Why buy a new car before wedding, can’t you use public transport?: Shivakumar’s dig at Tejasvi Surya
Bengaluru: The political confrontation over the state government’s ambitious tunnel road project has intensified, with Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar taking a swipe at Bangalore South MP L.S. Tejasvi Surya, questioning his decision to apply for a new car before his wedding while urging citizens to reduce car usage.
“He asks people not to travel by car but he had applied for a new car before his wedding. We can release his application if you want. Why did he need a new car? Why can’t he travel by metro or bus as he advocates?” Deccan Herald quoted Shivakumar as saying.
Responding to the BJP’s signature campaign against the tunnel road project, Shivakumar said the Opposition should make constructive suggestions instead of resorting to political attacks.
Shivakumar maintained that the tunnel road project is a public initiative, not a personal one, asserting that if Bengaluru can have an underground metro, there is no reason it cannot have a tunnel road. He added that all necessary studies had been conducted before finalising the project.
Shivakumar reiterated his readiness to form a committee under Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, comprising members nominated by the BJP, to review the tunnel project.
“I am not a fool to destroy Lalbagh. I know its history and what areas are being used. The BJP opposes every development project. They even opposed the steel flyover during (then Bengaluru development minister) K.J. George’s time,” he said.
Addressing questions on expanding metro and suburban rail networks, Shivakumar challenged BJP leaders to secure additional funds from the Centre. He also ruled out the possibility of a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Bengaluru, citing a failed experiment in Hubballi-Dharwad and a lack of space in the city.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Sunday that the tunnel road project would benefit not only car users, but also bus commuters, two-wheeler riders and pedestrians. He described the BJP’s opposition to the project as politically motivated.
"The BJP is opposing it for political reasons. Why should there be opposition to a project aimed at resolving traffic problems? Similar tunnel projects have been implemented in many countries, and people there have not opposed them," Siddaramaiah said.
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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
