape up or ship out

It really hurts me and every Indian is hurt to see that the tech capital of the country, Bangalore, is being systematically destroyed due to the whims and fancies of politicians. As the country has set several precedents in its long history, let there be a precedent in this case too. a) Let the top 5 cities (In terms of population, migratory trends, contribution to GDP) be declared as national assets and let there be separate central and state councils to govern the same.b) If the Karnataka government doesn’t improve the performance within the next 100 days, let them resign and go back to the people.

It’s time that they realise that people, irrespective whether they belong to rural or urban class, have voted for governance and active administration and not for non-governance and inactive administration. It’s also time that they look back at the history where people are even willing to accept corrupt but governing governments but are quick to throw out in-active governments.

Nobody has the time and patience to hear sob stories from Mr Dharam Singh about the practical difficulties in running a coalition or from Mr Deve Gowda about his dislike for Congress. If they do so, let them resign and go.
Arun Bharathi, Mumbai

Lesson for Tamil Nadu

The article gives a complete picture for someone who wants to know what is in store for IT in India. Next door Tamil Nadu politicians should take this as a case study and do something to take advantage of Karnataka political stalemate and make Chennai a true IT Hub in the real sense. Will Jayalalitha and Karunanidhi do something worthwhile henceforth and cash in on the opportunity?
Satish, Chennai

Blame democracy

One should not forget that it is the same company of Deve Gowda, which is responsible for the delay in the International Airport for Bangalore and also the Express Highway project connecting Bangalore to Mysore. I sincerely feel as long as India has an electoral democracy such corrupt politicians will continue to emerge and will spoil whatever India is trying to achieve.
Chandrashekar, Mumbai

Low value of an Indian

After reading this article, I am forced to reconsider my decision to move back to Bangalore. There is no point in blaming these politicians. We have to blame ourselves, because we let them get away with such atrocities. We are a billion strong, but what is the use? Do we have the guts to hold the polititions accountable for the tax we pay? Since time immemorial, Indians have been having a ‘Chalta Hai’ attitude. If we see a pot hole on the road, we will try to avoid and continue down the road. Does anyone stop there and block the traffic in protest? Bangalore has to see the kind of protests they planned it in Bannergatta Road a while ago. Just because 300 million Indians live under the poverty line does not make the value of average Indian that low, that we can’t demand a better life. We deserve a better standard of living. It is our right. No one can take it away from us. People like Nandan Nilekani and Jayakar Jerome require support from the public to carry on the momentum.
SR, Toronto, Canada

Krishna’s curse

I was impressed by your articles explaining how the infrastructure in Bangalore is collapsing. It is not happening overnight. It happened during SM Krishna’s regime who made crores of money in construction projects. Instead you made him an ‘IT’CM. Why talking now and silence then?
Shivanth Babu, Bangalore

I feel depressed and sad

I am as depressed as, if not more, than the others here that Bangalore’s chance at economic prosperity has been ruined by the likes of Deve Gowda small men who do not have the ability to lead Bangalore, let alone the nation. I used to think maybe Bangalore will be a roaring prosperous shanghai of India. But I guess I need to think of purchasing a bullock card to keep up with the upcoming economic boom in Bangalore. I guess the ‘party of the people’ is just a slogan. Now it turns out that people like me better get a reality check and search for employment opportunities in Tamil Nadu or maybe even out of India. If this is any indication of how India grasps its destiny, then we are certain to be competing with the check republic, or maybe be even South Korea in another century.

Meanwhile, please continue free publicity for Laloo Prasad to become PM. That will definitely save India when all else fails.
Sridhar Narapura, Bangalore

Too many oldies

HD Deve Gowda was one of the worst prime ministers of the country. It is a shame that this illiterate fellow is allowed to ruin Bangalore city. Its time that fresh elections are called in the state so that this government can be thrown out.What we need is dynamism, young-educated blood, rather than a bunch shameless old fogies.
Sharad Joshi, USA

Aimless leaders

Bangalore has been a beacon for the rest of the country. Hate to see it crumble. The IT industry need to expand to other cities like Chennai, Pune, Calcutta and Trivandrum so that the future of India’s IT industry does not crumble with Bangalore’s downfall in the hands of corrupt uneducated and aimless politicians.
Sharathbabu, Bangalore

