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Bengaluru : Dalit and student organizations and others have given a statewide protest call against the ruling BJP and the Karnataka police on September 2, condemning the inaction against rape accused Lingayat seer Murugha Shivamurthy Sharanaru of Murugha mutt in Chitradurga of Karnataka. Posters have been released by various groups on social media calling for the immediate arrest of Murugha who is facing a sexual assault case by minor girls. The protesters will gather near the Freedom Park in Bengaluru at 10.30 a.m. The posters announced that the protest will be backed by women’s organizations, labour unions, farmer and daily wage workers’ unions, minority institutions, NGOs, advocates associations and sexual minority groups. The rape accused seer is holding a meeting with close aides including 4th accused Paramashivaiah at the mutt on Wednesday. The District and Sessions court is taking up the bail petition of the accused seer on Thursday. Sources in the mutt said that the meetin

Bengaluru : At a time when public debate is focused on the POCSO case against prominent Lingayat seer Murugha Shivamurthy Sharanaru and the inaction of the authorities, the silence of the Congress leaders in Karnataka is intriguing. Murugha is yet to be questioned even after the two minor girls lodged a POCSO case and an atrocity case against him. The Chitradurga Rural police have been accused of favouring the seer under political pressure. The Opposition Congress in Karnataka, which has been hitting out at the ruling BJP at every chance, is conspicuously silent over the issue of police inaction against the accused seer. Sources said that one of the victims belongs to the scheduled caste and the other girl belongs to the OBC (Other Backward Classes). Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, Congress state president D K Shivakumar, Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge, his son, Congress MLA and in-charge of media affairs Priyank Kharge, Opposition leader in the Legislative Counc

Bengaluru: BJP MLC H. Vishwanath on Tuesday criticised the Karnataka government over its handling of POCSO case against the rape-accused Lingayat seer Dr. Murugha Shivamurthy Sharanaru. “If Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has any shame, he should initiate action against the accused seer,” he said. “Chitradurga Superintendent should be suspended immediately for not initiating action against the seer. I will write a detailed letter with all inputs to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking protection of the minor girls,” he lashed out. Also Read Karnataka: POCSO case lodged against prominent Lingayat seer “No politician, opposition leaders, social scientists, psychologists are opening their mouths on the issue. Everything is being viewed politically. The parties are scared of losing votes if they speak on the issue. Everything is vote bank politics,” MLC Vishwanath stated. “No one is bothered about the minor girls who have been meted out with injustice. For the sake of votes, y

Bengaluru:  Heavy rain continued to pound Karnataka on Tuesday and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy downpours for the next three days in the state. Monday blues and Bangalore rains😨😨 #bangalorerains pic.twitter.com/jIGvzWj5Pd — Dewdrops (@Dewdrops233) August 29, 2022 The incessant rain has taken away people’s festive mood in the state. Karnataka celebrates the festival of Goddess Gowri on Tuesday and Vinayak Chaturthi on Wednesday. The shops erected in makeshift tents on streets for festivals have been damaged. Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner K Srinivas has declared a holiday for schools and colleges in the Bengaluru South region. Thousands of hectares of agricultural land have come under water across the state. Also Read Bengaluru: Civic body issues meat ban on Aug 31 for Ganesh Chaturthi According to an estimate, crops grown in 5,000 hectares of land have come under water in Raichur district alone. Nimbavva Negaluru (48) died on th

Bengaluru : The Karnataka Congress unit on Monday launched ‘Do you have answers — BJP?’ campaign questioning the alleged failures and lies by the ruling BJP government in the state. The BJP in its election manifesto had promised to deliver on 600 assurances in Karnataka. The Karnataka Congress unit will start to ask one question each day on their fulfilment, scandals, failures and controversies. Karnataka Congress In-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar have launched the campaign at the party headquarters in Bengaluru. Surjewala said that the real name of BJP is a “party of lies”. BJP stands for “Big Trade Janata Party” and “Bewakoof Janata Party,” he added. The campaign will be carried out by the Congress nearly seven to eight months before the upcoming state Assembly elections. Also Read Karnataka Cong questions BJP on connection between Lord Ganesh, Savarkar “Until then, we will ask one question everyd

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has imposed a meat ban in Bengaluru on August 31 in view of the upcoming 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The ban will be applicable in all areas within the BBMP limits. A circular was issued in Kannada from the joint director (Animal Husbandry). It said, “August 31st is being celebrated as Ganesh Chaturthi across the Karnataka state. On that day, animal slaughtering and sale of meat is strictly banned in the areas that fall under the limits of BBMP in Bengaluru.” This is the second such ban that the Bengaluru administration has imposed. Earlier, on August 19, it banned the sale of meat and the killing of animals on the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmasthami. Also Read Karnataka Idgah Maidan row: SC to hear Muslim body against HC order While the BJP leaders said it is a common practice to ban meat during Hindu festivals, the Karnataka Congress state chief DK Shivakumar termed it unnecessary controversy by the state government. Acc

