BJP boycotts first meeting of GBA

The opposition BJP boycotted the first meeting of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) on Friday, alleging that the meeting notice and agenda were given to them too late. They said the meeting was planned to address the issue of restricting the powers of the GBA’s elected body, which was against the spirit of decentralisation.

late notification

Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashok, in a press conference in Bengaluru, claimed that the Opposition members received the notice of the GBA meeting only on Friday morning, when it should have been given a week in advance as per norms. Similarly, the meeting agenda was given to them only four hours before the meeting. “How can we prepare for the meeting if the agenda is given so late?” he asked.

“The agenda of the meeting, which proposes curtailing the powers of elected members of the GBA, is against the spirit of the 74th Amendment to the Constitution. This means that the government will play a dual role in passing resolutions in the GBA and then giving assent to them. This is detrimental to the interests of Bengaluru and the spirit of decentralization,” he alleged.

He alleged that the government deliberately kept the agenda secret until the day of the meeting to avoid any public debate.

Consultation with JD(S)

Mr. Ashok said the decision to boycott the GBA meeting was taken in consultation with JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy. He said that the BJP will not hesitate to attend GBA meetings if it takes up issues related to the development of Bengaluru city.

Accusing the government of setting up the GBA in a hurry, he expressed concern over the lack of private halls that could even hold meetings of the GBA or its companies.

Similarly, he said the GBA was facing a staff shortage of more than 4,000, including doctors and engineers, and wondered whether it would be possible for the new authority to function effectively with such a shortage of manpower.

BJP State President BY Vijayendra also took exception to the delayed information regarding the GBA meeting and accused the government of constituting such a body without any preparation.

About ED attacks

Citing reports in a section of media that ED had seized cash worth ₹300 crore to finance Congress elections in Bihar, Mr. Ashok asked whether more evidence was needed to say that the Congress government in Karnataka was “an ATM for the Congress high command”.