Constant rains have battered the city of Bengaluru, causing floods in many areas. The water has entered homes, damaged hundreds of vehicles and even claimed a 23-year-old woman’s life. The situation now has led to a fresh political slugfest with various political parties attacking each other over their incompetence, blaming them for the current situation Bengaluru is in. The row began with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, on September 6, blaming the previous Congress government for approving multiple constructions on several lakes and rajakaluves without taking in consideration its long term effects. He said the Congress did not think of maintaining the lakes and reiterated that the cause for the present situation was the Congress party.
The BJP has held power in Karnataka since 2019. Under Siddaramaiah, Congress led the state government from 2013 to 2018. The state had three BJP Chief Ministers between 2008 and 2013. The control of the existing MLAs has extended to the civic organisation Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, which now has no corporators because elections have not been held. Yet the BJP also had a majority of council members in 2015 BBMP elections, but the Mayor was from the JD(S)-Congress because of their alliance.
The comment by the Chief Minister opened floodgates, as senior Congress leaders hit back. Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar took to Twitter asking, “Has the BJP government, which boasted of making Bengaluru a world-class city with modern amenities, forgotten that now? Who built poor infrastructure in a world-class city? Do you have the answer?”
ಆಧುನಿಕ ಸೌಕರ್ಯಗಳ ಮೂಲಕ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರನ್ನು ವಿಶ್ವದರ್ಜೆಯ ನಗರವಾಗಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇವೆ ಎಂದು ಬಡಾಯಿ ಕೊಚ್ಚಿಕೊಂಡ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಈಗ ಅದನ್ನು ಮರೆತಿದೆಯೇ?
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) September 6, 2022
ವಿಶ್ವದರ್ಜೆಯ ನಗರದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಳಪೆ ಮೂಲ ಸೌಕರ್ಯ ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಿದ್ದು ಯಾರು?
ಹೇಳಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಬಳಿ ಇದೆಯಾ ಉತ್ತರ?#NimHatraIdyaUttara pic.twitter.com/emvEhSOYsm
Soon enough, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah followed suit and tweeted saying, “Mr. @CMofKarnataka @BSBommai, #NammaBengaluru is now drowning due to your failure. It is time to remind you of the promise to make Bengaluru a world class city with modern infrastructure! With IT Capital submerged, what is your solution?”
Mr. @CMofKarnataka @BSBommai,#NammaBengaluru is now drowning due to your failure. It is time to remind you of the promise to make Bengaluru a world class city with modern infrastructure!
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 6, 2022
With IT Capital submerged, what is your solution?#NimHatraIdyaUttara pic.twitter.com/oPlAMqOQSU
Another Congress leader Lavanya Ballal shared a video of BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Twitter where he can be seen eating a dosa, alleging that he was ‘enjoying a dosa while Bengaluru floods’. She alleged that the clip was from September 5, but TNM has not been able to independently verify the claim. Lavanya questioned Tejasvi if he has visited any flood-affected areas in Bengaluru yet. Tejasvi Surya, who is a Member of Parliament from Bangalore South, has not responded.
Video dated 5th September.@Tejasvi_Surya was enjoying a good breakfast while Bangalore was drowning.
— Lavanya Ballal (@LavanyaBallal) September 6, 2022
Has he visited even a single flood affected region? pic.twitter.com/uFnZ4Rjs1m
Meanwhile, Telangana minister and working president of Telangana Rashtra Samiti, KT Rama Rao, took the graceful route and defended Bengaluru by tweeting, “With rapid urbanisation & sub-urbanisation, infrastructure is bound to crumble as we haven’t infused enough capital into upgrading the same. No Indian city is immune to disastrous consequences of climate change”.
To all those who are mocking the water-logged Bengaluru:
— KTR (@KTRTRS) September 5, 2022
Our cities are our primary economic engines driving the States’/Country’s growth
With rapid urbanisation & sub-urbanisation, infrastructure is bound to crumble as we haven’t infused enough capital into upgrading the same
He added that he is well aware that his tweet will not be liked by some ‘friends in Hyderabad’ because they were taunted by some Bengaluru leaders when Hyderabad was in a similar situation. “But if we have to grow as a nation, we need to learn from each others’ experiences & show the might of collective will,” he tweeted.