Social media war on Bengaluru rain fury shifts to ‘migrant’ issue

As Bangalore, known as the silicon valley of India, is still grappling with rain woes, a social media war broke out between trollers -- slamming the city -- and others defending it.

Bengaluru: Social media war that started on infrastructure collapse in Bangalore amid torrential rain, is gradually shifting to the “migrants” issue with several locals asking them to leave the city.

As Bangalore, known as the silicon valley of India, is still grappling with rain woes, a social media war broke out between trollers — slamming the city — and others defending it. The debate is now dangerously turning towards the “migrants” with ministers and others jumping into it.

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The campaigns titled “#LeaveBengaluru, “#GetLostMigrants‘ and a#Bengaluru_nammadu’ (It is our Bengaluru) are trending. One Virat Rocky slammed trolls on Bengaluru as “migrant mindset” and termed them “double standard people.”

He went on to say with pictures in the post “If you don’t love me in my crisis, then you don’t deserve me in my good times.” He has used photos of water flooding on arterial roads and pictures of the beautiful spring season in the city.

Another post stated: “Bengaluru is our city, not yours. Please go back to your native places.” “Listen migrants, you are in Bengaluru to earn your bread and butter, just complete your work and get lost, says yet another post.

On the other hand, “This is the result of paying taxes to the government. Forget about good infrastructure, they are not able to provide basic facilities as well,” stated a post while referring to the Global Technology Park on Outer Ring Road being inundated.

Pavan says, ‘Bengaluru is beautiful, it’s just our mindset which is not.’

“Those who say they can’t live in silicon city Bengaluru, should not come here. No one invited them to come and reside here,” stated Minister for Horticulture V. Munirathna, targeting the trolls.

Those who talk in demeaning manner about Bengaluru belong to lowly culture. It is not fair for them to bad mouth Bengaluru, the city which has given them food, shelter and livelihood, he said.

Bengaluru city is spoiled only because of people like this, ones whose history of the city will never talk about it. Those who come here first have to know the history. People from north India have settled in Bengaluru in large numbers. Those who tweet as per their whims and fancies must be taught a lesson in the legal framework, Minister Munirathna opined.

The tech community, including former Infosys director and entrepreneur Mohan Das Pai and the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) have warned the government that if they are not ensured proper infrastructure, they would find new destinations.

The appalling pictures of techies, CEOs travelling by boats and tractors in Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli to reach workplaces and shifting from their inundated residences have grabbed international headlines.

The unprecedented rains have exposed the poor infrastructure of the city. Ruling BJP and Congress are indulged in blame games, while raging debate on ‘migrants’ is taking a dangerous turn.

N.R. Ramesh, BJP South President had blamed IT companies for the floods and asked major IT companies by giving a list that if they vacate the encroachments, the floods will not come. He had also accused them of tax evasion of hundreds of crores and reminded them of perks that successive governments have given them.