'Why Savarkar?': Naming of flyover in Bengaluru sparks political row

‘Why Savarkar?’ 

Political parties in Karnataka are bickering over the naming of a flyover, built with an investment of about Rs 34 crore, in Bengaluru. The 400-metre-long flyover at Yelahanka, scheduled to be inaugurated on Thursday by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, has been named after freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar, whose birth anniversary is on May 28. Siddaramaiah, former chief minister and leader of the Opposition, said the move to name the flyover after Savarkar was an insult to the freedom fighters of the state and urged Yediyurappa to name it after someone from Karnataka. In an angry tweet he said, “The hasty decision to name Yelahanka flyover after Savarkar is evidence to say that the administration is not run by an elected government, but by those behind the screen...”

Communication faux pas

Kent, better-known for sturdy RO machines, found itself in a bit of a spot on Wednesday, when an advertisement for its atta-maker was slammed on social media and even reported to the Advertising Standards Council of India. “Are you allowing your maid to knead atta dough by hand? Her hands may be infected,” read the ad for its atta-and-bread-maker, which aimed to encourage customers to invest in a hands-free contraption. By evening Kent had taken down the ad. Chairman Mahesh Gupta issued an apology on Twitter: “Please accept our sincere apologies for having published the ad of Kent Atta & Bread Maker. It was unintentional but wrongly communicated and it has been withdrawn. We support and respect all sections of the society.”

Balancing aspirations

The much-awaited cabinet expansion in Madhya Pradesh could take place by June 1. The list of probables has been finalised and forwarded to the central leadership of the BJP. The final approval is yet to come. This is not an easy task because many strong local leaders as well as Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalists have to be accommodated. The expansion was delayed because the party is struggling to have unanimity in candidate selection. If the party accommodates all the Scindia loyalists, it will have to drop some old hands. According to sources, BJP stalwart Sagar Gopal Bhargava (former leader of the Opposition) had been offered the position of Speaker, which he rejected outright. It would be interesting to see how Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan balances the equation.