The Karnataka Government has decided to take the Ordinance route to introduce the contentious Anti-Conversion Bill. Congress party has opposed it. Do we need this law? Yes, but a tempered version. Today, religious conversion has nothing to do with faith; it has to do with vote-banks. Mahatma Gandhi recognised this very early and said, “Today,…
Flex-City
May 7, 2022Mysuru has been called a Royal Heritage City, but it feels like we’re living in ‘Flex city’ for a while now. Our city is suffering the menace of flex hoardings and banners everywhere — at Circles, on buildings, on footpaths and on trees. Now they’re climbing up the hill! Two weeks ago, the muhurat of…
Rains, weak trees and buildings
April 23, 2022We all love a good monsoon, but we also dread it. From mid-June through the end of September, the monsoon brings torrential rain, violent thunderstorms and high wind, turning trees and old properties into death traps. This year, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has been proactive and has surveyed to identify weak trees that pose…
Road to riches!
April 16, 2022Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister K.S. Eshwarappa resigned yesterday as he was named accused number one in the suicide of a civil contractor Santosh Patil. The civil contractor had accused the Minister of harassing him for a ‘40 percent commission’ to clear payment of about Rs. 4 crore for road projects completed…
Sound of Loudspeakers
April 9, 2022Ah! It’s back again. The ‘Azaan’ decibel problem, for sure, is an election gimmick, but noise pollution from religion, all religions, must be curtailed. Now the Police have issued notices to Mosques to use their loudspeakers within the permissible decibel levels. It is a noise pollution issue. Just as playing blaring music from Lord Ganesha…
Scarring Chamundi Hill
March 26, 2022Every time there is talk of development in Mysuru, the first target is Chamundi Hill. Now the “evergreen” project of ropeway is back and also the “enhancement of steps” which will turn the hill into a hyper-tourist destination at the cost of the hill turning into a mound of muck. And Mysureans have a duty…
AAP, up and away… The rise of the Mango people
March 12, 2022BJP’s poll performance in four States was impressive but Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) victory in Punjab was exceptional. This AAP victory reminds us of the saying — “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Many may remember in 2013, the two National Parties — BJP and…
Women more religious!?
February 16, 2022As I recuperated slowly from Covid, I was angry that even two doses of vaccine had not prevented the virus from infecting my lungs. When I emerged from my prolonged isolation and turned on the TV, I noticed my anger against the vaccine was nothing compared to the anger I saw on the screen. Like…
2020 TOO?
January 1, 2022There was much anticipation and hope for 2021. Sadly 2021, while not as bad as 2020, has ended on a sombre note. It reminds me of the joke: If we make it past 2020, I’ll be dreading 2022 because 2022 is 2020 too. With Omicron on the rise, let’s hope it doesn’t come true. 2021,…
Do we need MLCs?
December 18, 2021Election for Membership to the Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC) from Local Authorities’ Constituency concluded recently. Unfortunately, there was more talk of how much money candidates paid to get tickets and how much money they distributed to voters than talk of what each candidate would do if elected. Many of us wonder, what does an MLC…
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