BJP leaders carry out signature campaign, silent protest against Bengaluru tunnel road project
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP leaders in Karnataka on Sunday carried out a signature campaign and a silent protest at the Lalbagh botanical garden here, against the state government's proposed tunnel road project in Bengaluru.
The protest led by the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka and Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, under the slogan "Protect Bengaluru - Stop tunnel road", was also participated by several party legislators from the city.
The leaders also interacted with the public, morning walkers at the Lalbagh regarding the proposed project.
BJP leaders and other activists have raised concerns over the possible environmental impact of the project on Lalbagh, and have said it will clearly be a disaster for Bengaluru.
Leaders have alleged that in Lalbagh, 6 acres of land will be acquired for the project.
Tejasvi Surya had recently said that the Tunnel Road, which is meant to resolve traffic, will end up creating 22 additional choke points - as per the project's DPR itself.
Tunnels are meant to save time and shorten travel distance but this Bengaluru tunnel will actually increase travel distance by 2 km as each entry and exit ramp is more than 1 km long, he said.
The proposed 16.75-km tunnel road will connect Silk Board and Hebbal, at an estimated cost of about Rs 17,800 crore.
Ahead of BJP's protest Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Minister in-charge of Bengaluru, on Saturday had said that he was ready to form a committee on the tunnel road under the leadership of Ashoka.
"....let the committee give suggestions and directions. We will include any member they recommend. Let's all work together," he had said.
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CM Siddaramaiah labels Kumaraswamy 'Manuvadi" over Bhagavad Gita curriculum push
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday took a swipe at Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, by calling him a "Manuvadi" after his alliance with the BJP, for seeking the inclusion of Bhagavad Gita in curriculum for students.
The CM's dig came in response to Kumaraswamy's recent letter to Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan, requesting the inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita in the curriculum of students.
"After Kumaraswamy joined hands with the BJP for elections, he has become a Manuvadi," Siddaramaiah told reporters here after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary here.
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Remembering Ambedkar, Siddaramaiah highlighted his contribution to the Constitution and his relentless fight to provide social justice.
The CM noted said fed up with social and caste system in Hinduism, and unable to reform it, Ambedkar accepted Buddhism.
He said, "Ambedkar, towards the end of his life, quit Hinduism and joined Buddhism. He was born in Hinduism, but cannot die in Hinduism, because he could not reform Hinduism, despite several efforts, so he accepted Buddhism."
