Guest column: Protect Bengaluru from criminal nexus of government officials

People of Bengaluru must join us at Town Hall this Saturday, August 27 in this fight to protect our city from the criminal nexus of government officials and builders and demand accountability and justice.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's recent demolition drive is shameful evidence that illegalities have been committed in Bengaluru over the years. A large number of hardworking innocent home-buyers are paying the price today, losing their homes due to ad-hoc planning and illegal constructions, while the builders, layout developers and officials, who were complicit with them in these rampant violations of law, are being let off scot-free. This feast of vultures that is killing our city and affecting the lives of lakhs of hardworking Bengalureans and their families needs to be put a stop to. It is the right of citizens to demand accountability and compensation from the government, which has failed to protect their interests.

Residents have reached a point where prayers won't come to their rescue. It's time to walk down the legal path and seek accountability and prosecution for this kind of criminal negligence and culture that is claiming lives on potholed roads and open storm water drains, leading to loss of people's life savings to demolitions and corruption and the destruction of lakes and the environment of this beautiful and proud city.