Many netizens support MCC Commissioner, DC’s moves too hailed as nothing wrong

Mysore/Mysuru: As the resignation news of MCC Commissioner broke in the media, support poured in for the officer. Soon after she got out of the Nalwadi Krishnaraja Hall of the Mysuru City Corporation where she held an emergency press conference to announce her resignation, a security guard fell to her feet urging her not to leave.

This emotional moment came as Shilpa Nag headed towards her official car. “Madam, please don’t go. You are doing a wonderful job for Mysuru city,” the guard pleaded. Shilpa, however, discouraged the guard from falling onto her feet by holding his hand. As she sat in the vehicle, many officers pleaded with her not to leave the post. Shilpa Nag just folded her hands in reply. 

Deputy Mayor Anwar Baig who is the acting Mayor now said that officers like Shilpa Nag are the need of the hour to fight the COVID pandemic. “We will not allow the acceptance of her resignation and the MCC is entirely with her,” he added. At a meeting of all Corporators it was decided to urge the Government not to accept Shilpa Nag’s resignation and also to transfer the DC with immediate effect. 

Other Corporators too staged individual flash protests yesterday against Shilpa Nag’s resignation. Holding placards, Ward 28 Corporator Dr. Ashwini Sharath expressed her solidarity with the Commissioner while Corporator Lokesh Piya protested demanding the immediate transfer of DC Rohini Sindhuri for ‘harassing’ the MCC Commissioner. 

Netizens also took to social media and expressed support to Shilpa Nag. Designing various posters — especially the one where Shilpa Nag is consoling the mother of a COVID victim MCC worker — the netizens said “We are with you, Shilpa Nag. Several commentators said with officers like Shilpa Nag, Mysuru city is slowly freeing itself from the COVID disease. 

People also went ahead comparing the two IAS officers — DC and MCC Commissioner — and wrote comments in favour of each other. In fact, this sparked a virtual debate on who is better and how certain actions amount to harassment and certain actions do not. Several of them started an online campaign with hash tag #BringBackShilpaNag.

They said that as a DC, Rohini Sindhuri’s actions were fair as she will be held responsible if anything goes wrong in Mysuru. Many of them commented that the six crore population of Kannadigas were with the DC as her sole aim is to make Mysuru free of the contagion. “Sindhuri is an upright officer and she has an impeccable track record,” said a comment. 

Many net-savvy residents also said that Shilpa Nag is an officer with a compassionate attitude and appealed her to withdraw her resignation. In some WhatsApp Groups where Shilpa Nag is a member in her capacity of MCC Commissioner, people addressed her directly and appealed her to reconsider her drastic decision. 

While advocate Paduvarahalli Ramakrishna took objection to the discord between the DC and the MCC Commissioner during the peak of pandemic and demanded the Government to take action on both the officers, Corporator Pailwan Srinivas demanded that Shilpa Nag must get back to good work as earlier, forgetting the resignation thoughts. 

Likewise, the resignation evoked response from elected representatives MLAs G.T. Devegowda, L. Nagendra, MLC Sandesh Nagaraj and Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Chairman H.V. Rajeev who unequivocally asked Shilpa Nag to reconsider her decision and work towards making Mysuru a COVID-free city.