BENGALURU: As Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) nears, citizens point out the irony in promoting the city’s prowess in the IT industry, while it falls apart during the monsoon. The 25th edition of BTS, to be held from November 16 to 18, 2022, is being organised by the Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology, and Science and Technology.
Ahead of the summit, the department has been promoting Bengaluru’s image as a bastion of IT industry in India, especially highlighting the city’s unicorn startups and its reputation as an IT hub. The BTS Industry Meet Roadshow was held in New Delhi recently, where Karnataka IT/BT Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan highlighted key aspects as to why Bengaluru was the best destination for investors. “Karnataka is the most sought after destination for global technology and innovation companies. The state is the preferred destination for multinational corporations,” he had said.
Meanwhile, as part of the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA), numerous countries are collaborating with Karnataka, and the European Union is also taking part in the summit. While the minister’s promotion of the state has attracted many to take part in the summit, those living in the city itself are unconvinced.
During the promotion of BTS, Bengaluru residents took to social media to dispel the rosy image of the city. “What a joke, you can’t provide basic facilities in Bengaluru and you are luring investors to invest in Karnataka,” one netizen said. Others simply highlighted several instances of deaths cause by potholes all over the city. “All this IT nonsense, yet the city still has fourth-world architecture. Shame on the government for allowing this to happen,” another said. Yet others pointed out failings in the minister’s own constituency, with one netizen stating that no proper work had been done on roads.