BENGALURU
The controversial Namma Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) road and Bidadi Township projects have erupted back into the spotlight as Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy launched a scathing attack on the ruling Congress government, issuing a direct and fierce challenge for an open, public debate.
Speaking at a massive JD(S) protest meeting at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, an enraged Kumaraswamy strongly condemned the recent allegations made by Congress leaders against his family and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. Challenging the administration head-on, the Union Minister invited all current and former Congress MLAs to share a public platform at Freedom Park, declaring that he is completely prepared to face them all alone to expose the truth.
The political feud centers on historical agreements and land development. Kumaraswamy claimed that the original memorandum of understanding for the project was signed back in February 1995 under specific guidelines requiring private investment without government capital. However, he alleged that subsequent political figures deviated from the original blueprint, accusing senior Congress leaders and middlemen of manipulating the project for personal gain and altering court frameworks.
Challenging his political rivals directly, Kumaraswamy demanded that Congress leaders place their hands on their hearts and openly state who truly looted farmers’ lands and caused widespread urban flooding across Bengaluru. He further accused key ministers of creating artificial real estate illusions by renaming Ramanagara to benefit land values while failing to deliver genuine public welfare.
The fiery speech also touched upon broader governance issues, with Kumaraswamy defending the JD(S) as a law-abiding party and criticizing past administrative decisions. As the political temperature in Karnataka climbs over the long-standing NICE project dispute, the opposition’s aggressive stance signals an intense ongoing showdown, leaving citizens waiting to see if Congress leaders will accept the challenge for a public face-off.
Controversy background
The political clash stems from fierce resistance against the proposed Bidadi Township project, which has faced sustained opposition from local farmers for nearly 500 days. Kumaraswamy questioned why original project frameworks signed under early US memorandums were sidelined by subsequent administrations, allegedly favoring middlemen over public welfare.
Let the Congress leaders touch their chests and say ‘Who is the root cause of the entire Bengaluru being flooded today.’ HD Kumaraswamy, Union Minister