‘Modi Kaka is the best’: Enthusiastic crowds welcome PM at Bengaluru Pink Line Metro inauguration

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Bengaluru, Nov 13 (IANS) Enthusiastic crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bengaluru on Friday as he inaugurated the elevated section of the much-awaited Pink Line of the Namma Metro, with residents describing the new connectivity as a major relief from traffic congestion and pollution.

From families who waited for hours to young admirers carrying placards, the inauguration witnessed an outpouring of excitement among people who had turned up to welcome the Prime Minister.

Speaking to IANS, Akash Shukla said the occasion was particularly exciting as he was seeing the Prime Minister in person for the first time.

“There was a lot of excitement among the people; we saw PM Modi for the first time. It was really great. The introduction of the new Metro line is going to ease life… because there is a lot of traffic pressure, and not only that, it will also be beneficial for the environment,” he added.

He said that greater use of the Metro could help reduce pollution caused by two-wheelers and three-wheelers.

Roma, another visitor who attended the event to catch a glimpse of PM Modi, said she was delighted to see him and expressed strong admiration for the Prime Minister.

“It felt very nice to get to see him (PM Modi). We are Gujaratis, and he will always be here; he will be here till all the work is done. We are his fans. PM Modi is the best. Modi Kaka is the best,” she added.

Describing PM Modi as an inspiration, Roma said she and others had been waiting since Friday morning to see him.

Another person said, “He (PM Modi) is such an inspiration, and we have been waiting for him since the morning. We are here, and we will surely vote for him. We want him to make India more progressive. The introduction of the new Metro line is a good breather for the people; we have been waiting since 2017,” she added.

A young visitor, Nitya, also expressed admiration for the Prime Minister, saying he looked up to him as an inspiration.

“PM Modi is my inspiration. If I start talking about him, it will have to be broken down into episodes,” he said.

Nitya said the new Metro service would make commuting easier in a city grappling with heavy traffic.

“He (PM Modi) has always been dedicated to the nation; he is working 24/7 for the people. He has taken the nation to new heights; that is why we are his huge fans. The Metro line is going to be really helpful for easing the traffic in Bengaluru,” he added.

Children carrying placards featuring the Prime Minister’s photograph were also seen welcoming him. A family of three had travelled to the venue and waited for hours to see PM Modi.

One family member said they had walked several kilometres to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister.

“Modi ji is like our God. We have been worshipping him for many years. We are blessed to live for him. I have come from JP Nagar and walked 5 km. Just to see him once; we have been waiting for two hours. We have been tanned and tired, but it doesn’t matter because we are blessed to see PM Modi today,” a visitor said.

“We wish for Narendra Modi ji a healthy and long life, and we would like him to be the Prime Minister forever. We can proudly say that we are ‘andhbhakts’, and we love him,” the person added.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the elevated section of the Pink Line from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere, a key part of the Bengaluru Metro Rail project developed at an estimated cost of Rs 3,470 crore.

PM Modi and Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar jointly flagged off the new services and travelled on the Metro train. Both were also seen purchasing separate tickets at the counter.

During the journey, Shivakumar briefed the Prime Minister on the advantages of the double-decker elevated corridor, which accommodates both a Metro rail line and a flyover to help ease traffic congestion.

The Pink Line has a total planned length of 21.25 km and comprises 18 stations. The elevated section inaugurated on Friday has six stations, while the remaining 12 stations in the underground section are still under construction.

The Jayadeva interchange is expected to serve as a major connectivity hub, linking different parts of Bengaluru through the Metro network.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Feb 8 (IANS) A shocking incident has been reported from Belagavi district, Karnataka, where a police Inspector staged a protest by placing his father’s dead body in front of a police station.

He alleged that the high-handedness of a police Sub-Inspector (SI) played a role in his father’s death.

The incident occurred in the jurisdiction of Harogeri police station in Raybag taluk in the early hours of Saturday.

Ashoka Sadalagi, an Inspector attached to Devadurga police station in Vijayapura district, staged the protest, demanding action against Harogeri police Sub-Inspector Malappa Poojari.

