By P.T. Bopanna
Has Kodagu Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha done more harm than good to Kodagu (Coorg)?
A performance appraisal of Simha in the last four and half years makes it clear that the young BJP MP has damaged the interests of Kodagu. He has worked against the interests of Kodagu on major issues.
On the plus side, however, he endeared himself to his constituents during last year’s floods in August and raised the issue in the Lok Sabha.
The fact that there was nothing to show for Kodagu in his latest booklet presented to prime minister Modi (in picture) on the projects sanctioned by the Centre to his Mysuru-Kodagu constituency proves the point that he has hardly done anything for Kodagu.
Simha has been in the forefront in lobbying for the execution of Mysuru-Kushalanagara-Madikeri railway line for political gain to mobilise votes in the Hunsur-Periyapatna belt. The project which was scrapped recently for being unviable, would have caused major environmental damage and triggered more landslides in Kodagu in the coming years.
Simha met the Union environment minister and submitted memorandum against implementation of the Kasturirangan report without bothering to discuss the pros and cons of the report with the people going to be affected. If the report is not implemented, there could be serious ecological damage to the Western Ghats affecting the monsoon in the Cauvery catchment areas.
Simha went ‘missing’ when he was needed the most to pressurise the Union government to continue the gun privilege enjoyed by the Coorgs (Kodavas) and jamma land-holders which was sought to be taken away following the filing of a public interest litigation allegedly at the instance of a senior BJP politician.
When the Karnataka High Court directed the Union government to take a call on continuing the gun privilege, Simha remained silent on the issue, instead of taking a delegation from Kodagu to meet the Union home minister.
As Simha has failed to protect the interests of Kodagu, he has forfeited his right to continue as MP for another term.
