Workers of the Congress and the JD(S) had a heated argument in front of the Hassan City Municipal Council (CMC) over the former putting up hoardings and buntings in the city ahead of AICC president Rahul Gandhi’s visit, on Tuesday.
While the Congress put them up, the JD(S), which holds power in the CMC, opposed stating that the council had passed a resolution prohibiting them in the city limits.
Leaders of the Congress led by H.K. Mahesh had an argument with CMC president H.S. Anil Kumar when the CMC wanted all the publicity material to be removed. Mr. Anil Kumar said he would get all the material removed by the CMC workers.
The Congress workers staged a protest blocking the B.M. Road in front of the CMC office. Mr. Mahesh of the Congress said, “We have put up hoardings and buntings only after taking necessary permission. But the CMC president is not allowing them. We are not polluting the city in any way. We will remove the publicity material once the programme is over.”
CMC president Anil Kumar defended the CMC stating that nobody was allowed to put up hoardings as per the resolution adopted by the council. “We have taken the decision in the interest of the city. We also did not put up hoardings during the recently convened rally of JD (S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy,” he maintained.
Following the protest, movement of vehicles on the busy road was hit badly for about an hour. Superintendent of Police R.K. Shahapurwad rushed to the spot. He took objection to staging protest on the road, obstructing the vehicles.
The Congress workers left the place after they were assured that the publicity material would not be removed.
