The Hindu

Bangalore, Dec 27: Little did Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa realise what was in store for him when he decided to inspect the railway crossing on the busy Kodigehalli main road on the outskirts of the city on Saturday morning.

Mr. Muniyappa was taken by surprise when angry supporters of Byatarayanapura MLA Krishna Byre Gowda prevented him from conducting the inspection in the absence of the MLA. They found fault with the Union Minister for carrying an inspection without inviting the area MLA.

Tension prevailed at the spot for some time when the MLA’s supporters jostled the Minister and his aides and shouted slogans against him.

The Minister tried to reason with the demonstrators that he was inspecting the level-crossing to take forward a proposal to build a bridge.

The demonstrators contended that the Minister was conducting an inspection to deliberately undermine the MLA in his own constituency. However, the police intervened and dispersed the crowd, paving the way for the Minister to proceed with his inspection. An aide of the Minister denied that the Minister was manhandled by the demonstrators.

A disappointed Mr. Muniyappa told The Hindu that he decided to inspect the Kodigehalli level-crossing after receiving complaints from the local residents about the inconvenience they were forced to endure due to the absence of a thoroughfare at the spot.

“I was only inspecting the spot. It was not a formal function to either lay the foundation stone for works or the inauguration of a facility to go by the protocol of inviting the local MLA and the MP. There was no need for them to gherao me. Apart from visiting Kodigehalli level-crossing, I even visited the level-crossing at Boopasandra, BEL Cross and Jalahalli East, besides Hebbal,” he said.

Congress leader Chakrapani, who accompanied the Minister, said Mr. Muniyappa had telephoned Mr. Krishna Byre Gowda to inform him about his plan to visit the level-crossing. “But, Mr. Gowda told the Minister that he was away in Malur,” Mr. Chakrapani said quoting Mr. Muniyappa.

Mr. Chakrapani said the Union Minister received a representation from the local people about the problem when he called on his residence situated nearby for a private function in the morning. “He assured the people that he would inspect the spot and proceeded,” he added.