Simridhi Makhija, a woman from Delhi, sparked a debate on social media after suggesting that Bengaluru should be declared India's national capital. Makhija, who recently relocated to Bengaluru, cited the city's cleaner air, safer streets and more welcoming environment as reasons behind her suggestion.
She has spent more than two months in Bengaluru, and recently visited Delhi to meet her parents. She had recently gone viral for saying that she wants to move her parents out of the city.
"As a Delhi girl, I still got to say this," she wrote as the caption of the latest video.
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Watch the video here:
For her suggestion, Makhija gave three major reasons, which are:
Cleaner Air: She said that Bengaluru's air quality is significantly better than Delhi's, which has gotten worse in the past few weeks. "Being in Delhi felt like being in a gas chamber. I don't know why it is still the national capital," she said.
Safer Streets: She claimed that she felt safe walking alone at night in Bengaluru. "It's 10 pm, I just met a friend, and I feel safe heading home. Roads are safe, women's security is not a big issue," she said.
Infrastructure: She also claims that Bengaluru's roads and public spaces are more pedestrian-friendly. "Why should any international guest visiting our country be subjected to bad air, bad roads, and unwalkable spaces?" They should be welcomed in a better city like Bengaluru," she said.
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Social Media Reaction
The video has garnered mixed reactions online, with some praising Makhija's point and others criticising her for diverting attention from fixing Delhi's problems. One user said, "Being a wise content creator, instead of floating the idea to make another city the capital, why don't you raise your voice to make Delhi a better place?"
"A small correction! Roads are actually not safe. Bengaluru roads have deadly potholes," another wrote in the comment section.
"See how there's this tendency of switching to a new city once you've ruined an old one? You think Delhi was this toxic always?" a third wrote.
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