NGO derides move to form task force with ‘elites’, calls for promoting inclusive, democratic governance in Bengaluru

“As you are well aware, Karnataka has controversially and disastrously placed trust in the past in a network of rich and famous personalities largely drawn from IT/BT sector, film and entertainment industry, real estate developers and the like to imagine what is right for Bengaluru. This initiative which took the form of Bangalore Agenda Task Force in the S M Krishna-led administration during 1999-2004 resulted in privileging elite interest and diverted financial resources to projects that favoured their imaginations thus denying the masses their rightful benefits,” the letter states.

It further said the administration under former chief minister B S Yediyurappa also attempted a similar approach through the ‘Agenda for Bengaluru Infrastructure and Development Taskforce’ and ‘Plan Bengaluru 2020’.

“One sincerely hoped that the Siddaramaiah-led administration would keep its promise of inclusive development and governance of the Bengaluru metropolitan area and thus set an example for such a constitutionally appropriate approach to governance across the state and the country. The hope was that at least now, 31 years after the enactment of the Constitutional 74th Amendment (Nagarpalika) Act, 1992, to deeply decentralise urban administration and genuinely devolve power to the local government – which is often stated to have been Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s dream – the Government would make real efforts now with the massive mandate for reform that it has received,” the letter further states.

The ESG alleged that Shivakumar has pushed ahead with creating forums to seek the views of the elite in shaping the future of the metropolis knowing well that this is undemocratic and unconstitutional.

“That it is implementing projects shaped by such elite aspirations that has caused the disastrous state of this metropolis, which not too long ago was a highly functional and inclusive metropolis, seems to have been forgotten by this new government,” it said.

The NGO demanded that all planning and administration of the city be undertaken through Ward Committees. “I/we thereby demand that the ongoing efforts to invest our money in mega projects and schemes that cater to the aspirations of the elite, real estate lobbies, foreign investors, etc. is immediately abandoned. I/we demand that a genuine effort be made to constitute the Metropolitan Planning Committee immediately and to take all necessary measures to ensure democratic governance of Bengaluru is undertaken through an elected council,” the NGO said.