By M Rafi Ahmed
For well over three decades, Karumbukkadai, a Muslim dominant neighbourhood in Coimbatore has been left high and dry sans any amenities like government high school, urban health centre, library, nationalised bank.
Despite the fact, the residential-cum-commercial area developed as a shopping hub conveniently located in the heart of the city, the powers-that-be showed no interest to fulfil the basic needs of the residents and the business fraternity.
More often than not, the grievance petitions presented on different occasions to the State minority commission, Minorities welfare minister besides the district heads has been consistently neglected on one pretext or the other.
Many futile attempts were made by the local residents, business people besides the Jamaath heads seeking the attention of the government officials. Sadly, they couldn’t get any positive result. The area and the residents mostly Muslim minorities were being looked down upon as ‘Terrorists’.
Like adding fuel to fire, the banks have branded the area as a ‘Black listed Spot’ depriving any loans to them.
What more, the residents and those engaged in different businesses have to commute to Oppanakkara Street for their financial requirements.
As a last ditch effort, a documentary has been with women-folk pouring out their woes about the stepmotherly treatment meted out to them by the district administration besides the Lead Bank.
It is fervently hoped that this will reach the attention of dynamic CM of Tamil Nadu in refreshing their genuine demands.
[The writer is former Indian Express and Deccan Chronicle chief]