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday met his predecessor and veteran BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa, who has been included in the highest decision-making bodies of the party’s national unit. Party insiders said that both leaders discussed boosting the sagging image of the ruling BJP government in the state. BJP’s Karnataka unit is facing stiff opposition over its stand by the party over the killings of Hindu activists in the state. Also Read Yediyurappa leaves for New Delhi, to meet PM and top BJP leadership The reservation pangs are also back as different communities, mainly the Lingayat sub-sect Panchamasali leaders, are launching a protest. Yediyurappa has returned to Bengaluru after the tour in New Delhi where he met all top BJP leaders. Bommai said: “They had discussed making Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on September 2, a huge success.” The discussion was also held on the ‘Jan Sampark’ tour which would be taken up by the BJP

New Delhi:  The Karnataka Waqf Board has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Karnataka High Court order, which allowed Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Muslim body, mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice U U Lalit and sought an urgent hearing on the matter. Sibal submitted that unnecessary religious tension was being created in the area. After hearing brief submissions, the top court agreed to hear the matter on Tuesday. Also Read Karnataka CM sees red over Telangana CM’s ‘Raichur’ talk Last week, the high court granted permission to hold Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet. The high court had said the government can take a call to permit the festival on the ground. The court passed the order after the state government filed an appeal challenging the August 25 interim order to maintain the status quo. The high court modified the

Bengaluru: A Karnataka Police inspector was suspended for misbehaving with a female hotel receptionist in Bengaluru, police said on Monday. Gopalakrishna Gowda, the Police Inspector is attached to the K.P. Agrahara police station. According to police, the inspector went to a hotel in Jeevan Bhima Nagar recently and asked for a room for rent. The inspector, who was in an inebriated state, abused the female receptionist and created a ruckus. The hotel staff sent the inspector out. Also Read No one doubted Congress President’s election process: Jairam Ramesh Later, the manager of the hotel complained to DCP East, Bheemashankar Guled. The manager provided CCTV footage and the videos taken on mobile. Jeevan Bhima Nagar police then lodged a miscellaneous complaint. DCP Guled conducted an inquiry and filed a report to the Additional Commissioner Subramanyrshwara Rao implicating the inspector. Following the report, the accused inspector had been suspended and further investigation

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is not amused with his Telangana counterpart’s comments that the border district of Raichur would develop if it is merged in Telangana. On a visit to the district Saturday, Bommai made it clear that not an inch of Karnataka territory would be handed over to Telangana. Bommai described as “ridiculous” Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s reported claims that Karnataka’s Raichur district would develop well if it becomes part of Telangana. Also Read Telangana: JP Nadda calls KCR ‘new Nizam’, says his days are outnumbered “Raichur has a thermal plant, airport. Then there are many other developmental works underway. I have allocated funds under the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) and lots of grants are on the way” Bommai said. Noting that Telangana is a newly formed state with its own share of development issues, Bommai advised KCR to focus on his state’s core issues instead of eyeing Karnataka ter

Bengaluru:  Complementing state BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel for completing three years in office, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said there have been no discussions in the party regarding the organisational changes or replacing Kateel. He also expressed hopes that Kateel’s leadership will continue to give more strength to the party in the days ahead, with assembly elections expected in March-April 2023. “Kateel for the last three years has managed the affairs of the party most efficiently. He has travelled across the state about eight to 10 times. He has organised the party from the booth level. The party has successfully faced Gram Panchayat (polls), Legislative Council (elections) and bypolls under his able leadership,” Bommai said. Also Read Bangalore: Ganesh festivities at Idgah Maidan; decision on Aug 30 Speaking to reporters here, he said the ruling party is marching ahead successfully and Kateel’s leadership will continue to give more strength

Bengaluru: Anticipating that the state Wakf board may approach the Supreme Court, the BJP government in Karnataka has decided to wait till August 30 before permitting the installation of Ganesha idols in the Bengaluru Idgah Maidan. State revenue minister R. Ashoka has said that the government has decided to wait till August 30, as per the directives of the High Court issued on Friday, allowing religious and cultural programmes at the disputed site for a limited period from August 31 onwards. Also Read EC sets target for completing verification of duplicate entries in electoral rolls The state government has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court as it has information that some people may approach the Supreme Court on Monday, Ashoka said. Set to take place on August 31 this year, the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities usually continue for three to 11 days. This is the second time in August that the Idgah Maidan has emerged as the epicentre of controversy. Earlier, the site was mired

