Silent Night… Curfew Night? Christmas Mood of Christians Shattered due to Unexpected Curfew
Mangaluru: While the carol singers would have been visiting homes singing carols few days prior to Christmas, like one carol being “Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright, Round yon Virgin, Mother, Mother and Child, Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace…”, but it turned out to be different, and it was time to sing, “Silent Night..Curfew Night.. All is Calm, but all was Dark.. Round your Family members, innocent kids so scared and feared, Sleep in disturbed Noise?? Never in the history of Mangaluru that the festive season was shattered due to a wrong decision taken by authorities to impose Section 144 and Curfew, which was NOT REALLY NEEDED…What was the achievement of these two, other than create huge losses in crores…and also spoil the festive spirit of Christians and also those of other communities, who also join in the Christmas celebration.
The City which was all gearing up for the joyful festival was all hurt by Section 144 and Curfew, which was condemned from all quarters of people. People could not go out shopping, to but the necessities for Christmas, nor go out dining or partying. This curfew also brought negative impact on City’s development, because businessmen, investors and political analysts feel that frequent bandhs, prohibitory orders, moral policing, Section 144 and Curfews in communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada have had a long lasting impact on its growth. Sources reveal that according to stakeholders, if such things continue in DK, no investors will come forward to invest in this District or Mangaluru.
THESE WOULD BE SCENES WITHOUT CURFEW DURING CHRISTMAS SEASON…..
While carol singers had planned three nights of visiting homes and singing carols like they have done for decades and years, were completely disappointed by the Section 144 and Curfew, which they never expected to happen during such a joyous season of the year. Did this Section 144 and Curfew benefit anyone, other than creating losses in crores. To whomsoever it may concern, the person or person who decided to impose Section 144 and Curfew, did make the DUMBEST MISTAKE in the history of Mangaluru and DK, and that too during such time of a year.
THIS IS HOW THE CITY LOOKED AT NIGHT/DAY DURING CURFEW IN CHRISTMAS SEASON 2019
Peter Nirmal, the General Manager of Hotel Taj Gateway said, with people cancelling the room reservation, no business in the restaurant and bar, and no-income from other sources, resulted in nearly Rs 25 lakhs in loss. Businessmen who every year make a brisk business selling Christmas decorations, and decorative lights etc suffered a lot due to curfew. Ullhas Rasquinha, the owner of Jerosa Company, the largest shop dealing with Christmas decorations and other religious items said, “Never in my wildest dream I though Mangaluru would be in such a situation. Was this Section 144 or Curfew really needed. Mangaluru is a peace loving place, unlike other cities. Even though the curfew was lifted, the business was not up to the mark, because people didn’t wanted to buy decorations/lights etc at the last minute”.
Bryan Vas, the proprietor of Vas Bakery-Bendore, Mangaluru said, “We had stocked a huge quantity of Christmas goodies, but the curfew put us in loss, as customers were scared to come out and buy the products. Even though there were incidents happen in December in the past, but never had hit our business so hard like this December. Our orders for school functions, weddings and other happy occasions were all cancelled. With low turn out there are chances our food will spoil since most of the items are perishable or less shelf life. And also due to no bus services we were short of staff to prepare the needed items for sale from 22 till 25 December. Cakes, Kuswar and savouries are popular items during Christmas, but with 2-3 days of curfew we couldn’t prepare a lot”.
And also December month is the time where many Catholic weddings take place, and also that many Mangaloreans come down to Mangaluru to get married. Also the Christmas month sees the Mangaluru expats coming to their hometown to spend holidays with their families and friends, but this curfew has completely screwed up their plans. Most of their plans are now being postponed or modifications made in the celebrations. Some functions, including weddings were held out of Mangaluru. Some Catholic families went ahead and had their wedding celebrations, but the guests turn out was very less. Also caterers felt the brunt of this curfew. Hope the Christians and other communities will not experience such a horrific situation faced during this Christmas season, next year. Hope Not!
I don’t want these ACHHE DINs. I want my Bure Dins back!
For that you have to wait till thy kingdom come. In other words wait for your good for nothing useless Cong I to win.
So Alfie, who is responsible for that in your learned opinion? Are you indirectly justifying the events that led to the curfew? Are you justifying or welcoming anti national elements into the country? Take a stand and clarify where do you stand.
I’m puzzled by this author who characterizes precautionary steps a ‘dumbest mistake’. Did he forget all the violence unleashed by anti-social elements just a few days ago? Who would be responsible if the same elements plan an attack on Christians to make national deadlines? Then the author would have blamed Police and ruling party for not planning in advance? The same businessmen he interviewed would make a big scene if their business comes under attack by ‘stone pelting’ crowds.