A village might be safer to live in than Bangalore: Athlete Mirza Najib Aga

Among the contestants for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike polls on March 28 are a vegetable vendor and an athlete.

No ordinary athlete, Mirza Najib Aga represented India at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. This judo champion is contesting for the Palike from ward number 111, Shantala Nagar. DNA spoke  to Aga about his transition from sportsman to politician.

Tell us a little about your background.
I have been recognised for my achievements in judo. I took part in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. I am a recipient of the State Ekalavya award. I have received the prime minister’s award twice. I have won medals in Asian, Commonwealth and other international championships. At present, I run a fitness centre called Energy Gym.

How is the campaign getting on? You have the support of family and friends?
My great-grandfather served as the Diwan of Mysore. After him, no one in the family took to politics. My family has been supportive. My aim is to make the lives of people in my ward easier, and to make administration citizen-friendly. I am contesting as an independent. I am yet to start campaigning, and I work with limited money. I know I may not win. This is an attempt to show that we can make a change.

What made you take the plunge? Was there anything in particular?
If there were just one incident to explain the need to take to the electoral contest after being an athlete, I would have dismissed it. But I have experienced a series of disappointments. I am now ready to stand up to make the difference. The road in front of my gym centre is one example of shoddy civil work. Work on the sewers was discontinued two months ago, even though it is far from complete. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board did not have the necessary equipment! My business has taken a drubbing, coming down nearly 50%.

If you win, what will be your top priority?
It would be a luxury to have just one top priority. The garbage menace is a huge problem. The city’s green cover is fast shrinking, and there is need for urgent action. We need to figure out how best to recycle waste water in an inexpensive manner. We need to implement the rainwater harvesting system. Drains in the city claimed lives last year, and the drainage system needs improvement. E-governance will offer citizens greater access to information about governance. That way, citizens can tell how much money has been allocated for a project, and receive regular updates about ongoing works. These are all tasks that need urgent attention, to be tackled simultaneously. And the Carlton Towers tragedy showed the need for timely disaster management. Perhaps one would be safer in a village than in Bangalore.