Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has said that the toll gate at Surathkal has been cancelled.
In his tweet, Kateel said "On behalf of people, I thank Union minister @nitin_gadkari and Prime Minister @narendramodi that the toll gate near Surathkal in Mangaluru has been cancelled. The Union minister had promised to cancel the toll collection in the past and the technical aspects of it has been accomplished.”
Toll Virodhi Horata Samithi Convener Muneer Katipalla said that the samithi has decided to continue the indefinite protest till the toll collection was stopped on NH 66 at Surathkal. The protest will continue till the toll gate is vacated.
"We just read the tweet by DK MP Nalin Kumar Kateel. We will wait till the toll gate is vacated before taking a decision to stop our ongoing indefinite day and night protest," he said.
“We do not have any official information on cancelling the toll gate. The toll collection at Surathkal is continuing now,” he said. “The MP has tweeted on cancelling the toll gate at Surathkal. We are happy if it is true. The MP has thanked Nithin Gadkari and Narendra Modi in his tweet. In fact, credit should be given for the people of Tulu Nadu for fighting against it. The toll is collected from Surathkal toll gate for the last seven years.”
On the possibility of hiking the toll fare at Hejamadi (which is 10-km away from Surathkal), Muneer Katipalla said "we will wait for the government order on cancelling the toll collection at Surathkal."
It may be recalled that the Samithi has been carrying out an indefinite day and night stir against toll from October 28. A large number of people under the aegis of Toll Virodhi Horata Samithi had gheraoed the toll gate at Surathkal on October 18 and the police had arrested the protesters and booked cases against them. In fact, the indefinite day and night stir has been receiving overwhelming response with people from various taluks taking part in the protest at Surathkal.
Taken to custody
A bike rally organised by DYFI and SFI in Mangaluru to support the indefinite protest by Toll Virodhi Horata Samithi was stopped by the police on Monday evening. Police personnel led by Urwa Inspector Bharathi stopped the bike rally. Samithi convener Muneer Katipalla said that a letter was given to DCP seeking permission for the same four days ago. The police had taken the DYFI activists to custody.