As the day of HD Kumaraswamy’s oath-taking ceremony dawned, the inevitable happened. Bengaluru woke up to several roads sporting hoardings, flex banners and buntings, despite Kumaraswamy’s request that his cadre not do so, in a bid to protect the environment.
On Monday, in a widely circulated message to his supporters, the JD(S) workers, Kumaraswamy, identifying himself as a “lover of the environment”, asked to “not erect celebratory banners and cutouts, hang buntings or burst crackers as this will destroy the environment”.
“I know that my party workers will fight against social injustice and worker hard for it. It is also my wish that they prioritize environmental safety,” he had said.
But on Wednesday, one could spot flex banners - both large and small - across Bengaluru congratulating the JD(S) State President. There were banners spotted even on the Vidhana Soudha premises.
There were banners erected right in front of the CM designate’s residence in JP Nagar too.
Several flexes too were put up congratulating HD Kumaraswamy and JD(S) party at HD Kumaraswamy's residence as the part of Victory celebrations pic.twitter.com/h4NQEuUvSi
— NEWS9 (@NEWS9TWEETS) May 23, 2018
The message by HDK was welcomed by citizens and environmental activists alike. But this has again turned out to be yet another hollow promise by a politician.
When TNM asked JD(S) leader YSV Datta why the party erected illegal banners, he blamed it on the “enthusiasm” of the party workers.
“Actually our president Kumaraswamy had told party workers not to erect banners or hang buntings. But we cannot control the enthusiasm of the party workers. How can we take any disciplinary action against them when thousands of workers are showing such enthusiasm? The only thing we can do is to pressurise them and make them understand the situation. But if the enthusiasm goes overboard, we are helpless, “ Datta said.
He however, added, “As a political party we are responsible for any obstacles or hurdles caused to the public by our party workers. We apologise deeply for this and beg them to excuse us.”
Banners and cutouts by political leaders across party lines, although illegal, is a common menace in Bengaluru city.
These life-size cutouts, large banners and hoardings wishing people on their birthdays and on festival days, are not just eyesores but are also a major source of pollution. The Karnataka High Court recently observed that not only are these banners illegal as per The Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement Act), 1981 and The Karnataka Municipalities Act 1964, but also due to the ban on plastic in the state.