Following a recent public exchange concerning Bengaluru’s infrastructure challenges, Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw met with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. This meeting signals a possible de-escalation of the recent friction between them.
Ms. Mazumdar-Shaw paid a Diwali visit to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his official residence, Cauvery. The Chief Minister’s office confirmed the meeting, stating that Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti was also present.
Later, Ms. Shaw met with Deputy CM DK Shivakumar at his residence in Sadashivanagar. According to the deputy CM’s office, their discussions focused on “Bengaluru’s growth, innovation, and the path ahead for Karnataka’s growth story.” Mr. Shivakumar shared on X, “It was a pleasure to meet Ms. @kiranshaw, entrepreneur and Founder of Biocon, at my residence today. We had an engaging discussion on Bengaluru’s growth, innovation, and the path ahead for Karnataka’s growth story.”
The Genesis of the Dispute
The recent meeting follows days of public disagreement, which began with Ms. Shaw’s pointed criticisms regarding Bengaluru’s infrastructure, including the poor state of roads, traffic congestion, and inadequate waste management.
Ms. Shaw had recently highlighted an interaction with a foreign business visitor to Biocon Park who questioned the city’s infrastructure. “I had an overseas business visitor to Biocon Park who said, ‘Why are the roads so bad and why is there so much garbage around? Doesn’t the government want to support investment?’” she posted, expressing concern that such conditions could negatively impact Bengaluru’s standing as a global technology hub.
Deputy CM Shivakumar’s Response
In response to Ms. Shaw’s comments, Mr. Shivakumar, who is also responsible for Bengaluru’s development, suggested she could take on the task of improving the city herself. “If she wants to develop them (roads), let her do it. If she comes and asks, we will give her the roads,” he stated during a program in KR Puram.
Subsequently, Mr. Shivakumar alleged that certain Bengaluru-based industrialists, including Ms. Shaw and former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai, had a “personal agenda” and had not raised similar concerns during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party administration. He remarked, “Some of the industrialists who owe their success to Bengaluru are today criticising the city. They are forgetting their humble beginnings and how Bengaluru helped them grow,” urging them not to “forget their roots.”
Shaw’s Rebuttal
Refuting these claims, Ms. Shaw stated, “Not true. Both T V Mohandas Pai and I have criticised deteriorating infrastructure in our city under previous BJP & JDS governments. Our agenda is clear — clean up and restore roads.”
This exchange brought to light the increasing frustration among industry leaders regarding Bengaluru’s deteriorating civic infrastructure, which they fear could jeopardize investments and the city’s international reputation. Ms. Shaw and Mr. Pai have consistently voiced concerns about potholes, flooding, and traffic gridlocks in India’s IT capital.