Rain havoc: Protect 'Brand Bengaluru', S M Krishna tells CM Bommai
Bengaluru, May 19: Veteran politician S M Krishna has written to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, expressing concern that frequent rain havoc in the city would hurt "Brand Bengaluru" and drive away investors.
The 90-year old leader, credited by many for putting Bengaluru on the global map, has also made some suggestions aimed at protecting the "Brand Bengaluru."
Krishna joined the BJP in 2017 after more than 45 years' association with the Congress.
"Rain havoc in Bengaluru which is at the forefront among the fastest growing cities in the world has raised a concern; this has caused a disquiet about the Brand Bengaluru and may send a wrong message for those willing to set up industries and investors willing to invest in the state," the former Union Minister said in his letter to Bommai.
He cautioned that this (frequent rain havoc) may result in investments and industries going to other states, and hamper Karnataka's progress.
Krishna was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004. He was then with the Congress party.
Recalling the fillip given to IT sector during his tenure which resulted in Bengaluru growing as an alternative to Silicon Valley in California and generating jobs for youths, Krishna said the city has today grown exponentially and so does its revenue, and almost half the state's budget flows from Bengaluru.
Suggesting formulation of farsighted permanent programmes, keeping the future of Bengaluru and development of the state in mind, he said to protect the "Brand Bengaluru" strong measures need to be taken.
The suggestions made by the senior leader include reconstituting the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) comprising experts from various sectors to prepare a blueprint for the city's development with a futuristic vision.
The BATF was formed in 1999 by the Krishna government, it was headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani. However, It was disbanded in 2004.
He has also recommended constituting a committee of expert officials to reform the existing stormwater drains in the city and provide infrastructure in localities that have been brought under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's limits.
Mooting establishment of industries in cities such as Mysuru, Tumakuru, Davangere and Hubballi so that burden on Bengaluru can be reduced, Krishna said the upgradation of Mysuru-Bengaluru highway into a 10-lane stretch, which is currently on, can make Mysuru an alternative to Bengaluru.
He also suggested taking Bengaluru's MLAs, MPs and other elected representatives into confidence, identifying zone-wise problems and providing funds so that permanent solutions are provided.
Reacting to a question on Krishna's letter, CM Bommai said: "Surely, the government will take his suggestions positively, and understands his concern for Bengaluru.
However, pointing out that the population of Bengaluru has increased over the years and so have the challenges, he said, "Initially eight 'pura sabas' were included into the city, then 110 villages have been included, so they also have brought baggage of problems as we have to provide them with drinking water, underground drainage among others."
"So there are fresh challenges and they are being faced with proper planning", Bommai further said, adding, "most of these challenges can be addressed by providing good connectivity and decongesting the city."
Asked whether a new in-charge Minister will be appointed for Bengaluru, the post currently held by him, the Chief Minister said, the government is aware of the city's problems and discussions are on regarding decentralising the complete structure, during which administrative and public representatives aspects will be considered and a decision will be taken.
Meanwhile, Information Technology industry veteran T V Mohandas Pai has once again sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in addressing Bengaluru's infrastructure concerns.
"@narendramodi ? Sir pl see photo, sewage system being broken for letting in rain water! This,our beautiful Bengaluru,run by corrupt BBMP. pl help....Need Reforms" he said in a tweet tagging PMO, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP national General Secretary B L Santhosh and Bommai.
Pointing out that Bengaluru paid second highest IT at Rs 1.69 lakh crore in 21-22, Pai on April 7 had tweeted, "...but we are ignored by Delhi! Our roads are bad, traffic sucks, quality of life down ?@narendramodi ?Sir as our PM pl intervene and help."
@narendramodi Sir pl see photo, sewage system being broken for letting in rain water!This,our beautiful Bengaluru,run by corrupt https://t.co/zk9QA43auW help @PMOIndia @nsitharaman @blsanthosh @CMofKarnataka @BSBommai Need Reforms pic.twitter.com/qPkz4ZUxbL
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) May 19, 2022
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Some Israeli soldiers refuse to keep fighting in Gaza
Jerusalem, Jan 13: Yotam Vilk says the image of Israeli soldiers killing an unarmed Palestinian teenager in the Gaza Strip is seared in his mind.
An officer in the armoured corps, Vilk said the instructions were to shoot any unauthorised person who entered an Israeli-controlled buffer zone in Gaza. He saw at least 12 people killed, he said, but it is the shooting of the teen that he can't shake.
“He died as part of a bigger story. As part of the policy of staying there and not seeing Palestinians as people,” Vilk, 28, told The Associated Press.
Vilk is among a growing number of Israeli soldiers speaking out against the 15-month conflict and refusing to serve anymore, saying they saw or did things that crossed ethical lines. While the movement is small — some 200 soldiers signed a letter saying they'd stop fighting if the government didn't secure a ceasefire — soldiers say it's the tip of the iceberg and they want others to come forward.
