K'taka DyCM DK Shivakumar writes to Union Fin. Min. Sitharaman, seeks grant for B'luru in budget
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking financial support for various key infrastructure projects aimed at the comprehensive development of Bengaluru. This comes ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget 2025-26 on February 1.
Highlighting Bengaluru's role as a hub for technological innovation and investment on both regional and international scales, Shivakumar emphasized the city's rapid population growth, which now stands at approximately 1.50 crore, and the urgent need to strengthen its infrastructure to maintain its status as the Silicon Valley of India.
In his letter, the Shivakumar highlighted several ambitious projects undertaken by the state government, including the construction of a tunnel road, a double-decker flyover, a Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) business corridor, and improvements to the city's water supply systems.
He also urged the central government to allocate funding for these initiatives, which he described as important for Bengaluru’s economic growth and global name.
He further requested Karnataka’s MP's to advocate for these projects in the Union Budget, and emphasize about the demands of Bengaluru's growing population and continued economic progress.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
