'Arresting Me Won't Silence Me!': BJP MP Tejasvi Surya Detained During Bengaluru Metro Fare Hike Protest
The detention comes amid an ongoing tussle between the Congress-led Karnataka government and the Centre, with both sides trading blame over the proposed increase in Bengaluru Metro fares.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya was detained and later released on Monday near Jayanagar Metro station in Bengaluru after he attempted to stage another protest against the ruling Congress government in Karnataka for the proposed hike in metro fares.
The BJP MP had been served a notice a day earlier for holding a protest at the metro station without prior permission.
The detention comes amid an ongoing tussle between the Congress-led Karnataka government and the Centre, with both sides trading blame over the proposed increase in Bengaluru Metro fares.
Surya Attacks State Government In X Post
After being released, Surya took to X to attack the Karnataka government, alleging that the state’s finances were “broken” and urging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to restore cash support to Bengaluru’s ‘Namma Metro’.
"Arresting me won't silence me! Shameful that the Congress government arrested me for exposing the truth: That this is a 'Khali Trunk' Govt. That Karnataka's finances are broken, and citizens are paying the price through rising Metro fares and soaring costs. No more excuses," he wrote.
"The Chief Minister must present a White Paper in the Budget and answer one question: Why are the State's finances weak, as you have admitted before FFC? Why is it becoming unaffordable in Karnataka? Why is the State increasing prices every day? Fix the finances, restore shadow cash support to Metro, and Metro fares will fall. Anything else is deception," the BJP MP added.
Earlier on Sunday, Surya alleged that the Karnataka government had repeatedly asked the Fare Fixation Committee to raise metro fares.
He claimed the state had proposed a 5 per cent increase in Bengaluru Metro fares, warning that such a move would add to the burden on commuters. He also urged the government to carry out periodic fare revisions as required under the law.
Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao Responds
Responding to the BJP MP’s allegations, Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao accused the BJP of politicising the issue. He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had already written to the Centre, which is an equal stakeholder in ‘Namma Metro’, requesting that fares not be increased.
"Unnecessarily, the BJP people want to make politics out of everything. The metro is run by the State and Central government, and it is a separate corporation. CM has already written to the Government of India not to increase the fare. Now, Tejasvi Surya is saying that they are not going to increase, so let there be an official order, then we will see," the Karnataka minister told reporters.
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