Bengaluru, 7 Oct

R Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka's Legislative Assembly, has accused Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar of jeopardising the Lalbagh Botanical Garden through what he describes as a "reckless" tunnel road project.

In a social media post titled "Lalbagh in Danger – Courtesy DCM DK Shivakumar's Tunnel Madness!", Ashoka warned that the Rs 26,000 crore project threatens the garden, often referred to as Bengaluru's "green lungs."

He alleged that approximately six acres of Lalbagh's land would be lost, along with the cutting down of thousands of trees, resulting in irreversible damage to the fragile ecosystem "for one man's publicity and vanity project".

He questioned the government's approach, asking, "When experts, civic groups, and environmentalists have raised red flags, why is the @INCKarnataka government still bulldozing ahead?"

Ashoka asserted, "Lalbagh is not just another piece of land. It's our City's soul, our children's oxygen, and a state's treasure," and called on the Congress government to abandon the "disastrous plan." He also tagged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning whether he would defend City’s environment.