Bengaluru (Karnatka): BJP candidate for Bengaluru South, Tejasvi Surya, has been making a strong pitch among apartment residents for a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasising its corruption-free governance and zero tolerance for terror.
At a recent community meeting in Panduranga Nagar, JP Nagar, Surya reflected on the difference in governance, citing a remark by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi about the inefficacy in fund distribution, where only 15 paise of every rupee reached the intended recipients due to corruption.
He highlighted the current government's use of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), ensuring that funds are now fully and transparently reaching beneficiaries. Rs 34 lakh crore using DBT led to Rs 2.7 lakh crore of savings for taxpayers.
Highlighting the government's firm stance on national security, Surya emphasised the zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, including successful surgical strikes on terror outfits both within India and across its borders in Pakistan.
Listing the achievements of the central government, Surya said, "In the last 10 years, 26 crore people have come out of poverty, 12 crore toilets have been constructed and 10 crore free cooking gas connections have been provided. 50% of houses have received tap water for the first time. 14,000 houses have been built for the poor in Bengaluru."
Elaborating on the legacy issues that were addressed by the Modi government, Surya pointed out that, "Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir, Citizenship Amendment Act was implemented, fulfilling the civilizational promise of Bharat. The Bhavya Ram Mandir, which was waiting for 500 years, was built in Ayodhya."
Underscoring the significant infrastructure developments in Bengaluru, Surya mentioned that projects worth Rs 1.3 lakh crore have been sanctioned for Bengaluru in the last 5 years.
He said, "148 km Bengaluru Suburban Railway project was approved after a 40-year wait, with an outlay of Rs 15,767 crore, Satellite Town Ring Road of 280 km at Rs 15,000 crore is being developed to ease congestion by 30%, out of which Modi Ji inaugurated a stretch of 80 km length recently. Further, 73.9 km of new Namma Metro lines have been sanctioned in 5 years, including Phase 2A, 2B Silk Board to Airport Line and Purple line stretches at Rs 15,318 crore."
Surya noted that the long-standing demand for a US Consulate in Bengaluru was fulfilled and its approval was secured during Prime Minister Modi's recent visit to America.
Surya also spoke on the initiatives undertaken by his office during COVID-19 pandemic with the apartment residents. "More than 4,000 beds were made available to critical patients within 100 hours of exposing the bed booking scam. Over 3,000 lives have been saved by setting up the largest oxygen concentrator bank in the country.
Four defunct hospitals were revamped and the medical infrastructure was enhanced by providing 350 additional ICU beds. Additionally, in Bengaluru South, over 27.3 lakh free vaccines have been provided to citizens." he said.
With the election campaign gaining momentum, Surya expressed his optimism about the public's support for Prime Minister Modi's continued leadership, confident of a strong showing for NDA candidates across Karnataka. Bommanahalli MLA M Satish Reddy and other leaders were present at the meeting.
—ANI