Senior Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES) leader Sambhaji L. Patil, MLA (Independent), Mayor of Belagavi City Corporation Sarita Viraj Patil and Deputy Mayor Sanjay Shinde have earned the wrath of the entire Opposition in the Council which has demanded their disqualification immediately.
After holding a discussion among themselves, the Opposition members comprising Kannada, Urdu speaking councillors led by their floor leader Ramesh Sontakki, Deputy Leader Deepak Jamkhandi, and Sarala Shivanand Herekar met the Deputy Commissioner and Regional Commissioner in-charge N. Jayaram here on Wednesday and placed their demand, holding Mr.Patil, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor guilty of participating in the parallel ‘anti-Karnataka’ rally organised by the MES in the city on the occasion of Rajyotsava on Tuesday.
Mr. Sambhaji Patil is also a member of the BCC Council and was elected from Ward No.15.
However, the councillors differed with some Kannada organisations on the demand for superseding the entire elected council, stating that it would be unfair to punish all councillors for the mistake of a few councillors.
Belagavi District Kannada Organisations Action Committee President Ashok Chandargi, who was also present, said that the government was empowered to disqualify any elected member of a municipal corporation body under the provisions of the Karnataka Municipal Act, 1976.
In his reply to the demand, Mr. Jayaram said a detailed report about the proceedings of the MES rally and public meeting was being sent to the government. It was for the government to take a decision on the report, he said.
Twice superseded
Mr. Chandargi later told presspersons that the BCC Council was superseded twice in the past: in 2005, when the then Mayor, Vijay Pandurang More of MES, had adopted the controversial resolution favouring transfer of Belagavi city to Maharashtra; and in 2011, when the then Mayor Manda Balekundri participated in a MES rally on the occasion of Rajyotsava.
Protest
Activists of various Kannada organisations staged a protest at Rani Channamma Circle in the city today demanding disqualification of the three MES leaders.
