Bengaluru’s pothole-riddled roads have claimed five lives in less than a fortnight and shockingly, the Bengaluru Development Minister dismissed these incidents as mere accidents.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George said that all accidents are “simply being portrayed as pothole accidents”.
“There are some people who are trying to paint a wrong picture. It looks like some people are trying to spread false news that certain people died due to potholes. Don’t say all accidents are because of potholes,” Minister George said.
At this point, he pulled out his cellphone and showed the media persons a picture of a road and said, “This is where the accident happened. Can you see any potholes here? No. This was not a pothole accident. I have spoken with the DCP and he agrees,” Minister KJ George said.
When asked when the potholes will be filled, he said that the work will be completed in 15 days.
“Can I hold an umbrella over the sky so the rain won’t pour? Potholes cannot be fixed properly if it rains continuously. Why are you people making anti-Bengaluru statements?” he questioned.
BJP Protests
Reacting strongly to civic apathy, the BJP state unit held a protest outside the BBMP office. Senior leaders like R Ashok and CT Ravi were present.
Protestors paraded a dummy dead body while blaming the Congress government for its failure to construct decent roads.
“In the five years of Congress rule, what have the residents of Bengaluru got? Only Pothole Bhagya. The corrupt Congress government is not bothered about the five people who died. We demand that they make the names of the corrupt officials and contractors public,” said BJP leader R Ashok.
Angry BJP workers barged into the BBMP office and tried to shut down the office. The police personnel immediately intervened and detained hundreds of protestors.