Superseding the elected body of Belagavi City Corporation just because the Mayor and Deputy Mayor participated in the anti-Karnataka “black day” observation organised by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES) on the occasion of Karnataka Rajyotsava day is not a solution, former Minister Satish L. Jarkiholi said here today.
In response to questions raised at a press conference here on Wednesday, he said the government would have to supersede the council every year for the fact that Marathi councillors had been participating in such MES rally every year and would continue to be part of it on every Rajyotsava day till the Supreme Court delivered the verdict on the boundary dispute.
The BCC council continues to face the threat of being superseded following show-cause notices issued to Mayor Sarita Viraj Patil and Deputy Mayor Sanjay M. Shinde for participating in the ‘black day’, to which a reply had been already submitted.
Mr. Jarkiholi said ‘to protest’ was a democratic right. But, there were provisions in the law against all those who indulge in anti-State activities. Therefore, the government could take action if there were any anti-State activities as per the law instead of succumbing to the demands of few groups and individuals on superseding the entire elected body for the alleged fault of a few MES-affiliated councillors. He had already conveyed his views in this regard to the government, he added.
