A Road with Two Names! ‘Jogi’ is Replaced by ‘Swami’?
Mangaluru: After all one would say, what’s in the name? But not when politicians and political game is involved- for them name matters for political gains? The latest controversy in renaming a road/street has received allegations from both Congress and BJP, and in between them are also the members belonging to the Dakshina Kannada Jogi Samaja Sudarakha Mathra Sangha (R) located at Kadri Jogi Math Compound-Mangaluru.
In between these controversies, the funny thing is that when you enter the Kadri Park Road from the Circuit House/Kadri East Police station, you’ll notice a yellow signboard which reads “Kadri Park Road” with the name of Ramakrishna Mission Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan initiative in small letters. On the other hand, if you happen to enter Kadri park Road from Padua High school/NH side, you’ll be greeted by a yellow board which reads “Jogi Matta Road”- so how come a road can have two names, is something to be laughed at- but it seems like no one has observed it or probably they don’t even care about it.
The members of this Jogi Math Samaja had held a press meet at Mangalore Press Club opposing MCC’s plan to rename ‘Jogi Mutt Road’ which has been there for years, to “Swami Vivekananda Road”. It should be noted that a new board on a street in Kadri near the Circuit House in the city, which read “Swami Vivekananda Road,” made way for another, “Kadri Jogi Math Street,” as local leaders of BJP and Congress resorted to a political game of . On 12 January, as part of celebrations of 154th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Kadri ward corporator Roopa D Bangera (BJP) got the street board “Swami Vivekananda Road” installed and was inaugurated by Jogi Math Seers.
However, unfortunately, the newly erected board was removed within two hours, by officers of MCC, with Mayor Harinath claiming that the original name of the road was “Kadri Jogi Math Street.” Mayor Harinath clarifying on this issue had said that earlier there was a board with the “Jogi Math Street”, but Roopa Bangera had replaced it with “Swami Vivekananda Road” signboard- and since it was a violation of rules, MCC had to remove the board.
But Corporator Bangera had her version saying that BJP and volunteers didn’t rename the street since it was already named earlier as ‘Swami Vivekananda Road’. “The Election Commission ward map names the road as ‘Vivekananda Road.’ Can the Election Commission provide wrong information? This board was installed with my area development fund and costs about Rs 50,000. I did not have any political intention. On the board, I have mentioned the MCC logo. We did not invite the Mayor as it was a small programme in my ward,” had said Bangera.
But according to Ashok Kadri, the President of the Sangha while addressing the media persons said, “We are not against Swami Vivekananda. Why do these politicians want to rename this when it has been named as “Jogi Math Road” for decades. It should be known that the road from Nanthoor Circle towards Padua High School/College is already been named as “Swami Vivekananda Road”, as you can see there are many “S V (Swami Vivekananda) 1st/2nd/3rd/4th Cross Roads” (see photos in the report). So why are these people creating controversies by renaming the streets when they have been that way since years.”
” We also want you to know that they had invited the Jogi Math Seers to inaugurate the signboard, but these Seers from North India who only speak Hindi, were unaware as to what was going on. They only came to know when we briefed them about the existence of the original signboard. It is really sad to note that the “Jogi Math Road” signboard was removed and dumped against the Sainik War Memorial Wall (see pic in report). Through this press meet, we want the MCC officials or any other persons involved in this street name changing game, to kindly replace the original “Jogi Math Rd” signboard, in order to avoid more controversies. We will intensify our fight until our requests are met- we want our sign back on this street. Period” added Ashok Kadri.
Advocate Harish S, K Vishwanath, Satish K Jogi and Sadananda Jogi of the Sangha were also present during the press meet.
Fifty Thousand Rupees wasted from development funds. Surely the funds could have been used more judiciously than over a dispute over renaming a road. And what…. fifty thousand rupees for a silly sign board?