Deferred, not dropped: BBMP’s volte-face over naming traffic circle after Tipu

Having ‘dropped’ the decision to rechristen a traffic circle in Jakkur ward after Tipu Sultan at the BBMP council, the ruling BJP made a hasty U-turn to pacify the Opposition.

As the Opposition Congress was riled up over the issue, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike said it is only deferring the issue and will take it up for discussion once again at the council after getting a legal opinion.

Angry Congress corporators led by Leader of the Opposition Abdul Wajid staged a dharna in the BBMP council, demanding the Palike withdraw its decision to drop the plan to name the Bellahalli Circle in Jakkur ward in the Yelahanka zone after Tipu Sultan.

“Naming the circle after Tipu Sultan had been, in fact, first proposed by your own leader N R Ramesh. Do you now want to go against Ramesh’s proposal?” asked Wajid.

Quoting the KMC Act, the Opposition leader also pointed out that a decision by the council can be reversed only if two-thirds of the members give it in writing. “The mayor cannot suo-motto initiate or decide on any issue,” he added.

Ruling party leader Muneendra Kumar defended the decision, saying: “This was the people’s demand and we are going by it.”

With the BJP and Congress leaders locking horns over the issue, Mayor Goutham Kumar made a sudden U-turn, claiming that no decision was made to drop the plan to rename the circle after Tipu Sultan.

When Congress leaders confronted the mayor with council proceedings, he dismissed it as an ‘error’. “We have only deferred the issue and the commissioner will make a decision on the matter,” the mayor said, pacifying the protesting members.

Offering a clarification, BBMP commissioner B H Anil Kumar said: “I will get the file and go through the details. Whatever possible as per the law, we will decide and the same will be communicated to the council.”