5 months ago
2
The Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) has issued a show-cause announcement to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), asking wherefore it should not enforce a good of ₹25,000 for not submitting a study for a associated survey conducted by the past Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the contiguous GBA connected the encroachment of the Quit India Movement Martyr’s Memorial tract astatine Mysore Bank Circle successful the metropolis by a temple trust.
KIC expressed concern, saying that if GBA Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao does not springiness due directions and instrumentality enactment for the preservation of the memorial, determination is nary uncertainty that the memorial volition vanish from the pages of history.
The Martyrs’ Memorial has allegedly been encroached upon by the Shanaishchara Temple Trust, which is constructing a immense statue successful the abstraction without taking support from authorities authorities, including the GBA.
Activist H.M. Venkatesh, subordinate of Naija Horatagarara Vedike, a forum of societal activists, had expressed outrage implicit the nonaccomplishment of the State authorities and the GBA to support the memorial of those who sacrificed their lives for the country. He had, connected April 11, 2025, written to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and the civic assemblage to support the memorial.
The GBA and Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban District had conducted a associated survey successful 2022–23 regarding the encroachment of the martyrs’ memorial. Mr. Venkatesh had filed a petition with the GBA nether the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, for the proviso of the survey report. The GBA, which replied to Mr. Venkatesh connected December 23, 2025, said that nary accusation related to the said substance was disposable successful the office.
Later, Mr. Venkatesh had filed an entreaty with the KIC successful this regard.
The KIC Commissioner, who conducted the enquiry into the case, said, “On examining the case, the accusation sought by the appellants is of paramount nationalist interest, arsenic it is simply a memorial to the martyrs, a awesome of patriotism. In 1942, students and workers participated successful the Quit India question against the British, and during that time, the students were martyred by British bullets, and therefore, successful 1972, a 10-foot-long memorial chromatic was installed astatine the Mysore Bank Circle. However, the administration’s refusal to support the memorial and the accusation sought by the appellants shows the ignorance of the authorities.”
The Commission said that astatine present, the documents amusement that the memorial has go a lamp-lighting chromatic wrong the temple. “GBA officials forgot to supply the accusation recorded successful the Karnataka State Gazetteer, Volume 5, 1972, and gave mendacious accusation nether the RTI Act,” the Commission lamented.
The GBA officials person been ordered to contented a written mentation nether the RTI Act for giving mendacious accusation that the accusation was not disposable and forgetting the extortion of nationalist spot and that it is simply a monument of nationalist importance.
The Commission has besides recommended disciplinary enactment against the Public Information Officer nether the Act for allegedly mishandling the nation’s astir important nationalist asset. It has directed the filing of objections and adjourned the proceeding to January 20, 2025.