Don’t blame Deve Gowda

Your article contends that the Chief Minister of Karnataka is unable to do anything to develop a city that supports him, because of his coalition partner. This too me seems to be a lame excuse and the article an attempt to whitewash the failings of the Congress government, while blaming all ills on Dewe Gowda. The reality is that the Congress no longer has the talent to run any government for it is not a political party, as can be seen from the quote below from your article ’’In UP, Rahul is trying to revive a decimated Congress,’’ says a frustrated Congress minister on condition of anonymity. ’’We predict the way things are going, a son of Rahul or Priyanka will one day face the same situation in Karnataka.’’ Even the Congress party itself knows that it is not a democratic institution, but a family business, that is why they know that it will always be run by a descendant of Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. In such a scenario only those with no backbone, whose only ability is to genuflect and sing the praises of the family join, survive and thrive in the Congress. What can you expect from such a political party?
Sudhanshu Pant, Princeton

Save the dream city

It is unfortunate and painful to see the fall of a dream city that earned a steadfast place in the international arena. If things are not checked early keeping in view of the reforms that country needs at this juncture, an irreversible damage certain to happen to the people of India and particularly to Karnataka. I wish the leaders of Karnataka realise that the welfare of the people lies in the progressive upliftment of socio-economic policies instead of nipping the healthy. The attitude of Karnataka leadership well recalls ‘the goose who laid the golden egg’ story. The vision of India becoming a developed nation would probably remains a distant dream if the visionary well planned approach is not adopted. Yatha praja thatha Raja. It is the people who must awaken instead of leaving it to a few individuals who may well stall the process of prosperity. The loss of 1970’s industrial revolution due to lack of vision in our political leaders may well repeat again if an urgent corrective step is not adopted now to catch up the intellectual revolution (IT &BT). Please stop nipping the healthy to make way for the sick to sustain. Reap benefits from the healthy to support the sick to improve. It is very unfortunate that the people of Karnataka suffered a set back by loosing a visionary leadership. I request the Bangalore Agenda Task Force to continue their struggle towards improvement.
Narase Gowda, Doha

Go back to Hardanhalli!

I am a resident of Bangalore for 30 years having spent time considerable in Hassan Deve Gowda’s home district). He is a thorn in all developmental activities. He is only there for personal gain. I urge the people of the state and the current Government to ignore this useless, no good politician. He is absolutely insane in assuming that people of the state can be taken for a ride. He deserves to lead the life of a farmer & keep his son\’s to help in the fields. Chase him back to Hardanahalli.
Suresh, Bangalore

Sleepy India

These developments highlight the need for basic changes. The last time I visited Bangalore even though much more development was visible but still the quality of civic life was very poor almost resembling Sub-Saharan Africa. Some radical measures that may help are: Create Special Administartive regions SARs like Hong kong for Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi so that the labor laws , infrastructure everything is in central governments hands. India should change its constitution and adopt the presidential system wherein the chief minister, Prime Minister, President is chosen by the people directly for 5 years and they don't have to depend on coalition with sleeping politicians like Gowda, if majority choose a sleeping person so be it.I was thinking about going back to India and work in Bangalore but seeing all this I think I would rather remain in US for now, hope one day India rises from this slumber.
Vijay Kumar, New York , USA

Central control for Bangalore

The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has to give Bangalore a special status by ordinance and develop Bangalore and its surroundings. Now saving Bangalore is saving India. The world recognised India because of Bangalore. Indians cannot tolerate it if the old foxes keep fighting and hamper Bangalore’s growth. We will lose all the edge we have because of Bangalore and the cyber technology. This is something urgent and the Prime Minister and the President should put their heads together and plan. Make Bangalore a central Province and take out of the control of politicians like Dharam and Gowda.
Dr. Ram Reddy, Bloomfield, MI, USA

My blood is boiling!

My blood is boiling. Deve Gowda is a blot on India’s name. Used to sleep while attending public meetings when he was the PM. That shows how much he cares.
VJ, Houston, TX

Take of every city

Not only Bangalore but all cities are decaying. I am saddened at my visit to Mumbai recently. Is there any municipality, I wondered. Everywhere garbage and potholes,not the city which we admired so much. And what happened to Hyderabad? The TDP CM made it beautiful city trying to par with Bangalore. nobody cares for cleanliness, only to fill pockets with money. What a shame when we compare our cities with Singapore which is applauded as most beautiful city by all visitors.
Kvlshanta, Singapore