Thiruvananthapuram: UDF councillors, who are protesting Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Office A mock purification ritual was performed at the entrance of the office on Monday to demand the resignation of Mayor Arya Rajendran in connection with seeking a ‘priority list’ of candidates for appointment on a daily wage basis in the local body.
UDF councilors sprinkled ‘holy’ water, scattered flowers and lit lamps, saying corrupt practices had brought disrepute to the holy office of the corporation. Cow dung water was also sprinkled.
During the special council meeting held on Saturday, LDF councilors came to the session displaying posters of a news clip purportedly showing UDF councilor Mary Pushpam seeking bribe from a beneficiary of a corporation scheme.
This led to a mild controversy as UDF councilors objected to the retention of this poster by women LDF councillors.
LDF councilors who spoke during the council also repeatedly referred to the allegation of corruption against Mary Pushpam.
This is not the first time that UDF councilors have performed mock rituals during protests. In 2021, he staged a mock ritual to ‘drive away corruption’ from the corporation.
The mock protest was a re-enactment of the ‘Chandrika Homam’ staged by the UDF councilors in 2014, when they came up with various modes of protest to express their discontent against Chandrika, the then mayor.
He also ridiculed and prayed that corruption should be eradicated from the Municipal Corporation. In 2014, Hindu Akyavedi filed a complaint against UDF councilors for desecrating rituals.
The UDF councilors then offered an interfaith prayer at the head office after Hindu religious organizations strongly objected to the mock ritual.
UDF councilors sprinkled ‘holy’ water, scattered flowers and lit lamps, saying corrupt practices had brought disrepute to the holy office of the corporation. Cow dung water was also sprinkled.
During the special council meeting held on Saturday, LDF councilors came to the session displaying posters of a news clip purportedly showing UDF councilor Mary Pushpam seeking bribe from a beneficiary of a corporation scheme.
This led to a mild controversy as UDF councilors objected to the retention of this poster by women LDF councillors.
LDF councilors who spoke during the council also repeatedly referred to the allegation of corruption against Mary Pushpam.
This is not the first time that UDF councilors have performed mock rituals during protests. In 2021, he staged a mock ritual to ‘drive away corruption’ from the corporation.
The mock protest was a re-enactment of the ‘Chandrika Homam’ staged by the UDF councilors in 2014, when they came up with various modes of protest to express their discontent against Chandrika, the then mayor.
He also ridiculed and prayed that corruption should be eradicated from the Municipal Corporation. In 2014, Hindu Akyavedi filed a complaint against UDF councilors for desecrating rituals.
The UDF councilors then offered an interfaith prayer at the head office after Hindu religious organizations strongly objected to the mock ritual.