Bengaluru's Yelahanka flyover named after Savarkar amid opposition

Amid opposition, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday inaugurated and named a flyover in Yelahanka after Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The new flyover named as 'Veer Savarkar Flyover' is a 400-meter-long structure built at a cost of Rs 34 crore on the Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road linking Yelahanka New Town with Vidyaranyapura area.

The naming of the flyover evoked bitter political controversy with both the Congress and the JD(S) pouncing on the BJP-led state government for sidelining native personalities.

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had criticised the move and had questioned, "Didn't they (State Govt) find any great personality in Karnataka that they are naming the flyover in the name of a Maharashtra man?"

Kumaraswamy had even appealed to the state government to withdraw its decision on behalf of the people of the state. Earlier, yet another former chief minister and leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah too had criticised the move while quoting from the history some of the acts of Savarkar.

The inauguration of the flyover, which was initially scheduled in May, was put off by the state government citing Covid-19 restrictions and social distancing norm. However, on Tuesday, the inauguration was scheduled for the second time and CM Yediyurappa inaugurated the structure by lighting the lamp and paying floral tributes to Savarkar in Yelahanka.