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Nandini price hike: Govt weighs farmer returns, consumer burden

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Bengaluru: A proposed increase in the price of KMF Nandini milk has triggered a fresh debate in Karnataka, with milk unions pressing for a Rs 10 per litre hike and the government examining procurement prices, production costs and rates prevailing in neighbouring states. The issue was taken up after representatives of milk unions met Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and sought an increase, arguing that dairy farmers are facing mounting expenses. A delegation led by D.K. Suresh pointed to rising diesel, cattle feed, raw material and other operational costs affecting the dairy sector. Shivakumar has asked officials to prepare comparative data on milk prices and the amount being paid to farmers in Karnataka and other states. The government will study the figures before taking the matter to the Cabinet for a final decision. Procurement rates higher in southern states Karnataka currently pays around Rs 35 per litre to milk producers, according to the figures cited by the union...
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Kumaraswamy backs Bidadi farmers, warns of protest over police action

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Ramanagara: The farmers’ agitation against the proposed Bidadi Township project intensified after police detained protesting farmers and women at Bairamangala, prompting Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to visit them and question the action taken against the protesters. Farmers from Bairamangala and surrounding areas have been opposing the township project for around 18 months, maintaining that they would not surrender their agricultural land. The protest turned tense after police reportedly took farmers and women into custody while they were staging a dharna after installing a Ganesha idol at Bairamangala. Following the detentions, farmers and supporters gathered outside the Police Bhavan in Channapatna and at Gandhi Circle, where they staged protests and blocked the old Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. The road blockade led to traffic disruption in the area. Kumaraswamy, accompanied by JD(S) youth leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy and former MLA A. Manjunath, visited the protesters a...
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BJP-JDS alliance rules out CM face differences, Vijayendra says

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Bengaluru: BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra has said there are no differences between the BJP and JD(S) over the issue of the next Chief Minister, asserting that the alliance partners are working with a clear understanding ahead of the upcoming elections. The issue of the Chief Ministerial candidate had recently resurfaced in political discussions, but Vijayendra and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy have sought to project unity between the two parties. Vijayendra said there was no dispute with Kumaraswamy over the Chief Minister’s post and ruled out any competition between the alliance partners on the issue. He maintained that the decision on who would become Chief Minister would be taken by the senior leadership of the BJP and JD(S). He also said there was no confusion over seat-sharing between the alliance partners. According to Vijayendra, he and Kumaraswamy have discussed the matter and both parties would sit together and finalise arrangements through mutual consult...
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Hate takes many forms: 62 incidents targeting minorities in August

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Siasat.com ‘s monthly hate crime tracker in July recorded 63 hate crimes. The number remains more or less the same in August, with 62 incidents targeting religious and caste minorities. From Telugu actor Faria Abdullah facing hate for attending and dancing at Bonalu, a Hindu festival in Telangana, to Mumbai pastors being pressured to have worshippers declare that they converted of their own free will, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge speaking of experiencing the “sting of untouchability”, August 2026 offered yet another grim snapshot of how deeply religious and caste-based prejudice continues to permeate society. The 62 hate crimes tracked by Siasat.com range from physical assaults and disruptions of religious practices to hate speech, institutional pressure, caste violence and online harassment. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Gujarat emerged as the most frequent sites of targeted violence and harassment. Marked by faith: A month of targeting Muslims A q...
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NDA allies BJP, JD(S) finalise joint strategy for Council polls

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Bengaluru: The BJP and JD(S) have reached an agreement to fight the forthcoming elections to four Karnataka Legislative Council seats together, with senior leaders of the NDA partners calling for unity and better coordination at the constituency level. The decision was taken during a BJP-JD(S) coordination committee meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday, September 26. Union ministers HD Kumaraswamy, Pralhad Joshi and Shobha Karandlaje, BJP state president BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and leaders of JD(S) participated in the meeting. The alliance leaders discussed preparations for the four Council constituencies and urged party workers to campaign jointly. They also stressed the importance of avoiding differences between the two parties and fighting the elections under the broader NDA banner. BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra later told reporters that BJP and JD(S) would jointly contest the four seats and had decided to work together to secure all the constit...
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Bengaluru: 3 arrested for assaulting woman, stealing cash, gold

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Bengaluru: Three men have been arrested by Peenya police for allegedly tying up and assaulting a woman before stealing cash and gold jewellery from her at a rented house in Nagasandra. The accused have been identified as Boregowda, Abhi and Satish. The incident allegedly took place after Boregowda invited Sujatha, a woman from Nagamangala, to the rented house on the pretext of conducting a milk-boiling ceremony. Police said Sujatha had become acquainted with Boregowda a few months earlier. Using their familiarity, he allegedly informed her that he had taken a rented house in Nagasandra and asked her to attend the ceremony. Sujatha reportedly arrived at the house without informing her husband, Varadaraju. At the time, she was carrying Rs 1 lakh in cash and wearing a gold mangalsutra. According to the complaint, milk was initially placed on the stove as part of the purported ceremony. Boregowda and his alleged accomplices then attacked Sujatha, tied her hands and legs, ...
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Private dairies’ higher prices hit milk unions in Karnataka

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Chikkaballapur: Milk cooperatives in Karnataka’s border districts are witnessing a decline in procurement as private dairy companies from neighbouring states offer farmers higher prices for their produce. Private companies are reportedly paying between Rs 42 and Rs 44 a litre in some border areas, while Karnataka’s milk unions are purchasing milk at around Rs 31 to Rs 34 a litre after conducting quality checks. The substantial difference has encouraged several farmers to divert their milk to private dairies. The impact is being felt particularly in Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts. Several border taluks, including Chikkaballapur, Gudibande, Bagepalli, Gauribidanur, Bangarpet and Srinivaspur, have emerged as key procurement zones for private dairy companies. Karnataka’s cooperative milk unions follow prescribed quality parameters while procuring milk. Milk with lower fat or solid-not-fat content can either be rejected or purchased at a reduced price. Private companies op...
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