Bengaluru, 19 Oct

State Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said he welcomes criticism but accused some industry leaders of going ‘too far’ in their remarks on the City's infrastructure woes.

Responding to persistent complaints from industry veterans like former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai and Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Shivakumar said the Congress government is committed to addressing civic issues. “People have given us an opportunity and we want to serve them,” he said, stressing that projects to improve roads, traffic flow, and drainage systems are already underway.

Highlighting the City’s rapid urban expansion, Shivakumar noted that 3,000 vehicles are registered daily and the city now has 1.23 crore vehicles for a population of 1.4 crore. He urged critics to remember their roots, adding that some who grew their businesses in the city have forgotten where they started.

The Deputy CM pointed to initiatives like the ‘Fix My Pothole’ WhatsApp campaign, saying citizens can now directly report civic issues. “No other city in India offers such an opportunity,” he said.

Home Minister G Parameshwara advised industrialists to raise concerns privately with the Chief Minister or city officials, warning that public criticism could hurt the City’s global image and investor confidence.

Mazumdar-Shaw dismissed allegations of bias, asserting that she and Pai had criticised previous BJP and JD(S) governments too. BJP leader R Ashoka accused Shivakumar of “intimidating business leaders” instead of fixing civic problems, stating, “Stop this ugly politics. If your Congress government cannot deliver on its promises, at least don't intimidate business leaders and citizens who speak their mind,” he posted on 'X'.