Bengaluru, May 21 : Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the state government, alleging that it was more interested in attaching the Bengaluru tag to neighbouring districts to develop real estate rather than ensuring the safety and law and order situation in the state capital.

In a statement, Ashoka alleged that if even â??half the interestâ?? shown by the government in developing areas around Bengaluru had been shown towards public safety and law enforcement, the Silicon City would not have turned into a â??crime cityâ??.

He accused the government of neglecting Bengaluruâ??s development and law and order while focussing solely on developing neighbouring districts.

â??As a result, our proud Silicon City has turned into a crime city. The capital of innovation is becoming the capital of crimes,â?? he alleged.

Citing crime statistics, Ashoka alleged that Bengaluru ranked second in the country in murder cases among metropolitan cities, with 176 murder cases registered in 2024.

He further alleged that crimes against women were on the rise, stating that 4,748 cases of atrocities against women, including 16 gang rape cases, had been registered in the city.

â??Is this the so-called â??Brand Bengaluruâ'â?? he questioned.

Ashoka also described Bengaluru as the â??cyber crime capitalâ??, claiming that 17,561 cyber crime cases were registered in a single year, with cyber criminals looting the hard-earned money of citizens.

Referring to drug-related crimes, he alleged that narcotic substances worth Rs 98.69 crore, including ganja and heroin, had been seized, but the drug mafia continued to operate fearlessly.

The BJP leader further claimed that even senior citizens were not safe in the city, with 671 cases targeting elderly persons being registered.

He also expressed concern over the rise in juvenile crime cases, stating that the number of such cases had increased from 200 in 2022 to 427 in 2023, while 386 cases had already been registered in 2024.

Questioning the state governmentâ??s 'Sadhana Samavesha' celebrations, Ashoka asked whether this was the governmentâ??s achievement and whether this represented its vision of 'Brand Bengaluru'.

He alleged that while public safety in Bengaluru had collapsed, Karnataka Home Minister, G. Parameshwara and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar were more concerned about real estate gains in Tumakuru and Ramanagara districts.

â??The government has lost the moral right to continue in power,â?? he said, adding that removing the Congress government had become essential for protecting Bengaluruâ??s dignity, safety and future.

/IANS