The BJP has filed a complaint with the government regarding environmental harm at Freedom Park, which they allege is linked to the protest rally planned for August 5.

The BJP has raised concerns that a heritage wall at the protest site was torn down unlawfully and that mature trees were cut down without the necessary permissions. On Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged a complaint against the state government, accusing it of making unauthorized structural and ecological changes at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, just ahead of a protest rally led by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Originally set for August 5, the rally was pushed back to August 8 due to the passing of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren. In their complaint to the Upparpet police, the BJP claimed that a heritage wall within the protest area was illegally demolished and that mature trees were removed without proper authorization. They are calling for legal action against both the rally organizers and the officials involved. “This is nothing short of environmental vandalism. The Congress has wielded its political influence to destroy heritage structures and green spaces at Freedom Park, a public area that belongs to the citizens of this city,” stated K Karunakar, the media wing convener for the BJP’s state unit. The complaint alleges that a longstanding barrier wall was taken down to make way for a stage and access road for the political event, which the BJP argues not only hindered public access but also resulted in financial losses for the government. Karunakar further claimed that large trees were cut down and the park's natural landscape was flattened, labeling it an “illegal and anti-public act.” In this context, a complaint was also filed with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) forest officer, according to a press release from the BJP.

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