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Boy in hurry: DK Shivakumar, Tejasvi Surya spar over Bengaluru metro line launch

Boy in hurry: DK Shivakumar, Tejasvi Surya spar over Bengaluru metro line launch

India Today2 days ago
A political tussle has erupted over the inauguration of Bengaluru's Yellow Line metro, with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar calling BJP MP Tejasvi Surya "a boy in a hurry" for pushing for its early opening, and Tejasvi Surya hitting back, accusing the Congress of delaying public projects.Shivakumar, addressing reporters, clarified that the 19.5-km Yellow Line received its safety certification only on July 31, and that the Prime Minister has been invited to inaugurate it on August 10. advertisementThe Yellow Line project had a deadline of August 15.
'This is a Rs 7,610 crore project. So far, only three trains have arrived. One more is expected by the 10th. It will take 10–15 more days to become fully operational,' he said. 'Our MP is still young, a boy, and he wanted operations to start urgently. But we can't rush things like that.'He also stressed that the project is a joint effort between the state and central governments."This is a 50-50 project. There should be no politics in this. No one should try to fool the public,' Shivakumar added.Reacting sharply to the remarks, Surya said, 'I have been consistently trying to get the Yellow Line operational at the earliest. For this, DK Shivakumar attacked me and called me 'a young boy in urgency.' I'm appalled that the Deputy Chief Minister considers it a crime to expedite public projects.'He further said the Congress represents 'the politics of delay' while Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in fast-tracking development.'Hurry? Yes, because the city is choking. People spend 2.5 hours commuting one way. Unlike the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, they don't have special corridors. And you are asking why to open it urgently?' Surya wrote.CREDIT WARCongress MLA Rizwan Arshad backed Shivakumar, calling the Yellow Line a joint venture where credit should be shared.'The project has been executed by the state government. Others shouldn't rush to take credit before the inauguration. The PM has been invited. An MP shouldn't try to take credit,' he said. He also accused Surya of misleading the public. 'Why open barricades or campaign on the roadside? An MP should behave responsibly, not like a mere party worker.'Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar also weighed in, calling out the BJP for ignoring the federal system. 'The role of the state government is significant. Even if the Centre is involved, the state must be respected and taken into confidence,' he said. 'You can't ignore the Chief Minister or act unilaterally. It's not just about Bengaluru—it's about Karnataka.'Sudhakar acknowledged Surya's preparation and enthusiasm but said it shouldn't cross limits. 'Some people feel the need to tweet just to say they broke the news first. It's good to be proactive, but not at the cost of the process. There's still a long way to go in politics—it's better to respect the federal system,' he said.- EndsMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Bengaluru
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