Palike workers 'prevented' from removing hoardings

Congress workers abused the officials of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike from removing illegal posters put up near the Palace Grounds on Saturday.

A programme was organised at the Palace Grounds to mark the birth anniversary of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar. Vishwakavi Thiruvalluvar Jayanthi Acharana Samithi had organised the programme.   

 Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other dignitaries were scheduled to take part in the event. The Congress workers had put up posters, banners and buntings all along the route - from Mekhri Circle to Cauvery Theatre.

While the chief minister did not take the route, Palike officials did, only on the orders of their superiors to remove all the posters and buntings. The civic agency is under pressure to act against flexboards and banners ever since a public interest litigation has been filed in the High Court against illegal hoardings.

Starting at 9.30am, a BBMP assistant executive engineer along with two assistant engineers of the area and a number of other BBMP workers began removing the hoardings.

By around 11, at least two tractor-trailer loads of hoardings were removed. However, problem started when the BBMP officials reached near Gate Number-5 of the Palace Grounds where the programme was being held.

The officials faced stiff opposition from the organisers, who stopped the Palike workers from removing the flexboards. The organisers contended that it was the event of the ruling party and hence posters could not be removed. After the heated exchanges for around half an hour, BBMP officials decided to remove the hoardings after the programme. Joint Commissioner R V D’Souza, West Zone, was called in to try and solve the situation.

The police, who were present during the altercation, chose to remain a mute spectator. “This is not the first time that we have faced such a situation,” an assistant engineer said.
The spokesperson for the Samithi, Vishwanath said that a letter was sent to the Commissioner of the BBMP to allow the posters and yet there was some “misunderstanding.”