Governor visits Gangubai to make amends for CM

The visit by the governor helped assuage the nonagenarian who was hurt by the chief minister's discourteous act at a function to felicitate her. The music lovers of Hubli are furious over the manner in which chief minister Dharam Singh left the function held to honour the 90 year-old maestro.

Dharam Singh who was the chief guest at the function organised by the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation on Monday last at the Sawai Gandharva Hall in Hubli arrived three hours late. He rushed on to the dais, took the shawl, garland and citation and presented it to Gangubai who had been waiting on the dais for over two hours despite ill health.

The CM was in a hurry to board the waiting Kingfisher plane and take off before dark. So without waiting for the formalities he took the mike, spoke for less than a minute and rushed out. Ministers and other politicians who had accompanied the CM to the function followed him.

The mayor Mangalagouri Agnihotri who had organised the function thought it important to see her political mentor off than sit through the function. The HDMC had decided to accord the maestro the civic honour Hubli.

With the CM's exit the function came to an abrupt end much to the annoyance of the audience gathered there. Gangubai's admirers were fuming at the callous attitude of the politicians and decided that Gangubai return the honour. Gangubai herself was hurt. She was hurt that the Pour Sanman went this way in her hometown when elsewhere in the country and abroad it had been a grand affair.

On Tuesday, a delegation of music lovers went to HDMC office in a procession from Gangubai's house carrying the shawl, garland and citation and returned them at the HDMC office.

They kept the felicitation materials on the mayor's table. The CM's efforts to explain away his inability to stay longer at the function had no takers.

While the incident had left a bitter taste in the mouths of citizens, the governor's visit came as a pleasant surprise.

T N Chaturvedi, who was in Dharwad to attend the annual convocation of the University of Agricultural Sciences was scheduled to board Rani Channamma Express at Dharwad Railway station at 9 PM. But he decided to visit Gangubai instead and board the train at Hubli.

He reached her house around 6.30 PM, saw the music museum and recalled the rich cultural heritage of India. He particularly mentioned the contributions of Dharwad and Hubli to the world of Hindustani music.

The governor termed his visit as a courtesy call and declined to comment on the 'civic honour' episode. This is Dharam Singh's second visit to the twin cities after he took the reins.

During his first visit the chief minister had agreed to attend too many functions. After attending the last programme he rushed to the airport and in the process annoyed the Congress workers then.

An upset Dharam Singh shouted at the police commissioner for not taking steps to ensure smooth passage of the convoy. This time it was the turn of the music lovers to be annoyed.