Their refusal comes at a time of mounting pressure on Israel and Hamas to wind down the fighting. Ceasefire talks are underway, and both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have called for a deal by the January 20 inauguration.
Seven soldiers who've refused to continue fighting in Gaza spoke with AP, describing how Palestinians were indiscriminately killed and houses destroyed. Several said they were ordered to burn or demolish homes that posed no threat, and they saw soldiers loot and vandalise residences.
Soldiers are required to steer clear of politics, and they rarely speak out against the army. After Hamas stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel quickly united behind the war launched against the Hamas group. Divisions here have grown as the war progresses, but most criticism has focused on the mounting number of soldiers killed and the failure to bring home hostages, not actions in Gaza.
International rights groups have accused Israel of war crimes and genocide in Gaza. The International Court of Justice is investigating genocide allegations filed by South Africa. The International Criminal Court is seeking the arrests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant.
Israel adamantly rejects genocide allegations and says it takes extraordinary measures to minimize civilian harm in Gaza. The army says it never intentionally targets civilians, and investigates and punishes cases of suspected wrongdoing. But rights groups have long said the army does a poor job of investigating itself.
The army told AP it condemns the refusal to serve and takes any call for refusal seriously, with each case examined individually. Soldiers can go to jail for refusing to serve, but none who signed the letter has been detained, according to those who organised the signatures.
Soldiers' reactions in Gaza
When Vilk entered Gaza in November 2023, he said, he thought the initial use of force might bring both sides to the table. But as the war dragged on, he said he saw the value of human life disintegrate.
On the day the Palestinian teenager was killed last August, he said, Israeli troops shouted at him to stop and fired warning shots at his feet, but he kept moving. He said others were also killed walking into the buffer zone — the Netzarim Corridor, a road dividing northern and southern Gaza.
Vilk acknowledged it was hard to determine whether people were armed, but said he believes soldiers acted too quickly.
In the end, he said, Hamas is to blame for some deaths in the buffer zone — he described one Palestinian detained by his unit who said Hamas paid people USD 25 to walk into the corridor to gauge the army's reaction.
Some soldiers told AP it took time to digest what they saw in Gaza. Others said they became so enraged they decided they'd stop serving almost immediately.
Yuval Green, a 27-year-old medic, described abandoning his post last January after spending nearly two months in Gaza, unable to live with what he'd seen.
He said soldiers desecrated homes, using black markers meant for medical emergencies to scribble graffiti, and looted homes, looking for prayer beads to collect as souvenirs.
The final straw, he said, was his commander ordering troops to burn down a house, saying he didn't want Hamas to be able to use it. Green said he sat in a military vehicle, choking on fumes amid the smell of burning plastic. He found the fire vindictive — he said he saw no reason to take more from Palestinians than they'd already lost. He left his unit before their mission was complete.
Green said he understands Israeli anger over October 7 but hopes his act of refusal encourages all sides to break the cycle of violence.
The soldiers' refusal as an act of protest
Soldiers for the Hostages — the group behind the letter troops signed — is trying to garner momentum, holding an event this month in Tel Aviv and gathering more signatures. A panel of soldiers spoke about what they'd seen in Gaza. Organisers distributed poster-size stickers with a Martin Luther King Jr. quote: “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”
Max Kresch, an organiser, said soldiers can use their positions to create change. “We need to use our voice to speak up in the face of injustice, even if that is unpopular,” he said.
But some who fought and lost colleagues call the movement a slap in the face. More than 830 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the war, according to the army.
“They are harming our ability to defend ourselves,” said Gilad Segal, a 42-year-old paratrooper who spent two months in Gaza at the end of 2023. He said everything the army did was necessary, including the flattening of houses used as Hamas hideouts. It's not a soldier's place to agree or disagree with the government, he argued.
Ishai Menuchin, spokesperson for Yesh Gvul, a movement for soldiers refusing to serve, said he works with more than 80 soldiers who have refused to fight and that there are hundreds more who feel similarly but remain silent.
Effects on soldiers
Some of the soldiers who spoke to AP said they feel conflicted and regretful, and they're talking to friends and relatives about what they saw to process it.
Many soldiers suffer from “moral injury,” said Tuly Flint, a trauma therapy specialist who's counselled hundreds of them during the war. It's a response when people see or do something that goes against their beliefs, he said, and it can result in a lack of sleep, flashbacks and feelings of unworthiness. Talking about it and trying to spark change can help, Flint said.
One former infantry soldier told AP about his feelings of guilt — he said he saw about 15 buildings burned down unnecessarily during a two-week stint in late 2023. He said that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't have fought.
“I didn't light the match, but I stood guard outside the house. I participated in war crimes,” said the soldier, speaking on condition of anonymity over fears of retaliation. “I'm so sorry for what we've done.”
