BJP MP Tejasvi Surya led a ‘Save Lalbagh’ protest in Bengaluru on Sunday, opposing the Karnataka government’s proposed tunnel road project and a provision allowing the transfer of up to five percent of park land for certain public purposes. Surya demanded that both decisions be withdrawn and said the movement would continue until the government reconsidered them.
The protest at Bengaluru’s historic Lalbagh was attended by environmental activists, morning walkers, young people and a large number of local residents. Protesters demanded protection of the city’s parks and green spaces from development projects.
Leading the demonstration, Surya said Lalbagh was not merely a park but part of Bengaluru’s natural heritage and a shared public asset. He said protecting existing green spaces was necessary amid the city’s rapid urbanisation.
Surya raised concerns over the environmental impact of the Karnataka government’s proposed tunnel road project. He alleged that such projects around Lalbagh and other green areas could increase pressure on the city’s environment.
The BJP MP demanded that the proposed tunnel road project linked to Lalbagh be cancelled completely. He said Bengaluru’s natural resources should not be damaged in the name of development.
Surya said Bengaluru was already facing pressure from traffic, pollution and increasing construction, making the protection of existing green spaces necessary for the future.
Another issue raised during the protest was a recent amendment by the Karnataka government concerning government parks. The provision has been described as allowing the transfer of up to five percent of park land for certain public purposes.
Surya demanded withdrawal of the provision. He said that although the permitted limit was capped at five percent, it could increase pressure on the city’s parks from development projects in the future.
Environmental activists and citizen groups have also expressed concern over the issue. Critics argue that green spaces are limited in a rapidly developing city such as Bengaluru and that allowing any portion of park land to be made available for other public uses could affect green areas over the long term.
During the demonstration, Surya hugged rocks near the Kempegowda Tower in Lalbagh and sang a song from the film ‘Gandhada Gudi’, starring late Kannada actor Rajkumar. He subsequently warned that the protest would be expanded.
Surya said Sunday’s demonstration was only the beginning and that the movement would become broader in the coming period. He described the protest as “just a trailer” and said the full picture was yet to come.
He also referred to the participation of people from different age groups, saying that senior citizens and young children had joined others in standing together to protect Bengaluru’s greenery.
Surya announced that the movement would not remain limited to Lalbagh. He said protests would be held every Sunday at different parks across Bengaluru to bring more citizens into the campaign and press the government to review its decisions.
He said the movement would continue until the government withdrew the law allowing the transfer of up to five percent of park land and completely abandoned the tunnel road project that he considers environmentally damaging.
According to Surya, the campaign was not an issue limited to one political party but concerned Bengaluru’s citizens. He said the city’s parks belonged to everyone and that their protection was a collective responsibility.
Lalbagh and Cubbon Park are among Bengaluru’s large green spaces and form part of the city’s environmental identity. Population growth, expansion of traffic and continuing construction have increased pressure on the city’s natural resources.
Decisions concerning parks and open spaces have therefore become subjects of debate among citizens and environmental organisations. The ‘Save Lalbagh’ protest has brought the issue of urban development and environmental protection back into the public and political sphere.
Environmental groups have said that a balance is necessary between urban development and environmental protection, while the government also has to consider development and public infrastructure requirements.
Surya said the participation at Lalbagh showed, according to him, that Bengaluru residents were concerned about protecting the city’s greenery. He said the campaign would be taken to different parts of the city in the coming weeks and appealed to citizens to unite to protect parks and green spaces.
The ‘Save Lalbagh’ campaign has brought the issue of the environment and urban development to the forefront of political discussion in Karnataka. Following Sunday’s protest, attention is now on the state government’s response to the demands concerning the tunnel road project and the transfer of park land.
