The ancient battle of Cauvery water resurfaces, but in a new 'avataar'. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is supposed to have made a jingoistic statement that has awakened the soldiers in Kannadigas. In the recent days, with all the new challenges in terms of pathetic traffic management, stupid International airport issues, ridiculous IT vs Non-IT battles, the Gowda betrayal cries, the Cauvery issue had taken a beating. It seems like a nostalgic Karunanidhi wanted to relive the past, and hence made an immature statement.
What surprises me is the matured way in which the citizens of Bangalore have been handling the issue.
In the previous organization that I was working in 2002, the threat on Tamilians in Bangalore was so very much, that the organization had sent across a grape vine that any Tamilians not turning up for work for three days would not be penalized.
Though there have been a few instances of Tamilian property being damaged this time, a wide scale protest against Tamilians is missing. The Kannada leaders have realized that there is no point in making this a language issue. It is a water issue, and let's stick to that.
Bangalore is cosmopolitan. It has a huge population of non-Kannadigas. To fight that fact is in vain. But, to accept it, and enjoy the variety, using it to our strength is maturity. There is a huge population of Tamilians in Bangalore, and in Karnataka on a larger scale. This population of Tamilians are people of Karnataka.
Yes, they are people of Karnataka.
This population lives here, uses the resources here, pays taxes to Karnataka government, and contributes effectively to the growth of the city and the state. If we do not get good water to drink, this Tamilian population suffers the same plight. Karunanidhi would not send free bottled water to the homes of Tamilians living in Karnataka. Hence, this issue is as important to a Tamilian living in Karnataka, as a Kannadiga living in Karnataka. It is time for the Kannada leaders to move to the next level. It is time for us to pull Tamilians in Karnataka to fight this battle with us.
Bangalore has not only attracted the attention of the world, but has pulled in huge amount of Foreign Direct Investments. It is foolish for the Centre to ignore this fact, and play into DMK's ruse. Bangalore should be given special status with an assurance of uninterrupted power, and water supply, quick implementation of communication networks, and world class commuting facilities. Unlike other big cities, where huge amount of money is due to a large population of workers in labor-intensive jobs, Bangalore's economic development is through optimal population of highly skilled knowledge workers. The IT attracted the ITES, which has now trickled down to legal outsourcing, and many other new job creations spreading out to many other cities in the country. Bangalore is a Golden Goose. It is the duty of the Centre, not to kill it, but nurture it to take the economy of India to the next level.
1 comment:
Well said :)
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