It was indeed enlightening for many in the audience to hear Lokayukta Y. Bhaskar Rao trying to link our
ancient texts and the laws in vogue now, at a function in the city the other day.
During his 40-minute long speech at a college, Mr. Rao quoted innumerable
Sanskrit slokas in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata showing references to concepts such as diplomatic immunity, tax collection and the statement of the accused. While a major part of the speech had been as per the text he had prepared, he went extempore too. As they were running short of time, the organisers had to send a chit requesting him to stop. “Oh, is
the time allotted to me over,” a surprised Mr. Rao said,
and ended his speech quickly.
Unpleasant adieu
The last meeting of the Mangaluru City Corporation council chaired by the outgoing Mayor Mahabala Marla was less than
pleasant for him. The first one hour saw members gunning at him for his failure to arrange a special meeting to discuss building bylaws and incomplete drainage lines as promised earlier. Members from the ruling Congress and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party hurled sharp comments at him. But Mr. Marla kept on smiling and said he had played his role as an official, but not many were convinced. More embarrassing moments awaited him when he
tried to defend a resolution on property tax dubbed illegal by the government. At a press conference too, reporters did not take
kindly to his statement that he was committed to
forming ward committees and challenged him to
prove it by volunteering to form a committee in his
own area.
RAGHAVA M.
