Farmers move Karnataka HC against Disneyland-style amusement park at Brindavan Garden
Bengaluru: Farmers from Mandya district have reportedly filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Karnataka High Court challenging the state government’s decision to transform Brindavan Garden, located at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam, into a Disneyland-like space. The petitioners argue that the project poses serious environmental threats and undermines the interests of the farming community.
A vacation division bench of Justices B.M. Shyam Prasad and K.V. Aravind has issued notices to several authorities of the state and central governments, including the Ministry of Jal Shakti, National Dam Authority, state chief secretary, water resources, agriculture, forest and ecology departments, Kaveri Neeravari Nigam Ltd and other authorities of Mandya district, as reported by The New Indian Express on Thursday.
This was after they heard the petition filed by K. Boraiah and four others from KRS village and nearby areas, questioning the tenders issued to set up the amusement park in the name of Brindavan Garden Upgradation without statutory clearance, including from the gram panchayat.
The petitioners argue that the project violates Articles 48-A and 53A of the Indian Constitution, the Karnataka Forest Act, the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The petitioners contend that turning the historic garden into a non-agricultural commercial hub—expected to attract 10,000 visitors per day—would result in significant damage to the region's agricultural ecosystem, the report added.
The dam is around 120-years-old and this has not been taken into consideration by authorities, they further alleged.
The first notification was issued on September 9, 2024, and the third notification on March 15, 2025. The urgency behind the PIL stems from the state’s May 13 decision to call for tenders for the Rs 2,663 crore amusement park project, alongside a Rs 100 crore Cauvery Arathi event, TNIE mentioned.
The petitioners have urged the court to stay the tender process, calling the state government’s actions arbitrary, hasty, and disastrous for the agrarian sector.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on June 9, 2025.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
