Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party President BY Vijayendra on Sunday announced that the party will stage a statewide 'rasta roko' (road blockade) protest on September 24, with workers taking to the streets in all 224 Assembly constituencies across Karnataka. The protest is in response to the poor condition of roads across the state of Karnataka— a problem that has drawn intense criticism.
Congress government in the state is facing intense criticism from various sections claiming that roads in the state, especially those in Bengaluru are riddled with potholes. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has set one month deadline to fix all potholes.
High-profile figures, including former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai and Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, have recently urged the government to intervene. The issue also gained national attention when the online trucking platform BlackBuck decided to move its office out of Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR) location, citing poor road conditions and extreme traffic congestion.
Speaking to reporters in Shivamogga, Vijayendra stated that the protest would be held for one hour, beginning at 11 am. “People are upset with the state of roads,” he said, confirming the protest would take place across the entire state, from Bengaluru to Shivamogga, Vijayapura, and Kalaburagi.
Also read: Karnataka surveys Devadasis; glitches hamper efforts