V-day peaceful despite protest by Bajrang Dal in front of mall

February 15, 2011

Mangalore, February 15: With cops keeping an eagle eye on hangout spots of the youth across the city, and Dakshina Kannada district, Valentine's Day passed off peacefully on Monday.

The only exception was a brief protest by Bajrang Dal cadre who burnt and tore up Valentine's Day cards in front of Empire Mall on M G Road here only to leave the scene in a hurry as police descended on the spot on receipt of information.

A group of people tried to enter the mall and prevent celebrations of the Valentine's Day. There was exchange of words between this group and the people celebrating the day at the Mall. The police came to mhe Mall and took away the protesters.

City police chief Seemanth Kumar Singh said that the Bajrang Dal cadre must have purchased the cards and Valentine's Day gift elsewhere and destroyed the same in front of the mall.

No one was detained or arrested in this connection.

Police constables guarding hang outs like Tagore Park on Light House Hill Road, and the two malls on Bejai Road and K S Rao Road was a common sight. However, there were no takers for the well-guarded parks across the city.

While couples were allowed to spend time on Valentine's Day at the Kadri Park without any disturbance, it was not the same for couples on the Panambur beach. Although they were not disturbed for a few hours initially on the beach, the police did send away some of the couples during the evening.

There was brisk sale of red and yellow roses in the market priced at Rs. 10 and Rs. 5 respectively.

“Compared to other days, there was a greater demand for red roses. I did a good business today,” said Rajendra, flower vendor at Kankanady. He was waiting for people to sell the last few red and yellow roses kept in a small bucket filled with water.

There were brisk sales of bouquets too which were available at Rs. 150 and Rs. 200.

“Higher the price, more elegant is the decoration,” said Elvin, owner of the shop in Valencia, explaining the difference in the two bouquets he was offering.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Demand for Mangaluru-Singapore direct flight gains momentum

News Network

September 13,2024

NRI professionals hailing from the coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka, now based in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Australia, have been urging the Indian government and airlines to introduce a direct flight between Mangalore International Airport (MIA) and Singapore’s Changi Airport.

These professionals argue that Singapore’s strategic location as a hub connecting India with East Asia makes this flight essential. They highlight that this route would serve over 12 million people from the coastal and hill regions of southern India, fostering stronger ties with East Asian economies.

The group, consisting of individuals from Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Hassan, is spearheaded by Rajesh H Acharya, director of HQ Connections Pte Ltd, Singapore, and coordinator of the Singapore Tuluver community. Acharya emphasized the significance of the Indian government’s Act East policy, which aims to strengthen relationships between India and ASEAN, East Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region.

“This flight will open new doors for cultural, trade, tourism, and technological exchanges between these regions,” Acharya said.

The Mangalore Chapter of IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE) has also proposed positioning the region as the 'Silicon Beach of India.' A direct flight would provide greater opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors from both Singapore and Mangaluru, boosting business exchanges.

Moreover, Singapore’s Changi Airport could see increased tourism from the Karnataka coast, while Coastal Karnataka would benefit from a surge in visitors from ASEAN countries, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, and the US West Coast.

While a similar attempt in 2017 did not succeed, Acharya and his team are hopeful that this time their appeal will be taken seriously, tapping into the immense growth potential of the eastern half of the globe.

Comments