Raichur : Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said there is no question of ceding even an inch of land to another State for any reason. He was reacting to his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao’s claim that Raichur district be merged with that State. Terming the claim as “politically motivated” aimed at diverting the attention of people from core issues in Telangana, the Karnataka Chief Minister advised Rao to focus on improving Telangana. “It is ridiculous, Raichur has a thermal plant, airport, and other developmental works are happening, lot of progress is taking place, and I have given enough funds this year under the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) and lots of grants are on the way,” Bommai. Also Read Karnataka govt will hold discussions on implementing HC order on Idgah: Bommai Speaking to reporters here, he said, “There was strife and Telangana ended up as a separate State which was backward, it is still so. Let Rao focus on im

India stood in solidarity with Bilkis Bano and her family as many across the country were on the streets on Saturday protesting against the Gujarat government’s recent decision to free the 11 convicts who were found guilty of gang rape of Bano and the mass murder of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots. Citizens of states such as Telangana, Karnataka, Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharastra, and New Delhi took to the streets against the unjust decision and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence. Even though the protests were made in different languages and dialects, they resonated with a common purpose- Justice for Bilkis Bano. Karnataka Hundreds gathered in Freedom Park in Bengaluru demanding a rollback of the remission of the 11 convicts by the Gujurat government on August 15. The protests were called by members of the Bahutva Karnataka. Taking to Twitter, they wrote, “Bilkis was subjected to sexual violence because she was a Muslim woman. There is sile

Bengaluru : For long known as the land of coffee, silk and sandalwood, Karnataka, in later years, became popular as the IT hub of India. In recent months, sadly, the state has been in the news for communal violence and social unrest. Hijaab, Halaal, Idgah Maidans, Tipu Sultan and Veer Savarkar have been the commonly heard flashpoints in the state in recent times. Although some quarters blame the current BJP dispensation in the state for the tensions of late, the genesis goes much deeper. Old time political observers point out that in many ways, Karnataka is the odd man out in south India when it comes to politics. This southern state is the only major state to stay relatively untouched by the pull of regional fervour espoused by regional political parties. Secondly, from time to time, it has welcomed new political ideologies. For a long period after the country became independent, the region was a bastion of the Congress. Post-Emergency, the people of the state in a way revived t

Bengaluru: In a setback to the ruling BJP, the Lokayukta has initiated an investigation against Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra in connection with the allotment of a site to him by the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) in violation of rules, Lokayukta sources said on Saturday. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has recently announced that his government would give full powers to the Lokayukta as per the orders of the High Court. In the complaint, AAP said the Supreme Court has orally reprimanded the Karnataka government’s policy to allot sites worth crores of rupees to Jnanendra and other influential leaders. Also Read Exaggeration of Veer Savarkar in Karnataka school books questioned The allotment was made despite the fact that G category sites cannot be allotted as it gives room for corruption. The state government on Friday transferred BDA Commissioner M B Rajesh Gowda in the wake of the Apex Court’s ruling. Even though lakhs of families of the state have been l

Bengaluru: After violence over the removal of Veer Savarkar’s flexes in Shivamogga and opposition to placing his picture next to Lord Ganesh’s idols during Vinayak Chaturthi, the social media is discussing exaggeration of Veer Savarkar in school textbooks. With this, the textbook revision row has yet again resurfaced in the state. The education department has replaced a lesson from the Kannada textbook for Class 8. Also Read Karnataka govt will hold discussions on implementing HC order on Idgah: Bommai The previous lesson “Blood Group” authored by Vijayamala has been replaced with “Kalavanu Geddavaru” (Those who won against time) lesson by K.K. Gatti. The lesson is the first person account of the author’s visit to Andaman cellular jail where Veer Savarkar was kept. The writer has also depicted the cell of Veer Savarkar and stated that though Savarkar’s cell did not have any ventilaltion, BulBul birds managed to fly in and Savarkar sat on their wings and touched the earth of m

Bengaluru  Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said the state government will decide on implementing the court order regarding allowing religious and cultural activities at the Chamrajpet Idgah playground for a limited period from August 31 in “letter and spirit”, after holding discussions with the Advocate General. Hindu organisations have sought permission for holding Ganesh Chaturthi festival at the ground, and with Friday’s court order the government is likely to give permission for the same. “The division bench of the High Court has given an order regarding Chamrajpet survey number 40 (Idgah playground) asking the government to take an appropriate decision, and has analysed how our country is multi-religious. Regarding implementing the court order with letter and spirit, tomorrow the Advocate General, Revenue Minister and I will hold discussions,” Bommai said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, everyone’s wishes need to be fulfilled while maintaining peace, a