Opposition demand revoking of ban on protests at Bengaluru's Town Hall

Joining the public in their protest against Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) resolution to impose ban on staging protests in front of the Town Hall, the opposition Congress and JDS corporators on Tuesday disrupted the BBMP Council forcing the Mayor to adjourn the proceedings.

Feeling the heat and walking up off late to the threat, opposition corporators collectively pounced on the ruling BJP to withdraw the controversial resolution. Abdul Wajid, leader of the Opposition in BBMP Council said, “It was entirely an undemocratic move and we will intensify our protests.”

Even though Mayor Goutham Kumar tried to convince the protesting corporators with an explanation from the BBMP Commissioner, the opposition refused to budge and continued with the protests.

Gangambike Mallikarjun, Ex-Mayor told DH that they (opposition) were completely kept in dark about the resolution. “As we were debating on garbage issue, they silently raised the issue and done away with it. It was only later that we got to know that such a decision has been taken on the council,” she revealed.

While the BBMP Commissioner states that there have been locations identified for holding protests like Freedom Park and Gandhi Statue, the leaders refused to buy the argument stating that a few places cannot accommodate the multiple voices of protests in a burgeoning city like Bengaluru.

The opposition Congress too came under intense public criticism for failing to take on the ruling BJP on the floor of the house. Interestingly, it was the public, civic organisations which picked up the issue and registered their first dissent against the resolution.

“Had we informed about the decision, we would have stopped it from getting passed. At the end of the proceedings, they silently read out and passed the resolution,” Wajid said. He also stated that the decision to impose the ban perhaps manifested from outside the political realm and needs to be explained by the Mayor.