5 pc park use for infra Bill: If I accept your suggestion, can you say it was a wrong U-turn, K’taka CM tells BJP

Bengaluru, Sep 4 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, on Friday hit back at the BJP for claiming credit after the state government withdrew the proposed Bill allowing up to five per cent of park land to be used for public infrastructure, saying the issue required a detailed discussion rather than political allegations. Appealing to political leaders to work together, Shivakumar said he was open to suggestions on the issue.

Responding to BJP leaders’ criticism that he had taken a “U-turn”, Shivakumar said, “They are saying that I have taken a U-turn. Why should I take a U-turn? I was only explaining the concerns to them. They did not discuss the matter in the Assembly.”

The Chief Minister said the issue had evolved over different periods and under successive governments and indicated that he would release details of decisions taken during the tenures of former Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai.

“I am saying that this issue has evolved over different periods and under different governments. I will release the list of what happened during Yediyurappa and Bommai’s tenure. There should be a discussion on this,” he said.

Taking a swipe at the BJP, Shivakumar accused the party of opposing development projects in Bengaluru. He recalled the opposition faced by the steel bridge proposal during Siddaramaiah’s tenure.

“Earlier, when Siddaramaiah proposed constructing a steel bridge, all these same BJP leaders opposed it. They are against development. If Bengaluru has any kind of ‘curse’, the BJP is responsible for it. Tell me one landmark project that they started during their tenure for Bengaluru,” he said.

However, Shivakumar said he did not want to engage in personal attacks against BJP leaders, including R. Ashoka, H.D. Kumaraswamy and B.Y. Vijayendra.

“As Chief Minister, I don’t want to use the words that Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra use. This position has been given to me by the people of the state and by my party, and they deserve to be respected,” he said.

Shivakumar further defended the government’s proposal, saying the intention was not to sell park land but to create a general framework for addressing infrastructure requirements.

“They were taking up each issue individually and dealing with each case separately. So our department made it a general proposal. Are we selling a park to anybody?” he asked.

He cited the transfer of land to Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited as an example, saying that transferring land to another government corporation for infrastructure purposes did not amount to selling it.

“I may not be as educated as some of them, but I have basic common sense. Would anyone sell a park?” he said.

The Chief Minister said several public structures had been developed on land that was historically part of or associated with park areas, citing the LH building, High Court parking, press facilities, Indira Gandhi Fountain and Basava Bhavan as examples.

“Whatever you have done, take one example. Go down the road, take a left, and you will see a building at the corner. I can show you. I know all these places. There is JP Park, and there are several other parks. I am releasing details of all these places. So don’t unnecessarily provoke me,” he said.

He said decisions concerning public land had been taken by successive governments depending on the requirements of the time.

“At different points of time, different decisions have been taken according to the requirements of that particular period. We need to understand this. It is not simply a matter of saying, ‘I withdrew it, I took a U-turn, and that’s it,’” Shivakumar said.

Explaining the government’s decision to withdraw the proposed Bill, Shivakumar said it was intended to facilitate a broader discussion and ensure that only genuinely necessary projects were taken up.

“When you are not in power, you need various things and make all kinds of demands. When you are in power, if you make a demand, everything gets done for you. That is why I have sent it back, saying let us discuss it. Let us have a discussion,” he said.

He maintained that projects genuinely required by the government could be taken up after due consideration.

“Whatever is necessary for the government, whatever is genuinely required, can certainly be done,” he said.

Appealing to political leaders to work together, Shivakumar said he was open to suggestions on the issue.

“I am telling them respectfully that we should all come together and work together. Now, you are giving me a suggestion. If I accept your suggestion, can you then say that it was a wrong U-turn? That is not fair,” he said.

–IANS

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