‘Martyrs War Memorial’ near Kadri Hills Flanked by ‘Junk Vehicles Memorial?’
Mangaluru: People who visit the “War Memorial” site, which is located opposite to Kadri East Police Station, near Kadri Hills/Kadri Park, to pay respect to the soldiers who had perished in the war fighting for our nation, will be FIRST greeted by a number of junk vehicles dumped along the wall of this “memorial” site, even before they enter the premises- thanks to Kadri Police for being ignorant and dumping all these junk vehicles ruined in accidents or seized for other reasons. It’s indeed an ugly scene when you look at these junk rusted vehicles, including damaged police barricades sitting very adjacent to ‘War Memorial’, thereby showing a total ‘Disrespect’ to a ‘Respected Monument’. Specially when a huge crowd shows up here during commemoration of ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ and ‘Vijay Diwas’, these junk vehicles portray a bad image of our city, which boasts of being a “Smart City?’
If our police personnel had really used their common sense they wouldn’t have picked a place very next to a War Memorial to dump all these junk vehicles-they could have thought of a better place around the Kadri police station area- in fact, if you look around, there are quite a few empty large lots in that vicinity, also near Circuit house etc. Anyone passing by these junk vehicles will make their eyesore. About this War Memorial, it was dedicated on January 29, 1992, graced by the then Governor of Karnataka State Khurshed Alam Khan- and the monument has a single stone obelisk in the centre with a message inscribed on it which says, “To the memory of all ranks of the armed forces from Dakshina Kannada District who gallantly laid down their lives in defence of their motherland”.
Although this ‘War Memorial’ is owned by Mangaluru City Corporation, the maintenance and upkeep of this sacred place are undertaken by Canara Springs (Canara Workshops Ltd) under the leadership of Premnath Kudva, the Executive Director of this firm. Even though this monumental premises has been well kept by Canara Springs crew with lush green lawns, shade providing trees and litter free zone, but all their efforts in beautifying this site has been ignorantly desecrated by the nearby cops by dumping all these junk vehicles, as a result of accidents, confiscation and other traffic related matters. Such ugly sight around a memorial and sacred place is very much disturbing and heart wrenching. The police personnel should find a permanent solution to this issue, by relocating these ugly vehicles far from this ‘War Memorial’ site. Thank You in anticipation!
Sources reveal that the police when approached by the war memorial board members always have a story to tell, one of them being- their helplessness due to lack of space and also because of vehicles not being released due to legal hassles. And due to reckless driving or drunk driving in recent times, these accident vehicles have increased in numbers and are getting filled up around the memorial.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Col. Nitteguthu Sharath Bhandary, Veteran and Immediate Past President of Dakshina Kannada Ex-Servicemen’s Association said: “We had tried all sources to convince the police not to dump junk vehicles near the monument- all our efforts are in vain. Dumping of these junk vehicles outside the War Memorial is like defacing the monument. War Memorial is a sacred place. Being a uniformed cadre, it is the duty of the police to maintain the sanctity of the place. War memorial, is a sacred and hallowed place, which evokes, Patriotic and Nationalistic spirit among the citizens. The War Memorial is meant to honour those intrepid martyred warriors, who sacrificed their lives in defense of our country. It is imperative that the surroundings of this shrine, are not littered with discarded accident vehicles, presenting a very shabby scene. Police should dump their junk vehicles in some other suitable area”.
On a final note, our arm forces are a collective of brave men and women who redefine patriotism every single day. Their acts of bravery cannot be defined through words, but these few quotes by these soldiers will definitely fill your heart with pride: “It’s my nature to be kind, gentle and humane, But Remember, when it comes to matters of protecting my Country and my people, Fear me! For I’m also the most deadliest one, who is powerful and relentless”; “To find us, you must be good, to catch us you must be fast, but to beat us…………you must be kidding.” “Either I will come back after hoisting the tricolor, or I will come back wrapped in it, but I will be back for sure.” “I regret I have but one life to give for my country.”
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it, it flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”; “What is a lifetime adventure for you is a daily routine for us.”; “We live by chance, we love by choice, we kill by profession.”; “If death strikes, before I prove my blood, I swear I’ll kill death.” ; “May God have mercy on our enemies because we won’t.”; “It is God’s duty to forgive the enemies, but it’s our duty to convene a meeting between the two.”. Long live our brave Soldiers and also the War Heroes/Ex-Servicemen!