'Bengaluru's soul murdered': Rajeev Chandrasekhar blames corrupt ministers for city's decline amid Ahmedabad comparison

His remarks followed a social media post by Siddharth Dialani, CEO of BharatAgri, who praised Ahmedabad for being "at least 10 years ahead" of Bengaluru;.

Updated on: Jan 27, 2025, 08:34:20 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Anagha Deshpande

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, former Union Minister, took to X on Sunday to criticize Bengaluru's leadership, attributing the city's ongoing decline to the actions of past leaders.

Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. (PTI)

He described Bengaluru as a once-great city whose "soul, character, and culture had been murdered" by a series of corrupt ministers, many of whom were also builders and contractors.

Read his full post here:

Chandrasekhar's remarks followed a social media post by Siddharth Dialani, CEO of BharatAgri, who praised Ahmedabad for being "at least 10 years ahead" of Bengaluru in terms of infrastructure, roads, and traffic management.

"Ahmedabad is at least 10 years ahead of Bangalore in terms of road quality, footpaths, traffic management, traffic signals, etc. Bangalore is in shambles. Here, every traffic signal has a working timer with bright lights. This alone reduces driver anxiety, and makes them stop with patience. Can't believe that such a basic thing is missing in almost all signals of Bangalore," he wrote in a series of posts.

The CEO went on to say that Bengaluru's roads were dusty and the traffic signals were not visible. However, in Ahmedabad, he said that the roads were wide and prominent.

(Also Read: Bengaluru techie, 26, killed after bike skids and BMTC bus runs over him: Report)

"Looking at Bangalore, I used to believe that Indian road quality is going down. After looking at Ahmedabad, I realised that It's not India, it's just Bangalore! I couldn't find any potholes on Ahmedabad roads," he said.

Mohandas Pai, former CFO at Infosys, blasted the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for the city's downfall. In a tweet, he said "A big big shame on Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike," Pai said reacting to the CEO's remark.

The post received over one million views and divided the internet. While some users agreed with the CEO, others refuted his claims.

(Also Read: Water crisis likely to be back in Bengaluru? Study finds decline in ground water level ahead of summer)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.