BJP MP Tejasvi Surya Held Briefly Amid Protest with 'Empty Trunk' Over Metro Fare Hike

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya was briefly taken into preventive custody near Jayanagar Metro station in Bengaluru on Monday after attempting to stage a protest against the proposed hike in Namma Metro fares. He was later released by the police.

The incident occurred amid a tense exchange between Surya and police personnel at the station. According to officials, he was detained following a heated argument over a trunk he was carrying to the protest site. After the trunk was opened and inspected, Surya was released.

The BJP MP had been served a notice a day earlier for holding a protest at the metro station without prior permission.

The protest unfolded against the backdrop of a growing dispute between the Congress-led Karnataka government and the Union government over the proposed revision of Namma Metro fares. Both sides have traded allegations on who is responsible for seeking the increase, which is expected to affect thousands of daily commuters in Bengaluru.

War of Words Over Fare Hike

Following his release, Surya took to social media platform X to criticise the State government's handling of the issue. He accused the Congress administration of mismanaging finances and demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah restore financial support for Metro operations to ease the burden on commuters.

''Welcome to Congress-ruled Karnataka. Here you can get arrested for demanding affordable public transport and better infrastructure. Mr. CM, if fighting for Better Bengaluru is a crime, I am ready to get arrested a 1,000 more times. Do better, and initiate a new FFC for Namma Metro,'' he wrote.

In his earlier post, Surya alleged that rising fares were a reflection of weak State finances and called on the Chief Minister to present a White Paper in the Budget detailing Karnataka's fiscal position. He further argued that renewed support to the Metro could prevent fare escalation.

Police had earlier issued a notice to Surya on February 8, cautioning him against staging a protest at the Metro station without prior permission. Despite the warning, he arrived at Jayanagar station on February 9, where he was briefly detained.

Surya has also alleged that the State government repeatedly pressed the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) to approve a 5% increase in Metro fares. He maintained that such a hike would impose additional financial strain on daily commuters and called for adherence to statutory procedures governing fare revisions.

State Government's Response

Responding to the controversy, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the BJP for politicising the fare debate. He said the Chief Minister had already written to the Union government - which jointly owns the Metro corporation with the State - requesting that fares not be increased.

Rao told reporters that the Metro is run by a joint State-Centre entity and that any decision on fare revision must be communicated through an official order. He urged political leaders not to inflame the issue unnecessarily.