Mangaluru: The Congress alleged that the BJP councillors in Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) acted like goondas during the council meeting on Tuesday.

Addressing reporters soon after the council meeting, the former Mayor, Congress councillor and whip in the council M. Shashidhar Hegde alleged that they (BJP councillors) advanced to assault Congress councillor Vinayraj. Had he (Mr. Hegde) not prevented them, they would have beaten him up, he said.

He said that the Opposition BJP members should have taken up issues bothering people and not personal matters of Mayor Kavita Sanil. It was unwarranted. Ms. Sanil said that the BJP members intentionally did not allow the council meeting to take place. Their only motive was to create a ruckus.

The Mayor alleged that Kamala, wife of the watchman of the apartment she lived in at Bejai, had chased the Mayor’s daughter, studying in Class IV, on October 20 on the road for about 42 minutes over a trivial issue. The life of her daughter was in danger in the busy road.

The Mayor was not present in the house on that day, she said.

The Mayor said that she only told the watchman and her wife that she would file a police complaint on the incident and did not assault them or their children. Meanwhile, the BJP staged a protest outside the city corporation building before the commencement of meeting alleging that the corporation led by the Congress has failed to address civic issues in the city.

The BJP leaders demanded that the Mayor should resign over the tussle in her apartment. They alleged that the Mayor had assaulted an innocent woman. Vedavyasa Kamath, president of Mangaluru South unit of the BJP, alleged that the Mayor has misused her authority. He alleged that the development activities have come to a halt in the city.

Ganesh Hosabettu, Leader of the Opposition in the council, said that sewage was flowing on the roads in many wards without proper underground drainage.

As a result, water in many open wells was contaminated.