In an unprecedented incident which showed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Council proceedings in a poor light, a woman councillor was insulted by her male colleagues when she tried to highlight indiscriminate drawing of groundwater in her ward here on Friday.
Not only was she accused of not knowing her ward properly, she was also subjected to humiliation by the Leader of Opposition, who reportedly garlanded her with a black cloth after the Council meeting ended. The episode drew the ire of women councillors who stormed the well of the house, protesting the comments passed by their male colleagues. This comes at a time when the Union Government is all set to increase women's reservation to 50 per cent from the current 33 per cent.
Groundwater issue
It all began when Jakkasandra Councillor Saraswathamma (BJP) alleged that groundwater was being drawn indiscriminately by an individual in her ward, who sold water through 40 private tankers. She also pointed out that due to the excessive abuse of the precious resource, several borewells in the area had dried up. She also claimed that the person had assaulted her children when they tried to prevent it.
Interjecting the claim, Madiwala Councillor Manjunath Reddy (Congress) jumped in support of the individual and said he was helping the poor by supplying water free of cost, to which Ms. Saraswathamma objected. When she asked Mr. Reddy “not to poke his nose into issues in her ward,” he charged, “This woman is levelling false allegations. She does not even know her own ward.”
Pandemonium reigned when the BJP councillors objected to this statement and BJP women councillors stormed the well in protest, following which Mayor Sharadamma adjourned the meeting.
Black-cloth garland
This was not all for Ms. Saraswathamma, who seemed agitated at the turn of events. After most members left the Council hall, Opposition Leader M. Udayshankar reportedly added insult to injury by using a black cloth to garland her. The behaviour of men in the council came under flak from several women councillors, who expressed their shock. The Mayor, who heard Ms. Saraswathamma out, told The Hindu : “I have never witnessed such behaviour with women councillors in my career. I will advise them to settle their differences through dialogue and ask both Mr. Reddy and Mr. Udayshankar to apologise to her.”
Apology sought
Two-time member Shanthakumari, representing Moodalapalya, said: “I'm aghast at the turn of events. Men must encourage women councillors. This kind of behaviour is unheard of in the BBMP.”
Roopa Ramesh, first-time councillor and Chairperson of the Standing Committee for Markets, spoke up for her fellow councillor Saraswathamma. “We may be first-time councillors, but such behaviour from seniors is discouraging. Mr. Reddy and Mr. Udayshankar must apologise.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Udayshankar denied any uncouth behaviour on his part. “She came to the Congress section in the Council Hall. The black cloth was in front of her. I offered it to her and she started speaking rudely. I asked her to mind her words and walked out,” he claimed.
