Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 12 (ANI): BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Thursday accused the Karnataka government of misleading people over the funding structure of Bengaluru Metro, alleging that the state government was passing off loans guaranteed by the Centre to the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) as its own contribution.
Surya said BMRCL was a 50:50 joint venture between the Central and state governments, with both having infused Rs 9,000 crore in equity. He said the funding for Metro projects primarily came from foreign institutional investors, which provided loans to the SPV on the basis of guarantees extended by the Central government.
He challenged the Bengaluru Development Minister's claim that the state government contributed nearly 84 per cent of the Metro project cost, alleging that the state had included Rs 28,000 crore in loans guaranteed by the Centre in its own column.
"The Bengaluru Metro, the BMRCL, is a fifty-fifty joint venture between the Central and the State governments. Both the governments have infused Rs 9,000 crore equity. The funding primarily for the projects, for all of these Metro projects in the city, comes primarily from foreign institutional investors who provide loans to the SPV on the basis of the guarantee provided by the Central government," Surya said.
"The Bengaluru Development Minister has made a ridiculous claim that the state government contributes close to 84 per cent of the Metro bill. Nothing can be farther from reality than this. What they have done is they have mischievously taken the Rs 28,000 crore loan provisioned by the Central government by being the guarantor of these international loans to the SPV into their own column, as though the loan is provided to them and as though they are the ones who will be repaying the loan back," he added.
Terming it "accounting mischief" and "narrative mischief", Surya alleged that the claims were made a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival for the inauguration of the Metro.
"This is clearly accounting mischief, narrative mischief, simply done one day prior to the Honourable Prime Minister's arrival for the inauguration of the Metro," he said.
The BJP MP also questioned the pace of construction of the Pink Line, which is scheduled to be inaugurated on Friday, pointing out that it took 12 years to complete a 7.5-kilometre stretch.
"The primary question is, the Pink Line Metro that is going to be inaugurated tomorrow took 12 years to complete 7.5 kilometres. That is the state government, which is in charge of the operations and running of the Metro and construction of the Metro, has completed 700 metres per year, pathetically slow," he said.
Surya claimed that the Congress was in power for nearly nine-and-a-half years of the 12-year period taken to complete the stretch, while the BJP was in power for around two-and-a-half to three years during the COVID period.
"And despite COVID, 72 per cent of the tunnelling work began and got completed during the BJP's tenure, the short period of three years," he said.
Questioning the state government's claims over the loan component, Surya asked, "Why are you lying through your teeth? Why are you claiming the loan amount provided by the Central government through the institutional agencies by facilitating it as a guarantor to the SPV? Why are you claiming that loan to be your loan? Why are you giving an impression as though you are the one who is repaying these loans, while the loan comes to the SPV and the SPV foots the bill of the loan, furnishes the loan?"
"Please do not misguide the people of the city. Stop this politics based on lies and falsehood," he said.
He also accused three Karnataka ministers and the Chief Minister of making misleading claims on different issues over the past two weeks, referring to the Home Minister's remarks about alleged RSS involvement in a drug mafia, the Consumer Affairs Minister's statements on ethanol and the recent claims by the Bengaluru Development Minister and the Chief Minister on Metro funding.
"In the last two weeks, three ministers and, unfortunately, today even the Chief Minister of the state have gotten caught lying blatantly," Surya said.
Citing the expansion of Bengaluru's Metro network, he said the city had only seven kilometres of Metro rail in 2014, while the network had expanded to 103 kilometres.
"In 2014, Bengaluru had only seven kilometres of Metro rail. Today Bengaluru has 103 kilometres of Metro rail. These 100 kilometres have happened in the last twelve and a half, thirteen years because of the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
He urged the Chief Minister and his ministers to avoid political disputes between the state and the Centre and work with the Prime Minister to prioritise mass public transport.
"Therefore, my request to the Chief Minister and his ministers is to not get into this politicking of state versus Centre and to join hands with the Prime Minister and the Central government and ensure Bengaluru gets out of this congestion problem by prioritising mass public transport," he said.
Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing Sam Pitroda as "Sam Bhai" in a Diwali greeting after Pitroda recalled his warm personal ties with the Prime Minister, Surya said Modi had consistently prioritised personal relationships despite political disagreements.
"The Prime Minister has prioritised personal relationships and has always conducted them in a very dignified, graceful and respectful manner," he said.
"This again shows how the Prime Minister always, despite having political disagreements, always prioritises and respects the personal relationships that he holds. It's very healthy for a democracy like ours," Surya added. (ANI)
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya accuses Karnataka govt of misleading people over Bengaluru Metro funding
