Why is Bangalore so dirty, schoolkid asks Shettar

“My friend who had come from Chandigarh asked me why Bangalore is so dirty. Why is Bangalore so dirty?”

The very question plaguing most Bangaloreans was posed innocently by little Mahati to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Thursday, putting him in quite an embarrassing situation.

The chief minister reiterated his take on the garbage problem and told the five-year-old that his government was making concerted efforts at finding a solution.

However, not all questions aimed at Shettar during his interaction with the children of Heritage Academy to mark Children’s Day celebrations, were as tricky as this one. When a grave looking five-year-old Dhrithi posed a query to Shettar, the entire hall burst into laughter.

“My parents don’t allow me to eat at McDonald’s. But I like eating there. What should I do uncle? Do you also like it?” she asked.

The chief minister advised her to listen to her parents as junk food was bad for her health. “Then why are there so many stores?” shot back Drithi. To this, Shettar said that the fast food chain was merely doing business, while it was important for Drithi to concentrate on her health.

Shettar, who quickly warmed up to the children aged between five and ten, told them that as a youngster he was engrossed in his studies,  frequented libraries and participated in cultural activities.

His preferred beverage is “tea” as opposed to Diya’s “Bournvita” and he idolised former president A P J Abdul Kalam and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. To Aeliya’s query whether he was into community service like a doctor, Shettar said that “he took care of the entire State”.

While Aditi wanted to know how she could win medals in the Olympics, with no playgrounds in sight, Mahi told the chief minister about the increased number of accidents on Bannerghatta Road, where her school is located.

Rithvik pressed for more bus facilities for children, while Deeksha wondered why there were no seats reserved for children in the State-run buses. Shettar assured the children that he would look into all these issues.   

He also promised Aryan, who hails from Hubli, to send some Dharwad pedas to his school soon. Shettar, however, wasn’t spared from politics for long.

When Shreyas, a second standard student asked him how he was preparing for the elections, he said that as the chief minister, he was preparing for the polls every moment that he spent in the office.