Bengaluru: Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday hit back at Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for justifying the Rs 20,000 crore tunnel road project by linking car ownership to social status and marriage prospects.

“Is this a matrimonial project?” Surya asked, questioning the rationale at a press conference, stating that only 12% of Bengaluru residents own cars and reminded the Deputy Chief Minister that a major chunk of citizens — including families — continue to use public transport.

Countering Surya, Shivakumar claimed that a majority of the BJP MLAs were in favour of the project and only former minister R Ashoka and Surya were “speaking against the project.”

Surya said the government’s policy should ensure that 70% of people use public transport.

“All existing projects

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