'Take up some CSR work': Karnataka Minister reacts to Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw's X post on Bengaluru's 'poor roads'

Bengaluru: Karnataka Industries Minister MB Patil rebuked Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw for flagging bad infrastructure in Bengaluru, and asked her to “take up some work under corporate social responsibility (CSR)” in her neighbourhood.

Patil was reacting to an X post by Kiran on bad roads and garbage.

“Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw knows that the government is filling up potholes at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore. So, her tweet wasn’t necessary. And, what’s the intention behind saying these things again and again?” Patil said, speaking to reporters.

“Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw needn’t panic. Let her take up some work under CSR in her area,” Patil said.

According to Patil, the Congress government inherited the pothole problem from the previous BJP administration. “We’re doing it (filling up of potholes) and it’ll take time,” he said.

Describing Bengaluru as a “growing and global city”, Patil pointed to traffic snarls in London and San Fransicso. “In London, we took 2.5 hours to cover two miles,” he said.

The minister said pressure on Bengaluru grew with people from other Indian states coming into the city.

“We have people from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh coming…particularly in the IT sector. They buy a flat, a car…pressure on Bengaluru builds. That doesn’t mean we’re escaping from our responsibility,” Patil said, adding that said only 5% of people from Karnataka go to states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

Patil expressed confidence that no company would leave Bengaluru citing bad infrastructure. “Who has left? Other states keep wooing investors. Bengaluru has the ecosystem and talent. There’s no question of anyone leaving,” he said, adding that it was the SM Krishna-led Congress government that made Bengaluru a global city.