Corporation Budget presentation: High on central govt criticism, low on administration's achievements

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Breaking the usual norms of the Corporation budget, the introductory speech carried more central government criticism than the administration's achievements.

Mayor Arya Rajendran in the introduction of the draft budget read that all the constitutional values, including secularism and democracy mentioned in the preamble of the constitution, are disappearing from the country. As soon as the mayor started reading the introduction criticizing the central government, the BJP members came in protest. The sloganeering continued till the end of the speech. Later all members retired to their seats and listened to the budget presentation.

The BJP members raised further protests when the central government's interference in the fund allocation of local bodies was mentioned.

Incensed BJP members harshly criticised the ruling CPM and termed the details included in the introductory speech as a ‘deliberately fabricated’ one. Deputy Mayor P K Raju took a dig at the BJP members saying that it was the picture of the constitution wrapped in the Budget cover that angered the BJP members. Raju later went a tad fierce in his criticism and called all 35 BJP councillors as a bad omen to the corporation.

Akshaya, a native of Palakkad and a MA Development Studies student from Hyderabad drew the cover art of the constitution for the corporation budget.

“There is no plan to address the plight of people suffering from waterlogging in the city. The master plan has been frozen by the state government. However, the budget contains a false report saying the master plan has been approved. Only 32 wards have a drainage system. The budget does not say anything about providing drainage systems to other wards.” Said BJP Council Party Leader M.R. Gopan.