Karnataka - Bangalore   

Opposition wants Bangalore race course shifted

BANGALORE: The Opposition on Tuesday urged the Government to shift the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) to outskirts of the city in order to decongest traffic and check illegal activities.

Basavaraj Rayaraddi (Congress), who raised the issued during question hour in the Legislative Assembly, said land sharks had encroached upon 15 acres belonged to the BTC and the revenue contribution by the club to the exchequer was negligible. The Joint Legislature Committee set up to look into encroachment of government land should conduct an inquiry into the grabbing of BTC land, he said.

J.C. Madhuswamy (JD-U), Vatal Nagaraj (Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha), S. Rajendran (RPI), G.V. Sriram Reddy (CPI-M), Jayaprakash Hegde (independent) and V. Somanna (Congress) appealed to the Government to take steps to shift the BTC to the outskirts of Bangalore.

Mr. Nagaraj said horse racing encouraged the poor to gamble. Some government officials too were betting on horse races, he said.

Mr. Madhuswamy said the Krishna Government had decided to shift the club. But successor governments dropped the proposal. The Government should explain its stance on imposing a ban on horse racing. Minister for Planning and Lotteries Ramachandra Gowda had issued a statement that the Government was planning to put an end to all forms of gambling, he said.

Mr. Sriram Reddy said the club land could be used as public space or for a park. Mr. Somanna and Mr. Rajendran said traffic jams had become a regular feature on Race Course Road.

Replying on behalf of Public Works Minister H.D. Revanna, Home Minister M.P. Prakash said there was no proposal before the Government to shift the BTC. No land had been identified to shift the club to any part of the city.

Dissatisfied with the reply given by the Minister, Mr. Madhuswamy, Mr. Nagaraj, Mr. Rajendran, Mr. Sriram Reddy, Mr. Hegde and Mr. Rayaraddi staged a walkout.

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