Dharwad-B'luru Vande Bharat likely by April '23: Joshi

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi stated that the high-speed ‘Vande Bharat’ train is expected to start moving between Dharwad and Bengaluru in March or April next year.

“We are making all efforts to bring ‘Vande Bharat’ train on this route by March or April. Electrification of this route will be completed by March, and corrections have also to be made in some curves. ‘Vande Bharat’ train will come in March or April,” he said.

Before attending the BJP City district unit’s executive committee meeting in the City on Saturday, Joshi told media persons that Narendra Modi-led government has developed railway, road, and other infrastructure on a large-scale in last eight years.

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“The winter session of the Parliament is unlikely to be held at the new building of the Parliament, and it will be held in the old building itself. Union Housing & Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will take a decision,” Joshi noted.

On Tipu

Stating that the BJP is against celebrating Tipu Jayanti, Joshi said, the Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike (HDMP) gave permission to hold Tipu Jayanti at Idgah Maidan as the government order clearly says that the event cannot be conducted on behalf of the government, but others are not restricted.

“The stand of myself and our party is clear. Tipu was a fanatic, anti-national, and anti-Kannada,” Joshi said.

Reacting to Congress MLA Tanveer Sait’s remark about installing a 100 feet-tall statue of Tipu Sultan in Mysuru, Joshi said, “people will send them home. We cannot speak irresponsibly like them. They are creating a platform for appeasement politics. We will give appropriate answer when time comes. Let them first clarify whether they would perform ‘aarati’ to that statue,” he added.

‘Be enthusiastic’

Addressing the BJP workers after inaugurating the meeting, Joshi asked them to be more enthusiastic, and to tell people about the benefits of schemes introduced by the BJP governments.

Those who work actively would get positions in the party, he said, asking the party workers to be more serious in garnering people’s support for the party. “Don’t be dull,” he repeatedly said.

“Congress will not come to power in the State at any cost. The Congress leaders are shaken due to the massive support expressed by people to prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bengaluru. As Congressmen could not do anything, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Siddaramaiah is tweeting continuously,” Joshi criticised.

Rahul Gandhi has to douse the quarrel between Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar. But, Rahul himself cannot understand what he speaks, Joshi added.

Former MLAs Ashok Katwe and Veerabhadrappa Halaharavi, BJP leaders Lingaraj Patil, Sanjay Kapatkar, Jayateertha Katti, Vijayanand Shetty, and others were present.