BENGALURU: After being forced to beat a retreat on their plans to have a Legislators’ Club at Balabrooie Guest House, legislators have now set their eyes on Carlton House, the headquarters of Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Both are heritage structures.
Sources said the state government is now looking into a proposal to shift the CID from Carlton House on Palace Road to Police Headquarters on Nrupatunga Road. “There is space at the police headquarters to accommodate CID and around seven acres at the Carlton House can be used for the proposed club for legislators,” sources said.
Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy, who attended a meeting to discuss setting up of the Legislators’ Club on the lines of Constitution Club in the national capital, told Express that there was a suggestion that Carlton House, which is close to Vidhana Soudha and Legislators’ Home, is the ideal place for the club.
“We discussed it. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who was present at the meeting, assured us of looking into the proposal. No decision has been taken,” he said. The heritage structures and trees inside the Carlton House premises will be protected, he added.The proposal, however, has not gone down well with people who had protested against government’s earlier proposal to have the Club at Balabrooie Guest House. “I have heard that the government is thinking of such a move. We demand the government to be transparent and tell people what they want to do. If they are going to alter the heritage structure or cut trees, we will protest,” threatre personality and filmmaker Prakash Belawadi told Express.
“If they just want to run it as a club without altering or damaging the heritage structure, personally, I do not have any problem. However, if they attempt to damage or alter the heritage structure, I will join people to protest against it,” he added.
Earlier Protests
People from different walks of life had protested against the government’s plans to have the club at Balabrooie Guest House.