Congress and JD(S) play regional pride card, say decision to name flyover after Veer Savarkar is an insult to Karnataka?s freedom fighters

Karnataka Congress and JD(S) are up in arms against the state government’s decision to name a flyover in Yelahanka after Veer Savarkar. The flyover is all set to be inaugurated by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday, on the birth anniversary of the great freedom fighter of Bharat.

Protesting against the decision, the opposition parties in Karnataka raised it as ‘a matter of regional pride’. The opposition led by the Congress’ Siddaramaiah and JDS’ HD Kumaraswamy said the government’s move to name the flyover after Veer Savarkar amounts to insulting freedom fighters from Karnataka.

“The decision to name the Yelahanka flyover after V D Savarkar is an insult to the freedom fighters of this soil. I urge the Chief Minister to drop this decision immediately and name the flyover after a freedom fighter from the state,” said Siddaramaiah, Congress Legislature Party Chief. He added that the hasty decision to name the flyover after Savarkar is proof of how governance in Karnataka is being done by players behind the scene and not an elected government.

Even though it was decided in February, the opposition parties have now kicked off a firestorm of controversy over the decision. “When a proposal to name flyovers or roads etc under BBMP jurisdiction after personalities is made, it is brought to the BBMP council for discussion. People’s opinions are sought through public advertisements and only after due process is the decision taken. In this case, too all protocols were followed,” Bengaluru Mayor Gautam Kumar said.

Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said the decision was an insult to those who fought for the prosperity of the state and it was not right on the part of the government to do so. “There are several eminent personalities who fought for the development and welfare of the state both before and after independence, flyover could have been named after them. Have other states named things after freedom fighters from the state? I urge the state government on behalf of the people to step back from the decision,” he tweeted.

“Opposing freedom fighter like Savarkar is an insult to the freedom fighters of this soil. Yediyurappa is a mature administrator and people are his masters. Naming circles, buildings, infrastructure after Nehru and fake Gandhis are the ‘naamdar’ party’s honour to freedom fighters,” Pralhad Joshi tweeted in response to Siddaramaiah’s allegations.