Approval spree amid din at Palike meeting

Like a lull before the storm, business started in the House on a peaceful note with tributes being paid to former mayor and former president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat, G Narayana, and former minister M Y Ghorpade, who passed away recently. JD(S) leader Padmanabha Raddy initially insisted on holding a discussion on the scam even before the tributes were paid, but when the ruling party members persuaded him, he gave up the demand.

When Leader of the House Nanjundappa stood up to get the subject matters approved, the Opposition Congress and JD(S) members demanded that they be allowed to speak under Rule 52 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act, which allows a member to hold discussion on a subject.  

But Nanjundappa and the Mayor said permission for discussion under Rule 52 can be given, only if someone asks for it at least seven days in advance.

Storm into well

The Congress and the JD(S) corporators stormed into the well of the House and began raising slogans against the BJP. Congress corporators Mallesh and Sampath Raj brought a fire extinguisher to the House to highlight the fire incident in the BBMP. JD(S) corporators, led by Padmanabha Reddy, went up to the podium and gheraoed Mayor Sharadamma, Deputy Mayor S Harish and commissioner Shankarlinge Gowda.

The BJP corporators apparently anticipated such a commotion in the wake of Siddaiah’s transfer and wasted no time and got all the subjects approved amid the din. The House was adjourned for 15 minutes.

When business resumed, legislators M Srinivas (Rajarajeshwari Nagar), M Krishnappa (Bangalore South), Ashwath Narayan (Malleswaram) and Dinesh Gundu Rao (Gandhi Nagar) were present in the House.

Padmanabha Reddy raised the issue saying the Palike’s image had taken a beating due to a series of scams. “You (BJP government) have the right to appoint new commissioner. But why was Siddaiah transferred at a time when BBMP was facing an allegation of scam.

People look at us with suspicion. Let the government hand over the matter to the
Lokayukta and order inquiry in all the 28 Assembly constituencies of the City,” said Reddy.
When the Congress floor leader Udayashankar quoted the findings of the BBMP standing committee on administration about the incomplete records and missing bills, the BJP corporators created a din to drown out Udayashankar’s statement.

Angry with the behaviour of the BJP corporators, Congress corporators stormed into the well of the House and raised slogans. Mayor Sharadamma adjourned the House till Wednesday.