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Bedlam in BMP Council over budgetary allocation for wards

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE March 21. High drama prevailed in the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) Council on Friday with the Opposition Janata Dal (S) members staging a dharna and the BJP members walking out of the House.

Trouble started when the Janata Dal (S) member, V. Nagaraj, tore a copy of the budget estimates in protest against the "lesser allocation of funds to his ward" (Sevashram).

As soon as the meeting began, the party members, led by the Opposition leader, Syed Jameel Ahmed, and the Independent member, M.K. Kuppuraj, protested against "higher allocation for wards represented by the Congress corporators".

Even as the Mayor, C.M. Nagaraj, tried to pacify the members, Mr. V. Nagaraj condemned the BMP's "biased attitude towards Congress corporators", and asked: "Is this a BMP budget or a Congress party budget?''

In a fit of rage, he tore the estimates copy and threw it into the well of the House.

The agitated Congress members demanded an apology from the member.

They also wanted the Mayor to send him out of the House.

"He has humiliated the council by behaving indecently. We want an apology from him,''they demanded.

Mr. Nagaraj, who initially refused to apologise, was supported by his party members who staged a dharna in the House.

The BJP members walked out amid the confusion. The mayor adjourned the House for a while and held talks with the Opposition members in his chamber.

Later, the member apologised for his behaviour.

Participating in the discussion later, Mr. Ahmed demanded that the mayor "re-work" the budget estimates and present a "realistic" budget.

Terming the budget as a "deficit" one, Mr. Jameel said the process of issuing khatas (possession certificates) should be simplified to motivate people to pay improvement charges and come under the tax net.

Demanding that the administration reports be tabled in the council at the earliest, he said the budget did not have anything new for citizens.

"All old plans and proposals have been rolled out again,'' he said.

Earlier, initiating the discussion, the ruling party leader, M. Nagaraj, termed the budget realistic and project-oriented.

For the first time in its history, the BMP aimed at speedy completion of programmes announced earlier, he said.

``It is heartening to note that we have not imposed new taxes. The BMP is the first civic body in the country to become financially stable,'' he said.

Niranthara Nirmala, Palika Bag, and upgrading of 1,500 km. of roads would improve the BMP's image, he said.

The discussions will continue on Saturday.

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