Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka on Saturday, 25 July accused the Karnataka government of reducing Bengaluru to a 'dust city', alleging that prolonged civic infrastructure works have severely disrupted daily life for residents across several localities — even as the ruling dispensation champions a 'Brand Bengaluru' vision.

The Civic Grievance: Roads, Dust, and Stalled Works

Ashoka pointed specifically to drinking water pipeline and underground drainage works in Nagenahalli Road and Shivashankar Block in the Hebbal constituency, alleging that these projects have dragged on for nearly a year without completion. He held the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) responsible for the negligence.

According to Ashoka, the disruption has gone beyond inconvenience. Businesses in the affected areas have reportedly suffered significant losses, senior citizens are allegedly unable to step out safely, and drinking water pipelines have been damaged at multiple locations, compounding the hardship for local residents.

'While the government speaks about building a Brand Bengaluru, it has in reality transformed the city into a dust city,' Ashoka said, questioning whether inconveniencing citizens in the name of development had become the government's defining achievement.

What the BJP Wants

Ashoka urged Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to intervene immediately — setting firm deadlines for pending works, restoring damaged roads, and ensuring grievances are addressed without further delay. He also alleged that neither the Development Minister nor the local MLA had made any effort to hear residents' concerns directly.

Chamundeshwari Temple Row: ₹2,000 for a 4-Hour Wait

Ashoka also levelled a separate set of allegations against the Karnataka government over the management of special darshan arrangements at the Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysuru. He claimed that devotees were charged ₹2,000 each for a 'special quick darshan' with a promise of entry within 20 minutes, but were instead made to wait in queues for four to five hours, allegedly due to VIP visits taking priority.

'What kind of administration is this? Devotees are asked to pay ₹2,000 for special darshan and promised entry within 20 minutes, only to be left waiting for four to five hours for VIP visits,' Ashoka said, questioning who would be held accountable for the ordeal faced by elderly devotees, women, and families with young children.

He targeted Mysuru district in-charge Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, alleging that the government was focused on collecting fees from devotees while failing to deliver a dignified darshan experience. Notably, the allegations come during the Ashadha month, when the temple draws lakhs of pilgrims.

The Political Context

'People will never accept an administration that undermines the faith of devotees in the presence of Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of the state,' Ashoka said. He warned against what he called 'playing with the administration of religious institutions' and urged the government to establish a transparent and timely darshan system. The Karnataka government had not issued an official response to either set of allegations at the time of reporting.