It is alleged that the police failed to register a complaint against those who had assaulted Inspector Ashoka Sadalagi’s father Annappa. Moreover, his father, Annappa, was allegedly detained at the police station for an entire day and harassed.

By evening, Annappa fell ill, experiencing a drop in blood pressure and sugar levels. His second son took him to a private hospital for treatment, where he passed away on Saturday.

Enraged by the incident, Inspector Sadalagi staged a protest by placing his father’s body in front of the Harogeri police station, demanding justice and the registration of an FIR against the SI.

The family also insisted that Belagavi district Superintendent of Police, Bheemashankar Guled, visit the scene.

However, Chikkodi Dy SP rushed to the spot and convinced Inspector Sadalagi to withdraw his protest.

Reports suggest that on January 10, three individuals allegedly trespassed on Annappa’s farmland. When confronted, they reportedly assaulted him. Annappa then called the emergency helpline and sought the police’s help.

The police took both the accused and Annappa to the station. It is alleged that Annappa was subjected to torture while in custody.

Inspector Sadalagi had approached the SI of Harogeri police station, the CPI, and Athani Dy SP, requesting action. However, the police allegedly refused to register the complaint.

It is further alleged that SI of Harogeri police station had lodged an atrocity case against the brother of Inspector Sadalagi on February 2, following the counter complaint by the accused persons.

The police department is yet to issue an official statement regarding the development.

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Poster war begins in LoP Gandhi’s constituency as VHP thanks him for NDA victory in Bihar

Raebareli, Nov 19 (IANS) A poster war has erupted in Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency after a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader on Wednesday put up posters thanking the Congress MP for the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) victory in Bihar.

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For the Congress, the trends are particularly sobering. The party not only underperformed in the seats it contested but also failed to contribute meaningfully to the alliance tally.

Despite repeatedly raising allegations such as ‘voter chori’ against the Centre and the Election Commission, and campaigning around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive and the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, the Congress struggled to gain traction on the ground.

In the last press conference on ‘Vote Chori’ on November 6, Rahul Gandhi claimed to show evidence of a Brazilian model appearing on the Haryana voter list 22 times under different names, including Seema and Sweety.

LoP Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ pitch, along with the Congress’ high-energy social media campaign expected to energise cadres and consolidate anti-incumbency, did not create the momentum the party had hoped for.

Promising a ‘hydrogen bomb’ of evidence but never fully delivering it, Rahul Gandhi held three press conferences where he presented alleged proofs of how the ECI was enabling vote theft, mass deletion of votes, and data manipulation.

On November 6, LoP Gandhi again repeated his “vote chori” allegation while appealing to what he called “Gen Z brothers and sisters” to decide Bihar’s future. But this strategy also failed to resonate with voters.

In the 2020 elections, Congress secured 27 seats out of 70, with a conversion rate of 38 per cent. This time, however, its performance has dropped even further.

Congress once a dominant force in Bihar’s political landscape, has gradually lost its hold over the state. In 2025, it contested as a junior partner in the alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The 2025 Bihar election results mark one of the party’s weakest showings.

Congress was once among the top three political parties in Bihar, especially before the state’s bifurcation in 2000. In the 1985 elections, Congress won a clear majority with 196 seats, leading to Chandrashekhar Singh becoming Chief Minister.

In the 1990 elections, Congress emerged as the second-largest party with 71 seats, considered its last strong performance. The party’s final phase of prominent leadership came under Jagannath Mishra, who served as Chief Minister in 1990.

However, the party’s influence declined rapidly thereafter. In the 1995 elections, its tally fell sharply to 29 seats, marking the beginning of a long-term slide.

In 2000, Bihar was bifurcated to create the new state of Jharkhand. This dramatically reshaped Bihar’s political landscape, enabling the rise of regional parties such as the Janata Dal (United) and the RJD. In the 2000 Assembly elections, held before bifurcation, Congress finished fourth with 23 seats.

–IANS

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Decisive leadership since 2014 eliminated three deep-rooted evils, uplifted crores from poverty: HM Shah

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