Bengaluru: In high drama, three women corporators jumped into the well of the BBMP Council and threatened to commit suicide by consuming floor cleaning liquid on Monday. They were protesting against the alleged harassment by Rajarajeshwarinagar MLA Munirathna and his followers. It is alleged that Mr Munirathna’s supporters assaulted and pulled Laggere corporator Manjula Narayanaswamy’s saree during the foundation laying ceremony for development works at the ward on May 19 which was attended by CM Siddaramaiah.
The three women corporators – Manjula Narayanaswamy, JD(S), Mamata Vasudev (BJP) and Asha Suresh (Congress) – protested in the well of the House with bottles of poison liquid in front of them. However, council opposition leader Padmanabha Reddy snatched the bottles and pacified them.
As the council meeting began, the three corporators staged the dharna and alleged that even the police behaved rudely with them and favoured Munirathna. Ms Manjula Narayanaswamy said Mr Munirathna’s followers embarrassed her by trying to strip her. “A couple of corproators were only mute spectators. Will the police arrest Mr. Munirathna after I die,” she asked. JD(S) MLA T.A. Sharavana asked why Mayor Padmavathi did not utter a word when Ms Narayanaswamy was being abused and humiliated in public. Ms Padmavathi took objection and said the MLA should not try to mislead the council.
Only fulfilling my role, says Munirathna: With three JD(S) corporators threatening to commit suicide during the BBMP Council meeting on Monday, blaming Raja Rajeshwari Nagar MLA Munirathna for forcing them to take the extreme step, he rubbished their allegations. Munirathna said that he was not at the spot when the alleged assault on a woman corporator took place during the inauguration of developmental works at Laggere ward recently.
“After the inauguration, I left the venue along with CM Siddaramaiah and others. Only later did I learn about the fight. I am only fulfilling my role as an MLA. I never interfered with the work of corporators.”
