Bengaluru, July 15: BJP MLA Arvind Bellad emphasized Karnataka’s pivotal role in India’s aerospace and defence sectors, citing its long-standing leadership in the industry. Responding to a recent statement by Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, Bellad said, “Karnataka has been a hub of the aerospace industry in India. HAL was established even before independence, and this legacy must be preserved.”
He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Industries Minister MB Patil to expedite land allocation for defence-related industries in Northern Karnataka, stating the region needs competitive incentives to attract investment and prevent these industries from shifting to other states.
On a separate issue, Bellad strongly criticized the Congress government over its alleged attempt to blame Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the June 4 stampede incident. He said, “Let CM Siddaramaiah apologise to the Police Commissioner for the suspension. It was Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, and Congress who invited crowds to Vidhan Soudha and Chinnaswamy Stadium.”
He held the government accountable for the lack of crowd management and law and order, accusing it of shifting the blame to private entities like RCB in order to evade responsibility.
