The Hindu : Special Council to thrash out issues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Special Council to thrash out issues

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM March 10. An all- party meeting convened by the Mayor, J.Chandra, today to resolve the strained political relations between the rival political fronts in the Corporation remained inconclusive though both sides agreed to tone down their rhetoric and cooperate with the budget preparation exercise.

UDF leaders who participated in the meeting remained adamant on getting back their parliamentary party office, which was converted, into a common facility for all councillors. The Mayor expressed helplessness in conceding the demand, citing space constraints in the Corporation office.

The UDF council party leader, K.Maheswaran Nair, said they would continue their stir till the room was restored to them. "We will register our protest by using the rooms of the Mayor and the Corporation Secretary to carry out our functions. The protest will be peaceful and will not hinder their official duties'', he said.

The Mayor appealed to both sides to settle the conflict by expressing regrets over the violent incidents in the Corporation last week following the black flag demonstration by DYFI workers at a public function organised by the Corporation. Leaders of both the fronts seemed to be in a mood to put the hostilities behind them. They agreed to settle the matter at the special council to be convened on Wednesday.

Ms.Chandra said an official resolution would be moved in the council demanding a Government inquiry into the alleged vandalism of a picture of Mahatma Gandhi, which was kept in the UDF councillors' room.

Earlier in the day, UDF councillors occupied the Corporation Secretary's office for over three hours to register their protest at being denied the use of the councillors' room.

They complained that several documents stored in the room including the minutes of ward committee meetings and the lists of beneficiaries for various welfare schemes were missing. "We are accountable to our voters. How do we explain the loss of these valuable documents which are essential for ward- level activities?'' he asked.

At the all-party meeting, the Mayor assured the UDF councillors that the missing documents would be returned soon. The Opposition members said they had decided stay away from the common room to avoid a confrontation with LDF workers who were occupying it.

Ms.Chandra explained that the UDF councillors had been asked to share the room with LDF members because of space limitations following the ongoing computerisation project in the Corporation office. "The Accounts and Revenue sections on the ground floor had to be converted for the computerised counter. The employees in these sections were shifted to the LDF councillors' room. Since no other room is available in the office, the UDF room had to be converted into a common facility,'' she said.

Objecting to the UDF threat to occupy the offices of the Mayor and Secretary as a means of protest, she said it would amount to hindering the functioning of the Corporation. "A number of official meetings are held in these rooms every day, many of which are confidential. It is not in their interests to hinder the functioning of the local body, especially at a time when the budget preparation is in full swing,'' she said.

The UDF council party will meet on Tuesday to discuss the strategy to be adopted at the special council.

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