Bengaluru on Monday woke up to thousands of banners tied to electric poles between Airport Road and Taj West End Hotel, where a meeting of the Opposition parties was scheduled.
In violation of High Court directions, the banners displayed pictures of leaders of political parties attending the unity meeting.
What the HC said
In 2018, the High Court issued directions prohibiting hoardings, flexes, and banners in the city, after which Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike started a crackdown. In an overnight drive, the BBMP removed over 19,000 illegal flexes.
In 2019, BBMP councillors passed a unanimous resolution terming the display of banners as a violation of the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981.
During the previous Assembly polls, BBMP filed cases against political parties, including the BJP and the Congress, for putting up illegal flexes in the city.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath admitted that flexes have come up in the city. However, he did talk about filing a case against the event organiser. He said the BBMP will identify where these flexes have come up and remove them.
S. Amaresh, Managing Trustee, Right to Information Study Centre, said the political parties, especially those in power, have more responsibility. Besides destroying the city’s beauty, the flexes also generate considerable garbage. With a number of flexes coming up, he said the BBMP has tonnes of waste to handle.
Netizens, too, were irked. A Twitter user said, “Despite being prohibited by the Karnataka High Court since 2018, flex banners continue to be an eyesore in Bengaluru’s landscape. This is a violation of the rules. Can you please remove it?” He tagged Mr. Giri Nath and the Congress.
Material used
Former MP and Congress leader Rajiv Gowda, talking to The Hindu, said the HC ban is on certain materials used for flexes; and cloth materials were used for the Congress’ event. “I do not think this has violated the ban order,” Mr. Gowda said.
