AIR anchor to protest against Bengaluru corporation

BENGALURU: A noted anchor of a government radio station, fed of 10 years of rejection from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has decided to stage a protest against the corporation on Saturday.

Girija Veerappa, a noted anchor at AIR told The New Indian Express that she will be staging a protest against the corporation for rejecting her application for the last 10 years.

"I am the only one staging the protest on Saturday, but I am not the only one who is facing this situation. There are over 20 anchors from AIR and 30 each from Doordarshan and Kannada and Culture Department whose applications are being rejected by the corporation and the selection committee. They have not replaced the anchors for the Independence Day or any other anchoring programme since the last 10- 12 years," she said.  

The BBMP officials said, that the reason for not changing the anchors is because they are used to the functioning of the BBMP and that the administration is used to the way of working. "Introducing any new person could lead to some problems and that we do not want. So the anchor was never changed."  

Girija pointed that every programme should give chance to new faces and the anchors who are applying for the event are not fresh, each one has years of experience and are professionals in their field. So each one should be given equal opportunity to showcase their talent and capabilities.

Citing the example of Hampi Utsav, she said, the government ensures there is change every year in the anchors and the artists., so why not in BBMP and Kananda and Culture Department programmes like Independence Day which is held at Maneskshaw Parade ground.