BJP can't scare govt by politicising flyover issue: DKS

Batting for the proposed steel flyover project, Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said the opposition BJP was unnecessarily making a noise about the project, and that the government would not cower to its “scare tactics”.

“The BJP has been continuing to make baseless charges against the government. Instead of blackmailing the government, the party should guide and give us suggestions," he said.

"Just because there is an opposition to the project, the government can’t sit quietly. Let the BJP find faults we will continue to do our duty. More work, more the enemies. The opposition can’t scare the government by politicising every issue,” the minister added.

Shivakumar said if it were up to him, he wouldn’t have shelved the project last year.

“The government should definitely reconsider the project as it will ease the traffic situation to a large extent. Our main aim is to reduce the travel time to North Bengaluru. If a child has to be dropped to school at 8 am, the parent and the child have to wake up at 5 am. It’s the government’s responsibility to ease the traffic situation. Time is money. It is everything," he said.

"Last year, former chief minister Siddaramaiah respectfully scrapped the project. But if I were in his position, I wouldn’t have gone back on it,” the minister added.