Battle of the Political Posters/Hoardings in the City-Congress Vs JD (S) Vs BJP?
Mangaluru: Drive, ride or walk around the nook and corners of the City, you will be haunted by bunch of posters, hoardings, banners, and what not- and for that matter, today, 6 March 2018, is a day when JD (S) Supremo H D Kumaraswamy is in town who addressed the media persons at Hotel Taj Gateway this morning, will also address a gathering in the evening at Town Hall-Mangaluru; also UP CM Yogi Adityanath who will address the gathering of BJP supporters at Nehru Maidan as part of “Jana Suraksha Yatra”. While political barbs may have raised the pitch — literally — to the skies, the city is witnessing a silent nonetheless bitter ‘poster’,’Banner’ and ‘Hoarding’ war on the ground. In the run up to assembly polls, leaders of these three political parties appear to have launched a campaign to be ‘seen’, if not heard, as they have all gone out to woo voters. It’s no matter if the city’s landscape is marred.
Politicians or their cronies have erected posters, cut-outs, banners and hoardings at almost every major location and landmark, with the Congress seemingly a notch up in the war. The ‘visual campaign’ sports pictures of sitting legislators and candidates hopeful of getting a ticket, and is liberally splashed with party colours and symbols- all in the name of certain events organized in the City-like their public speech, inauguration of a project etc.
For instance, at the Hampankatta Circle, Clock Tower Circle, Jyothi etc-posters, banners and gigantic hoardings are taking away the beauty of Swachh Mangaluru. Apart from these locations, from almost every nook, cranny and straight, citizens are being stared at by the politicians on these publicity materials. While there are quite a few hoardings complimenting MLA J R Lobo for his great development works in Mangaluru, then there are others welcoming JD (S) supremo HD Kumaraswamy and BJP UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to the city. Some banners/hoardings erected by the MLA’s followers, inform residents that they are thankful to MLA Lobo for various development projects, also including the 3D Planetarium, Kadri Musical Fountain, etc etc. But all these are illegal to display without permission from the DC-but alas, whom to blame or ask? They do it anyhow.
The picture is no different all across as supporters of MLAs and aspirants look to please their bosses with visual campaigns. Wishes for birthdays, fairs, festivals or other auspicious occasions are popular. The MCC, which is expected to regulate the display of such posters and banners in Mangaluru, appears to be caught in the crossfire. Even Hoardings or posters take up space, obstruct views, distract motorists, displace alternative uses for land and are a source of litter, this calls for legitimate regulation. While the MCC has identified banner-free zones, the law seems to apply only to the certain parties I guess.
But will the Congress, BJP and JD(S) reveal the cost to the public-I don’t think so. By the way whose money is it anyways. TAX PAYERS!. The average price per poster ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 per poster (depending on the quality) and few thousands/ per life-size cut-out and hoardings. All parties claim that their posters are generally funded by supporters. Sources said political parties spend few crore on posters, banners and hoardings in an election year. Each candidate spends about Rs 1 crore, regardless of the regulations. And today’s scene around the City is an example as to how waste money on something which is not so important, other than for their own benefit, and destroy the beauty of the City? Bah humbug!
Why did the DC woke up at the last minute this morning, even when the posters/banners/hoardings had been put up days ago. Sources reveal that as per in the view of election regulations DC Sasikanth Senthil had sent notice to MCC officials to remove all the illegal publicity materials- and MCC did nothing, until this morning, when they tried to remove the banners/posters/hoardings they were objected by BJP members- and so the banners/hoardings remain still. Why did MCC allowed all these illegal banners etc to be put up, and didn’t take any action? You know why- because even quite a few illegal, that too flex banners/hoardings are displayed around the city, those of CONGRESS honchos too? Oh well!