Mysore/Mysuru: Confusion prevailed in the MCC (Mysuru City Corporation) Council meeting held here yesterday as Congress and BJP Corporators entered into a verbal duel over naming of a  road.

The Council meeting discussed the proposal sent by S. Shivappa of Janapara Vedike regarding naming of the road next to NIE College Hostel in Ashokapuram to Ramakrishnanagar Circle after Ramji Sakpal, father of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, when some Corporators sought clarification in this regard from the officials.

MCC SE K.J. Sindhu clarified that the road is called as Udayaravi Road, but the MCC has not yet named the road officially. Corporator Pallavi Begum wanted to know who was Udayaravi, following which pandemonium broke out. BJP Corporator M.C. Ramesh argued that the then CITB had named all the roads in Kuvempunagar after Poet Laureate Kuvempu’s  poems and wondered whether Pallavi Begum does not know about this.

Former Mayor Sunanda Palanetra said the road has been named as Udayaravi Road because the road ran in the direction of Chamundi Hill located on the eastern side of Kuvempunagar, when Congress Corporator Arif Hussain said that the road is yet to be named officially. He also wanted that the road be named as Ramji Sakpal road.

Taking objection to Arif’s remarks, M.C. Ramesh said that the then CITB which formed Kuvempunagar extension, had itself named the road as Udayaravi Road and there was no need to change that now. He was joined by other BJP Corporators, who alleged that the Congress was insulting Poet Laureate Kuvempu. After a heated debate over the issue, Deputy Mayor Dr. G. Roopa said that a decision will be taken in the next meeting after getting all records regarding the matter.

The meeting also witnessed a heated debate on the naming of a park in the heart of the city for which objections have come from the erstwhile Royal family.

The MCC Council sometime ago had passed a resolution to name the park adjacent to the Mysore Palace after late actor Vishnuvardhan. But the Council on Tuesday was apprised of the objections to the MCC resolution by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, who had questioned the legality on the grounds that the park in question was a disputed property and the issue was pending in the Court.

A  section of BJP Councillors wanted the issue to be adjourned. But former Mayor Ayub Khan pointed out that there was no provision under the Law for a resolution once passed in the Council to be revoked. In the debate that followed, some JD(S) Corporators pointed out that the property was being maintained by MCC and there was no objection when repairs and UGD/storm water drain works were undertaken in 2004.

Ayub Khan said the objections by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar cannot be taken on face value if there were no legal documents to back her claims.

Deputy Mayor Dr. G. Roopa, who chaired the Council meeting in the absence of Mayor Shivakumar, read out the letter from the Palace Board which said that 18 acres of land around the Palace was disputed.

She also read out a letter from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner stating that it should be kept in the loop on any issue pertaining to land around the Palace. Dr. Roopa announced that the matter would be listed for discussion in the next meeting and said that the Council decision and the objections would be forwarded to the Government. The Deputy Mayor also announced a grant of Rs.10 lakh for every ward.

Council Secretary writes to Government

During the meeting, MCC Council Secretary Rangaswamy disclosed that he has written to the Government about Mayor Shivakumar approving three decisions, without discussing it with the members during the previous Council meeting, which is a break of past practices, which caused an uproar. 

The Deputy Mayor pacified the members by providing an opportunity for approval of these decisions. However the members did not approve and wanted withholding of the Mayor’s decisions.

According to sources, those decisions reportedly included making arrangements for permanent illumination of MCC building , naming the park adjacent to the Mysore Palace (near Kote Anjaneyaswamy temple)as Vishnuvardhan Park and also about installing a statue of the late actor  there.

Five nominated Corporators take oath

Five newly nominated Corporators – R. Srinivasmurthy, R.H. Kumar, M.U. Balaraju, Kalpana and Niral C. Shah took oath as members  during the MCC Council meeting.

MCC Additional Commissioner M.J. Roopa and other officials were present.