The Rs 10 lakh spend on teaching BBMP corporators etiquette appears to have been wasted, as the deputy mayor, in an alleged breach of protocol, donned the mayor's gown yesterday

Gown down the drain

The Rs 10 lakh spend on teaching BBMP corporators etiquette appears to have been wasted, as the deputy mayor, in an alleged breach of protocol, donned the mayor's gown yesterday

The BBMP council spent over an hour yesterday discussing whether it was appropriate on the part of Deputy Mayor Dayanand to don Mayor SK Nataraj's robe.

No one was sure of the rules but Congress corporators objected strongly to Dayanand wearing the robe.

He declared that the Dayanand had violated protocol by wearing the gown. Members of the ruling BJP predictably stood by the deputy mayor.
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"It is true that we didn't know what the act says regarding deputy mayor wearing the gown," said M Udayashankar, a congress member. "We were just asking for clarification from the council secretary.
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Ruling party members took it as an opportunity to pick on us when they were as clueless about the rules as we were."

No pundits

B V Ganesh, a BJP member said, "Please understand that corporators are not pundits of law. Dayanand is a new member. If he does something that goes against convention, it is the duty of the members to guide him.

However, members of the oppositionu00a0 took advantage of the situation to create ruckus in the house."

One of the youngest members of the council, Dayanand is thanks to his M Tech graduate, the most academically qualified member in the house.
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He taught engineering students in Dayanand Sagar Engineering College before he won the BBMP polls and began on a controversial note by starting his first day in office by offering pooja to paraphernalia, including his mobile phones and furniture.

No big deal

When contacted, Dayanand said, "I agree I have to learn many things as a corporator like others do. However, I don't think knowing all this is necessary to make it big."

He went out of the council amidst the din and came back after taking off the gown to resume the meeting. The mayor returned a few minutes later to lead the session and the house resumed business.

Gowns in BBMP, the rules

P R Ramesh, former mayor and expert in council rules, said, "There is no mention in the act about wearing gowns.
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But by convention the gown is meant for the mayor and deputy mayor should know it."
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The greater issue, according to him, was the ignorance shown by the members even after they attended an orientation workshop conducted last week.
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Government had conducted a two-day workshop for the newly elected corporators at the cost of some Rs 10 lakh.
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The yawning and dozing corporators provided ample photo opportunities for press photographers.