Demands intensify to rename MIA

Mangaluru: The demand to rename Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after the names of the brave men and woman of Karavali is getting intensified.

MIA is the 2^nd biggest airport in the state after Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli in Bengaluru. There was a demand to rename the airport after the ‘men of the age’ of Karavali, similar to Bengaluru. Now, the demand is afresh with a few organizations from Karavali insisting on renaming the airport after the names of the brave men or women of Karavali. In this prospect, a few days back, the Billava community meeting took a decision to insist on renaming Mangaluru International Airport after ‘Koti Chennaya’.

Earlier too, there was a strong demand to rename MIA after those great persons who had provided much for Karavali. A decision was taken at the Zilla panchayat meeting that the airport be named after ‘Vera Rani Abbakka’. The decision was taken at the ZP meeting and was submitted to the government through the district commissioner.

On the other hand, during the ‘Abbakka Utsava’ held last year at Bengaluru, minister U.T. Khader had promised to send a proposal to the central government to rename MIA after ‘Veera Rani Abbakka’. Amidst this, the glory of starting an airport in Mangaluru goes to Ullal Srinivas Mallya. Hence there is also a great demand to rename the airport after his name.

Other than this, there is also a demand from the Dalit organizations that the airport be renamed after Dr Ambedkar as the land for the airport was provided by many dalit families. A decision in this regard was taken last year at the Malavoor village meeting.

After much political pressure and fight by many organizations, Bengaluru International Airport was finally renamed Kempegowda International Airport after the fact that Nadaprabhu Kempegowda was responsible for the creation of Bengaluru. So why can’t the name of MIA be kept after the great men and brave women of Karavali, the representatives of the people must show great political willingness in this regard and fight along with the organization in this direction are the locals’ demands.

Requests:

“It is good if Mangaluru airport’s name is changed. If a request comes in this regard, definitely along with all the MLA’s from the district, I too will request to the central government about this,” said U.T. Khader, State Minister for Urban Development and Housing.

No objection

“I have no objection to rename Mangaluru airport after the brave men and women of Karavali. If any organization keeps forth this demand, the request will be put forth before the Prime Minister along with a delegation,” said D.K. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel.

Letter to PM

Shibajeya Vijeth from Bantwal taluk has written a 12-page letter to the Prime Minister and the Airport Authority, requesting them to rename Mangaluru International Airport after ‘Koti Chennayya’.