THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tuesday’s corporation council meeting witnessed a war of words between the ruling front and the opposition. It occurred during the discussion of a resolution congratulating Thiruvananthapuram city for securing fourth place in Niti Aayog’s Urban Sustainable Development Index 2021-22.
The index is based on criteria such as poverty alleviation, living standards, elimination of hunger, health, public education and gender equality. Standing committee members D R Anil and H Salim said the achievement is a recognition of the work being done by the corporation for urban development. Opposition leader M R Gopan and BJP councillor V V Girikumar said the index was compiled based on the data collected from 2015. They argued Pinarayi Vijayan was not the chief minister back then. With this, both parties tried to present the figures and got into heated arguments.
Nettayam councillor Nanda Bhargav’s protest against non-availability of the ward centre in the corporation annex building at Nettayam led to a war of words. The protesters came to the centre of the council hall with a placard reading “governing body should end political discrimination, allow ward centre in Nettayam corporation building.”
As other BJP councillors took up the issue, members got into a heated argument. However, the mayor warned Nanda for arguing with ruling party councillor Anshu Vamadevan. She said Nanda should speak in a polite manner. Later, BJP members alleged Anshu too crossed the limits of politeness.
“As per rules, the vacant building under the jurisdiction of the corporation should have been given but it was scuttled by former mayor V K Prasanth who handed it over to the Youth Brigade at Vattiyoorkavu,” Girikumar said. The mayor said the Vattiyoorkavu Youth Brigade, a voluntary organisation, had already requested for the building, which is a source of revenue for the corporation, and it will be given only to them.