Thiruvananthapuram: Every item listed in the agenda of the corporation council meeting on Monday was declared passed by Mayor V.K. Prasanth without discussion as the meeting was disrupted by UDF and BJP protest on the worsening law and order situation in the state capital. Both the UDF and BJP have contested the decision to pass the agenda without any discussion, in dissent notes submitted to Corporation Secretary Deepa L.S.. Trouble erupted when UDF councillor Beempa-lly Rasheed sought permission to present a resolution seeking “peace” and government intervention to resolve the tension arising from the recent CPM-BJP clashes.
Though the Mayor said that could be presented after all other agenda items were passed, they demanded that it be discussed in the beginning. The BJP, which sat impassive initially, also demanded discussion. Over the racket of slogans, the Mayor asked Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar and Welfare Committee Chairperson R Geetha Gopal to present agendas of the Finance and Welfare Standing Committees. During this time, BJP councillores tore agenda copies and hurled those into the council well. The UDF meanwhile released two doves. In the end, Mayor declared all agendas passed, and adjourned the meeting.
The agenda may not get forwarded to the next council meeting, as the UDF was likely to withdraw the dissent note, according to Mayor V.K. Prasanth. “The agenda includes such items as welfare pensions. They have reportedly decided not to press the dissent note firmly, as it would affect beneficiaries. If that happens, the agenda will be considered passed. If not, we are not against the agenda being discussed. It was to avoid any violence that the council meeting was adjourned,” he said.
However, UDF councillor D Anilkumar said that they would go to court, if the agenda did not get forwarded. BJP councillor K. Anilkumar said that many items in the agenda needed discussion. “For example, the parking at Gandhi Park has to be stopped for two months, because of maintenance work. We had to discuss whether the contractor would be given a compensation for his loss. There are many other items which need to be discussed,” he said.
