Bengaluru: Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has defended the state-run public transport system and the government’s ‘Shakti’ scheme amid a social media spat with IT industry veteran T V Mohandas Pai over the role of private operators, asserting that public transport is a right, not a luxury. (Earlier too) Please allow private buses to provide service,” Mohandas Pai alleged in a post on ‘X’ late on Thursday. For Minister @RLR_BTM All we have got is shortage of buses and lack of public transport for last 3 years. People need public transport irrespective of who provides it,” he said, tagging Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in his post. Reddy defends state run transport corporationsReacting to criticism, Reddy defended the state-run transport corporations and challenged Pai to a public debate.