BENGALURU: A day after Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw highlighted Bengaluru’s “creaking” infrastructure, Karnataka’s deputy CM D K Shivakumar Wednesday accused her of “betrayal” and of tarnishing the very state and country that helped her succeed as an entrepreneur.However, people sprang to her defence, accusing the government of displaying hostility towards those who speak up, and of refusing to accept constructive criticism.On her part, Shaw on Wednesday blamed previous governments’ inaction for the current situation. “We are in this situation because of past govts’ failure to act in time. This govt has the opportunity to change and act fast to fix these decades of deteriorating infrastructure. Govt ministers need to hold the GBA (Greater Bengaluru Authority) accountable for the shoddy and slow work. Here, the government and citizens need to be on the same page,” she wrote on X.Clarifying that her post was not political, Shaw said her demand was simply for basic civic maintenance. “All I am seeking is garbage clearance and road resurfacing which ought to be done by the GBA,” she said.Shivakumar, who holds the Bengaluru portfolio, has been leading the government’s defence along with senior Congress ministers by putting out what appear to be coordinated posts castigating Shaw and insisting things are fine or are improving.Meanwhile, across social media, Bengaluru’s residents rallied behind Shaw. “It’s a classic deflection tactic. Don’t fall for it. Don’t apologise for raising the issues…,” posted Whitefield Rising (@WFRising), a prominent citizen group.“Ma’am, we stand with you,” wrote another user, Viky (@urstrulyvikass), adding, “It’s our fundamental right to ask or raise questions… We pay taxes and we should get basic infrastructure, water, and electricity.”
