BANGALORE: Though not much has changed for the betterment of the city through the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Corporators, it may not be a complete dampener. ‘Phone shy’ women corporators have now taken up more responsibility to ensure that they are the ‘receiving’ end and not their better halves.
There are 70 women corporators in the BBMP, and in many cases, it was impossible to reach them without their husbands consent or, in some cases, the husbands answered on their behalf. But a few things seem to have changed, at least it seems, for the better. On May 26 2010, when Express contacted many of these corporators, their husbands chose to answer on their behalf. This ‘dubious’ list included the incumbent Mayor as well. But her new found ‘authority’ is a welcome sign for the city.
The earlier hurdles and complaints seem to have helped as more and more women are now willing to answer to questions related to their wards. The newly elected first citizen of the city, Sharadamma, who was earlier guilty of this, has now begun to answer queries herself. It was evident that her husband, Ramanjaneya called the shots on her behalf, outside the council and so far any attempts to reach had been in vain as the number belonged to her husband and not her.
The Shettihalli corporator has now, in an attempt to prove her ‘rubber stamp’ criticism wrong, has ensured to reply to queries regarding the city or her ward. “I take all the decisions,” Sharadamma asserted when quizzed whether her husband helps her with decision making. Aiming to shrug of the earlier criticism of being a ‘puppet’, she said that would not be the case and she is the corporator. “I am confident about handling all the responsibilities,” she said and added that she has the support to translate her ideas into action. She said that her husband would not interfere with her work and he would answer phone calls, only when she was busy and not otherwise.
On the issue about husband’s answering on the corporators behalf, Padarayanapura Corporator, Nazini Begum said, “When one is given the responsibility, they should do it themselves or not take the responsibility at all”. But with this ray of hope, comes a few conditions. The official numbers mentioned in the BBMP website, is not updated and most of the numbers of women corporators are actually their husband’s. The ‘inquisitive’ husband first ensures to ask the details of the caller and purpose of the call and only then reveals the direct line to the corporator.
Though this is a growing trend, interference continues to persist, voluntary in some and coercive in the case of a few others. Byatrayanpura Ward corporator, Indira, has no qualms in admitting that her brother and she share the work of the ward. She said that both of them take calls and answer queries. This can be termed as a positive trend, but until and unless, women corporators can be held accountable and their decisions independent of interferences, the city cannot witness ‘comprehensive development’ at all.