Mangaluru, Nov 8: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the issue of the tollgate on NH-66 at Surathkal is related to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The CM, who was in Udupi to participate in various programmes yesterday, said that the government has already told the NHAI to close the toll gate. “It is related to the NHAI. We have already told them to close the tollgate, and submitted a report too,” the CM told reporters.
Even as the indefinite day-and-night dharna against the Surathkal tollgate entered the 12th day on Monday, the Action Committee Against Surathkal Tollgate members continued their dharna by wearing black clothes.
Action committee convener Muneer Katipalla said that Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has failed to keep his word, of closing the tollgate.
“None of the assurances given by the MP have been implemented. He has made several assurances, including increasing the rupee value against US dollar, supplying sand for Rs 2,000 per load, providing jobs to people of the district in MRPL and in the SEZ. However, none of the assurances have materialised. The MP has lost his credibility, and is not able to face the people’s wrath,” he said.
Condemning chief minister Basavarj Bommai’s “apathy”, he said that the BJP government has failed to fulfil the demands of people. “The chief minister made an assurance in the state legislature, that the tollgate will be closed. However, he has avoided travelling by road via Surathkal from Mangaluru International Airport to Udupi. Instead, he took a helicopter from Bengaluru to Udupi, to avoid protesters in Surathkal. If the BJP is not capable of closing down an illegal tollgate, they are not fit to rule the state,” he said.
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