Bengaluru, Nov 12 (IANS) Bengaluru Development Minister, Krishna Byre Gowda, on Thursday alleged that his speech had been removed from the programme schedule for the inauguration of the Namma Metro Pink Line by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bengaluru, claiming that he was being punished for demanding Karnataka’s rightful share in the project.
It can be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inaugurating the 7.5-km elevated stretch of Namma Metro’s Pink Line in Bengaluru on Friday between Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere.
In a post on X, the Minister said his speech had initially been included in the draft programme but was removed from the final schedule circulated on Wednesday night. He claimed that despite Karnataka bearing a major share of the capital expenditure on the Metro project, he was denied an opportunity to speak at the inauguration for raising questions about the State’s rightful financial share.
“The reward for seeking justice for Karnataka is that my speech has been cut! The Bengaluru Development Minister has not been given an opportunity to speak at the Metro inauguration,” he said.
“My speech had been included in the draft programme. However, in the final list circulated last night, the Bengaluru Development Minister’s speech was removed. A major share of the capital expenditure is borne by us. This is how we are punished for seeking Karnataka’s rightful share,” he added.
The Minister also posted copies of the draft and final programme schedules. The draft had listed his speech after the welcome address by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya. However, his address was missing from the final schedule. However, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s speech remained in the revised programme.
Krishna Byre Gowda has been seeking a larger allocation of funds for the Metro project in Bengaluru and had raised the issue earlier as well. He said the removal of his speech would not affect his commitment to the city’s development.
“It is all right. You can cut my speech, but you cannot stop me from working for Bengaluru’s development. We will work with even greater dedication,” he said.
The allegation comes amid a political debate between the Congress government in Karnataka and the BJP over the contribution of the Centre and the State to the Namma Metro project.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, responding to the credit war over the Metro inauguration, said the Prime Minister’s visit and the inauguration were part of an official government programme and should not be turned into a political contest.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Bengaluru to inaugurate the Pink Line of the Metro. Meanwhile, a credit war is going on, with the Congress government asserting that it has spent 84 per cent of the money, while the Centre is still due to provide its share. At the appropriate time, the Central Government will release its share to the State,” he said.
He said neither the State government nor the Centre should claim exclusive credit for the project.
“Nobody can claim credit for this. Our country and our State should get the credit, not any political party. This is not the time to claim credit. We have to develop the State to the level of the country so that the country gets name and fame,” he said.
Narayanaswamy added that BJP leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in Assembly R. Ashoka and State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, would meet the Prime Minister during his visit.
Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai also responded to the debate over the release of grants for Namma Metro, stating that 60 to 65 per cent of the Metro project funding comprised loans that were repaid through the Metro’s own revenue.
He said people should not be misled into believing that the government repaid these loans from its treasury, as the repayment was made through revenue generated from passenger fares.
“The public repays the loan through Metro ticket fares. The loan is not repaid from the government treasury. Loans are secured only after obtaining a guarantee from the Central Government,” he said.
Bommai said the Centre and the State contributed equally to the Metro project, with their respective shares standing at 50:50. He added that during his tenure as Chief Minister, he had provided Rs 2,500 crore for the Orange Line.
–IANS
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