Chief minister Yediyurappa inaugurated a flyover in Bengaluru, Karnataka named after freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Bengaluru: Finally, the Karnataka government named a flyover in Yelahanka after freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Chief minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa inaugurated it.
The Government of Karnataka had decided to name the flyover after the Indian Independence activist, politician and a leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha a few months ago.
The Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka have been opposed to the move and have termed it as an insult to freedom fighters of the state.
The inauguration of 400-metre-long flyover, which according to sources has been constructed at a cost of Rs 34 core, was scheduled for inauguration earlier, but had been postponed due to fears of social distancing violations.
It was to be inaugurated on Veer Savarkar's birthday.
Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Siddaramaiah had termed the move to name the flyover after Veer Savarkar an insult to freedom fighters from Karnataka's soil and urged Yediyurappa to drop it and instead name it after a freedom fighter from the state.
Yelahanka MLA SR Vishwanth had said that the decision to name the flyover at Yelahanka after Veer Savarkar was taken at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council meeting on February 29.
Defending the move, Yelahanka MLA SR Vishwanath, who is also the political secretary to chief minister had said there was nothing wrong in naming the flyover after a freedom fighter and legally as per rules BBMP council has approved it and all formalities have been completed and only after that the naming has been planned.
The Congress had said naming of the bridge after Veer Savarkar was taken, despite opposition, and questioned Savarkar's contribution to Karnataka and Bengaluru.
The Congress and other opposition parties had earlier opposed the move to confer Bharat Ratna on Veer Savarkar, posthumously.
Congress has not had a good opinion about Savarkar as it considers him to be a Hindutva mascot.
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