Thousands of people protested against the amendment to the Parks Act in Lalbagh

Participants taking part in the ‘Save Lalbagh’ rally at Lalbagh in Bengaluru on Sunday. | Photo credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

In Lalbagh on Sunday morning, thousands including citizens, children, Residents Welfare Association (RWA), BJP city MPs and Kannada activists led by 91-year-old environmental activist AN Yellappa Reddy gathered against the recent changes to two laws brought by the government and the tunnel road project.

The protesters opposed the state’s State Parks (Protection) (Conservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which empowers the government to alienate 5% of the park’s land from the tunnel road project that passes under Lalbagh.

BJP city MPs LS Tejasvi Surya, CN Manjunath, Shobha Karandlaje and PC Mohan spearheaded the protest.

They took a walk inside Lalbagh and also embraced the Lalbagh rock, the Peniusular Gneiss, said to be 3.4 billion years old. On the occasion, they raised slogans like “Hasire Usiru, Ulisi Ulisi Lalbagh Ulisi”, “Nammadu Nammadu Lalbagh Nammadu”.

Addressing the protesters, Mr. Reddy demanded that the state government immediately repeal the recent amendment to the Karnataka State Parks (Protection) Act, 1975. He questioned Chief Minister DK Shivakumar about the rationale behind the tunnel road project and pointed out that due process was not followed in planning and approving the project.

Several children and students also took part in the protest.

Adarsh M., a college student, said, “The government wants to take away 5% of the park space today. It can only increase in the future. Instead of preserving the existing and limited green space, they have decided to destroy it. They should repeal the law immediately. Give us better metro connections, more public buses and good roads to travel around the city,” he said.

Motion to continue

Meanwhile, Mr. Surya announced that the movement to save the city’s parks will continue until the government withdraws the recent amendment bill.

“We will take this movement to every park in the city. I will soon announce the location of the protest for next Sunday. I am sure the government will not change its decision with one protest. Let’s continue the movement until they cancel the bill and the tunnel road project.”

Dr. Manjunath urged the governor not to give his assent to the bill.

Ms Karandlaje said she had already met the governor personally and urged him not to give his approval.

Published – 30 Aug 2026 21:08 IST