Bengaluru : The political controversy between the ruling party and the opposition over the proposed “Parks Amendment Bill” in Karnataka has deepened. Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly and BJP leader R. Ashoka on Friday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, calling him a “dummy” and “remote-controlled” Chief Minister. Amid strong opposition from the BJP and public outrage, the state government has now withdrawn the controversial bill, which will be reintroduced in the next Assembly session after public consultation.
On the social media platform ‘X’, R. Ashok claimed that All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala’s visit to the state proved that the Karnataka government was being run from Delhi:
- Claims threat to greenery : R. Ashoka said that the state government had endangered Bengaluru’s green cover by introducing a provision allowing commercial/other uses of 5 per cent of park land.
- Public outrage : After the BJP’s expose, public protest increased, as a result of which the government had to step back after the intervention of the Congress high command.
- Questions on leadership : He alleged that the Chief Minister gave priority to the instructions of the party high command instead of the voice of the Kannada people, which is a ‘remote-controlled surrender’.
The proposed amendment to the Government Parks and Park Conservation Act was primarily aimed at allowing the acquisition of 5 percent of park land for public purposes. Environmentalists and the BJP opposed this provision, arguing that it would destroy Bengaluru’s precious green space.
Announcing the cabinet decision, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge clarified that the bill was withdrawn without any changes to allow for wider public discussion. He said the government would welcome constructive suggestions from the public and experts and would hold an open discussion on the bill in the upcoming assembly session.
