<p>Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka opposed Monday the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, which proposes up to seven municipal corporations in the city, as a "death knell" and warned that non-Kannadigas would end up becoming mayors.</p><p>The Bill is against the 74th Amendment of the Constitution, Ashoka said, adding that power will be concentrated with the chief minister and not elected councils.</p><p>The Bill, vetted by a joint select committee, proposes a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) headed by the chief minister. The GBA will have administrative, planning and executive powers over the city.</p>.Now, Greater Bengaluru Authority to govern city?.<p>Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who holds the Bengaluru City Development portfolio, is bullish about seeing the Bill through.</p><p>“Being the son of Kempegowda, Shivakumar is out to break Bengaluru,” Ashoka said in the Assembly. Shivakumar’s father shares his name with 16th century chieftain Kempegowda who founded Bengaluru.</p><p>“In 2006, we created the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) at a time when Kannadigas were becoming a minority. It’d have become a union territory. We brought villages under the city,” Ashoka, who represents Padmanabhanagar in the city, said. “Now, how will Kannada survive in Bengaluru East? We won’t even have Kannadigas mayors,” he said.</p>.Tejasvi Surya: Why Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill should be rejected.<p>“The 74th Amendment is about devolving power to local bodies. We need to give power to the city corporation. But here, it’ll be the CM who will be the supervisor,” Ashoka said. “Mayors won’t be supreme. And, how can we expect the CM to hold regular meetings? The metropolitan planning committee (MPC) itself hasn’t held a single meeting till date,” he said.</p><p>The GBA would hamper development, Ashoka argued. “The city’s eastern part has IT/BT companies. The western part has nothing. Disparity in revenue generation could lead to inter-corporation fights,” he said.</p><p>Earlier, piloting the Bill, Shivakumar said it was difficult for one chief commissioner to manage the entire city.</p><p>“When there’s one chief secretary for seven crore people, can’t one commissioner run the city? When there’s one elected CM for seven crore people, can’t an elected mayor run a corporation?” Ashoka said, adding that multiple corporations did not work in Delhi.</p><p>“What if one of the multiple corporations will write to the union government demanding a Union Territory status?” Ashoka warned.</p><p>“You can have five commissioners if you want. But don’t betray Bengaluru like this,” Ashoka told Shivakumar. “Don’t divide the city.”</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka opposed Monday the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, which proposes up to seven municipal corporations in the city, as a "death knell" and warned that non-Kannadigas would end up becoming mayors.</p><p>The Bill is against the 74th Amendment of the Constitution, Ashoka said, adding that power will be concentrated with the chief minister and not elected councils.</p><p>The Bill, vetted by a joint select committee, proposes a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) headed by the chief minister. The GBA will have administrative, planning and executive powers over the city.</p>.Now, Greater Bengaluru Authority to govern city?.<p>Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who holds the Bengaluru City Development portfolio, is bullish about seeing the Bill through.</p><p>“Being the son of Kempegowda, Shivakumar is out to break Bengaluru,” Ashoka said in the Assembly. Shivakumar’s father shares his name with 16th century chieftain Kempegowda who founded Bengaluru.</p><p>“In 2006, we created the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) at a time when Kannadigas were becoming a minority. It’d have become a union territory. We brought villages under the city,” Ashoka, who represents Padmanabhanagar in the city, said. “Now, how will Kannada survive in Bengaluru East? We won’t even have Kannadigas mayors,” he said.</p>.Tejasvi Surya: Why Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill should be rejected.<p>“The 74th Amendment is about devolving power to local bodies. We need to give power to the city corporation. But here, it’ll be the CM who will be the supervisor,” Ashoka said. “Mayors won’t be supreme. And, how can we expect the CM to hold regular meetings? The metropolitan planning committee (MPC) itself hasn’t held a single meeting till date,” he said.</p><p>The GBA would hamper development, Ashoka argued. “The city’s eastern part has IT/BT companies. The western part has nothing. Disparity in revenue generation could lead to inter-corporation fights,” he said.</p><p>Earlier, piloting the Bill, Shivakumar said it was difficult for one chief commissioner to manage the entire city.</p><p>“When there’s one chief secretary for seven crore people, can’t one commissioner run the city? When there’s one elected CM for seven crore people, can’t an elected mayor run a corporation?” Ashoka said, adding that multiple corporations did not work in Delhi.</p><p>“What if one of the multiple corporations will write to the union government demanding a Union Territory status?” Ashoka warned.</p><p>“You can have five commissioners if you want. But don’t betray Bengaluru like this,” Ashoka told Shivakumar. “Don’t divide the city.”</p>
