BENGALURU: Three months after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike decided to name a flyover in Bengaluru after freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar, opposition parties in Karnataka converted it into a matter of regional pride.
The flyover in Yelahanka is all set to be inaugurated by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday and the opposition led by Congress' Siddaramaiah and JDS' HD Kumaraswamy accused the government of insulting freedom fighters from Karnataka with its decision to name the flyover after Veer Savarkar.
Leaders of the BJP- right from local MLA SR Vishwanath to Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi slammed the two parties.
"The decision to name the Yelahanka flyover after V D Savarkar is an insult to the freedom fighters of this soil. I urge the Chief Minister to drop this decision immediately and name the flyover after a freedom fighter from the State," said Siddaramaiah, Congress Legislature Party Chief.
He added that the hasty decision to name Yelahanka flyover after Savarkar is the proof of how governance in Karnataka is being done by players behind the scene and not an elected government.
Bengaluru Mayor Gautam Kumar, however, pointed out that the decision to name the flyover was taken in February.
"When a proposal to name flyovers or roads etc under BBMP jurisdiction after personalities are made, it is brought to the BBMP council for discussion. People's opinions are sought through public advertisements and only after due process is the decision taken. In this case, too all protocols were followed," he said.
A BBMP council resolution dated 29 February 2020 shows that the Commissioner was approved unanimously to take necessary measures to name the flyover at Yelahanka Upanagara Ward no 04 after Veer Savarkar.
JDS led by HD Kumaraswamy too took the regional pride route to attack the BJP government asking if there were instances of other States naming infrastructure projects after personalities from Karnataka.
"Have other States named things after freedom fighters from our State? I urge the state government on behalf of the people to withdraw this decision," he tweeted asking why the State government was not considering freedom fighters from Karnataka or other personalities who have contributed to the State.
"Opposing freedom fighter like Savarkar is an insult to the freedom fighters of this soil.
Yediyurappa is a mature administrator and people are his masters. Naming circles, buildings, infrastructure after Nehru and fake Gandhis are the 'naamdar' party's honour to freedom fighters," Pralhad Joshi tweeted referring to the Congress in responde to Siddaramaiah.