Pontiff critiques flooding, Bommai snatches mike

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In a widely shared video that has caused much unease, Kar nataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday was seen taking a microphone from the seer of Kaginele Mahasamsthana Kanaka Guru Peeta, Eshwaranandapuri Swami when the latter raised issues of flooding in the IT corridor of Bengaluru.

The incident took place on stage during a function organised at Sri Manjunatha temple in Garudacharpalya, which is located in Mahadevapura, which saw some of the worst flooding back in September, 2022.

The seer was somewhat complementary of the CM in his speech but said that mere promises of fixing issues won’t do, upon which Bommai snatched the microphone and said he hadn’t just made promises but released funds and put plans in place.

“I would like to ask the chief minister, sir, why is it that people’s representatives and BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) start visiting affected places and try to solve problems only when it rains in Greater Bengaluru? This is something I’ve noticed several times.

There is no lasting solution. Do officials not understand that this (flooding) happens when it rains? Don’t they understand what kind of work needs to be done in certain areas? The chief minister told me something I found prudent. He said he’d find a holistic and lasting solution to the problem. However, we won’t accept mere promises,” Eshwaranandapuri Swami said.

The chief minister looking mildly peeved at this statement took the microphone from him and retorted: “It’s not just a promise. We have formulated a scheme, released funds and ensured work has begun. I’m not a chief minister, who only makes promises. If I have done it, I’ll say I have. If not, I’ll say I haven’t. What’s the big deal in it? I have no fear” and handed the microphone back to the seer.

Statements from both men were met with applause, and the two seemed to approach the matter with smiles and good humour in the end.