Mysureans miffed with security measures for PM's visit

All is well for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived here on Saturday evening. He will be in the city till Sunday afternoon. But, will he be able to see the real Mysuru and its people?

The district administration and the Mysuru City Corporation have taken all steps to tidy up the route of his convoy and the venues of the programmes he is attending. The roads have been cleared of speed-breakers and potholes have been filled. The wild growth of weeds on either side of the roads, on which he will travel, have been cleared. The footpaths have been repaired and a fresh coat of paint has been given to the kerb stones. The roads in question have been sprinkled with water and they will also be frequently swept to give a dust-free experience.

The Special Protection Group (SPG) and the Police department will do their mite to keep the Prime Minister away from the people. All roads to be used by Modi will be blocked at least three hours before he enters them. In fact, traffic on these roads had been restricted since Saturday morning itself. So, he will not spot either a person or a vehicle while travelling. The only time he happens to see people is when he addresses some events, from a ‘safe’ distance.

Mallesh, a State government employee, says, security is important for the Prime Minister, but, there is a need to re-define security. “Security should not take one away from ground realities. He should not dwell in an artificial environment. Rahul Gandhi is a classic example of how a person does not get common sense if one is brought up in an artificial environment. Lack of knowledge on ground realities and the lack of common sense in a Prime Minister will prove detrimental to the nation,” he fears.

Dinesh Bansali, a businessman, said, under the security arrangements made for the PM’s visit, all that Modi can see on roads, while travelling in his car, are street dogs, as even the SPG cannot do anything about them. “All the street vendors on the roads, supposed to be traversed by the PM, and the surrounding areas have been asked to vacate since Thursday itself. What will they do for their livelihood, if they are barred from doing business for four days? One’s security should not victimise others. Besides reforms in the governance, the PM should take steps to reform his security apparatus also,” he said.

Manjula, a bank official, said, the Prime Minister should at least fly at lower altitudes in his helicopter, over the city, to see how dirty and filthy, the cleanest city in India is.