Theatrics in BBMP council meeting over MLA’s photo

Thanks to her unique way of attracting the crowd, Laggere ward corporator, Manjula Narayanaswamy is back in the news.

She is alleging that the Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency MLA, Munirathna, is violating the orders by the High Court through displaying his photographs at the drinking water kiosks in the constituency.

She is alleging that the MLA has put up photographs at kiosks along with the images of lions on his either side, violating the rules set by the civic body. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has banned the display of photographs of local leaders in public places, such as bus shelters or drinking water kiosks in the city.

“How fair is this when the MLA can have his set of rules, and the others have to follow other rules?” asked Manjula Narayanaswamy in the meeting. As she tried to bring up the issue while discussing the BBMP’s allocation of funds, many corporators including Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun, asked her to raise the issue during the zero hour. But, strangely, she sat on the floor and started to cry.

It was only after JD(S) leader Nethra Narayan pacified her, did Narayanaswamy go back to her seat, and did raise the issue thereafter.

BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said, “The Supreme Court has ordered a ban on public advertising of people, especially, local leaders in places such as bus shelters, drinking water kiosks, etc. Only those of the Chief Minister are allowed.”

Interestingly, even Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon tweeted an image on Thursday, of a huge cut out of the Shantinagar MLA, N A Harris.

Following the orders of the high court, the civic body has banned illegal flexes and banners in the city for a year.