Karnataka: Deputy CM D K Shivakumar slams Tejasvi Surya for opposing tunnel road project

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday slammed BJP MP Tejasvi Surya for opposing Tunnel Road project.

He sought to know Tejasvi Surya and his party's contribution in easing traffic problem in Bengaluru.

"Let anyone oppose (tunnel road). I am least bothered. I know that they (BJP) have put a PIL. They don't want the government to flourish and get a good name," Shivakumar told reporters here.

Wondering why the BJP was opposing the tunnel road project, Shivakumar said the state government is not acquiring any land but using only a small parcel of land near Christ College or University.

He also made it clear that he is open to the idea of alternative solution.

In a bid to allay fear that the historic Lalbagh will be destroyed, Shivakumar said there will be no problem to Lalbagh as it will only pass through it underground.

"It (tunnel road) will go inside. At one side, we will utilise a portion of land temporarily. We will neatly convert it into park (once the project is over). We have to dig it inside. It cannot be done outside, the DCM explained.

Shivakumar asserted that he will not yield to Tejasvi Surya at any point in time. Alleging that the BJP could not do any good work during their tenure the Deputy CM called Surya an 'empty trunk'. "Tejasvi Surya is like empty trunk," he said.

On Surya's statement that this road is meant only for rich people, Shivakumar Kumar said, "Yes this is for rich, those who have money." He even demanded a plan of action from Tejasvi Surya to ease Bengaluru traffic.

"Let him give us a plan of action. What is his plan of action for Bengaluru?" Shivakumar asked. He alleged that despite being an MP, Surya could not get even Rs 10 sanctioned by PM Narendra Modi for Karnataka.

"What has he done with the MPLAD funds? What was his plan of action when his party's government was there? Why couldn't he sort out traffic problem? Why he couldn't call tender for waste management? Why couldn't he widen the road, build flyover? He couldn't do anything," Shivakumar alleged.

Pointing to the cables hanging overhead menacingly across Bengaluru, the DCM asked Surya, "Why couldn't they (BJP) remove them? They joined hands with mafias and spoilt Bengaluru. Because of them Karnataka was ruined, so people gave us 140 seats (in the 224-member assembly)." Stating that the Congress government is committed to develop Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, "We will do our work. We are committed. We will do whatever we can to save this 'global city' (Bengaluru)." On Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy criticising the state government's move to convert B-Khata properties to A-Khata (genuine one) Shivakumar said he been challenging Kumaraswamy to come for debate in any news channel on A-Khatha and B-Khata issue and on what he (Kumaraswamy) had done.

Explaining the state government's initiative to convert their B-Khata property to A-Khata property, the DCM said, "We are asking people to correct their property documents so that they can get loan from banks, so that we can provide good facilities to people. We discussed on this in detail." He termed giving proper property documents was the Congress party's sixth guarantee. "People have appreciated our initiative and are submitting applications. Why they (BJP) couldn't scan the properties in Bengaluru? It's only us we are going to do. They (BJP) didn't have any such ideas," Shivakumar said.