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Tejasvi Surya on Shivakumar's remarks linking car ownership to marriage: ‘Was under wrong impression…’
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya had met Shivakumar on Tuesday to oppose the highly controversial and expensive “car-only” tunnel project
BJP MP from Bangalore South, Tejasvi Surya, on Wednesday took a dig at Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar over the latter's comment linking car ownership to marriage during a debate on a proposed tunnel road project in the city.
“For all these days, I was under the wrong impression that the tunnel project was aimed at solving Bengaluru traffic problem,” Surya wrote in a post on X.
“Now, DCM has clarified that it is intended to solve a social problem - of people not wanting to marry a man without car. How stupid I was!” he added.
Surya had met Shivakumar on Tuesday to oppose the highly controversial and expensive “car-only” tunnel project, arguing that funds should instead be channelled into expanding the Metro, suburban rail, and last-mile shuttle networks.
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Shivakumar, later, while debating on the project, had countered Surya's objection, saying that mobility decisions cannot ignore social realities.
“Can I stop you from bringing your vehicle? It's a matter of social responsibility. People prefer to travel in their own vehicles with their families. Can we prevent them from using their cars? If needed, MPs can appeal to their constituents to leave their cars at home and use public transport. Let us see how many actually follow that. Today, people even hesitate to marry a boy who doesn't own a car,” Shivakumar had said, according to a Times of India reported.
“Deputy CM rejected all our proposals”: Surya
Surya on Wednesday alleged that Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar rejected all of his proposals in connection with the tunnel project.
“The Deputy Chief Minister has rejected all of our proposals, and he said that he doesn't find our proposal to increase Metro -- make Bengaluru a 300-kilometre Metro with a three-minute frequency city -- as a viable solution,” Surya said, according to ANI.
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"He has not given strength to our vision of a 314-kilometre suburban rail. Together, this 600-kilometre rail-based backbone can take around 60 to 65 lakh people every day," Tejasvi Surya added.
"We have proposed to strengthen BMTC and start small private buses that can go even into the smaller areas and roads of Bengaluru. That has not been given heed. He, however, has said that the only solution, like a magic wand, to solve all of Bengaluru's traffic problems is this 18-kilometre, extremely costly Tunnel Road project," he added.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar on Tuesday had said that Surya's suggestions are welcome, but the Centre must provide financial support, according to ANI.
"He gave a few suggestions. He said instead of a tunnel road, a Metro line should be built. We are already working on Metro construction -- but we need funds too, right?"
