Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Bengaluru MPs for criticizing the state government over Bengaluru’s infrastructure and civic problems. He claimed that the present government has established a unique system for citizen participation which no other government in the country has done.
Speaking at the inauguration of whitewashing of city roads and other development projects, Shivakumar stressed on a citizen-centric reform brought in by his government.
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He asked, ‘Is there any other government that allows citizens to take pictures of potholes or garbage and send them directly to the authorities for action? Only under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have we implemented such a system.
Shivkumar also informed that his government has already closed more than 10,000 potholes. Taking aim at the previous Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government, he reminded that the previous government had filed an affidavit in the court admitting that there were 20,000 potholes in the city.
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criticism of development projects
Taking aim at BJP leaders, the Deputy Chief Minister also slammed the opposition for criticizing two major development decisions of the government, the 113-km long corridor and a city tunnel project.
Without naming anyone, he took a dig at a BJP MP by calling him an ’empty vessel who only makes noise and tweets’.
DK Shivakumar’s challenge
Shivakumar issued a direct challenge to BJP MPs from Bengaluru for their failure to bring funds from the Central government.
He said, ‘There are five MPs from Bengaluru. Has even one of them brought a single rupee from the Center for the city? Nirmala Sitharaman (Union Finance Minister) herself is a Union Minister, has she been able to bring even Rs 10 to Bengaluru? If you have brought it, then whatever punishment you want, I accept it. His aggressive remarks come amid BJP’s continued criticism over the poor condition of Bengaluru’s roads and management of infrastructure.