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Showing posts from July, 2024

Karnataka CM urges people to question Centre on unjust use of SC/ST funds

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday that the people of the state must question the “anti-Dalit” Union government for not using the Budget funds meant for the development of the community. “What moral authority does the Union government have to question our (Congress) government when it unjustly uses the budget funds meant for the rightful development of Dalits by not implementing the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan/Tribal Sub-Plan (SCSP/TSP) schemes at the national level?” Siddaramaiah asked. Also Read Karnataka Deputy CM meets PM, seeks funds for Bengaluru development “Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is shedding crocodile tears for Dalits, has called for questioning the Karnataka government regarding the welfare of the SC/STs. Nirmala Sitharaman, if you care so much about Dalits, implement the SCSP/TSP scheme and allocate 25 per cent of the Union Budget in proportion to the Dalit population, then question us. Until then, it would be wise for y

Karnataka Deputy CM meets PM, seeks funds for Bengaluru development

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital and sought more funds for development of Bengaluru and irrigation projects in the State. He said the Karnataka government had appealed for a GIFT City-like development in Bengaluru. “Since that request was not considered positively, we have sought more funds for tunnel project, signal-free corridor, development of main roads and storm water drains in Bengaluru as well funds for irrigation projects,” he told reporters in New Delhi. Shivakumar said Bengaluru contributes the second highest tax to the national exchequer but the city has “not got anything” in the recent Union budget. During former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s tenure, the state had got funds for the construction of flyovers at Electronics City, Hebbal and Nelamangala, he said. Also Read Setback to Karnataka BJP as ally JD(S) pulls out of anti-corruption foot march “The Prime Minister

Wayanad landslides: Siddaramaiah announces aid for kin of Kannadigas killed

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of Kannadigas who died in landslides in neighbouring Kerala. According to government sources, at least six people from the state are feared dead in Monday’s landslide. “The death toll in Wayanad landslide continues to rise. This is a very deadly tragedy, the fact that Kannadigas lost their lives in this tragedy made it even more painful,” the CM said in a post on ‘X’. “The deceased Kannadigas will be given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each. I pray that the soul of the deceased may rest in peace,” he said. According to him, already two senior IAS officers of the state, the National Disaster Response Force team and army teams are engaged in rescue work in Wayanad. Also Read Wayanad landslides: Death toll 176; army intensifies search for missing Also, Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad is being deputed to Wayanad to take charge of rescue and relief operations.

Karnataka BJP announces foot march from August 3 against MUDA case

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Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra on Sunday announced a padayatra (foot march) from Bengaluru to Mysuru on August 3 against the MUDA case. “The padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru will take seven days in which leaders of the BJP and JD-S will participate in it. Senior leaders B.S. Yediyurappa and H.D. Kumaraswamy will also participate in the padayatra and will inaugurate the event,” Vijayendra said. Also Read Karnataka: Two rowdy-sheeters held for chopping off Dalit youth’s hand He said that the concluding ceremony will take place on August 10 and the leaders from the Union government will also be present on that day. Earlier, a meeting headed by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Union Minister Kumaraswamy was held regarding the padayatra. Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who was also part of the meeting, urged people to join the fight to oust the “corrupt” state government. “Both parties (BJP and JD-S) would unite and conduct the protest in whic

Karnataka: Two rowdy-sheeters held for chopping off Dalit youth’s hand

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Karnataka: Two rowdy-sheeters who allegedly attacked and severed the hand of a Dalit youth in Kanakapura town, were shot in the leg before being arrested by Karnataka Police on Sunday. The accused have been identified as Harsha alias Kaima, and Karunesh alias Kanna. Both rowdy-sheeters have been admitted to the hospital and are being treated. According to the police, a gang of seven armed persons from the upper caste Vokkaliga community attacked the family of Dalit youth Aneesh Kumar, a resident of Malagalu village in Kanakapura taluk, and chopped off his left hand before disappearing. The incident was reported on July 21. Dalit organisations condemned the act and demanded that the government take action. As per the police, the group attacked Anish Kumar when he was walking with his uncle on the main road. One of the accused standing and chatting on the roadside with friends, confronted them, asking about their caste, leading to an altercation. He questioned the youth about his p

Ramanagara name changed to Bengaluru South amid opposition by BJP 

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Bengaluru: In a significant move, the Karnataka Cabinet renamed Ramanagara district to Bengaluru South district. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Siddaramaiah.  While Congress leaders have supported the move, the BJP has strongly opposed it. Law Minister HK Patil while announcing the decision clarified that while the name will change, there will be no administrative changes. “Ramanagara is a part of Bangalore. Many people want the brand to come under Bangalore. This decision has been taken according to the demand and desire of the people,” he stated. On June 9, deputy CM DK Shivakumar led a delegation to submit a letter to CM Siddaramaiah, requesting the renaming of Ramanagara district to Bengaluru South district and declaring Ramanagara as the district headquarters. Historically, the petition highlighted that Doddaballapur, Nelamangala, Yelahanka, Devanahalli, Anekal, Bangalore South, Bangalore East, Hoskote, Ramanagara, Magadi, Kanakapura, and Channa

Karnataka: Rising anti-social cases raise concerns over law and order

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Bangalore: The number of anti-social cases in Karnataka over the past one and a half years has raised serious concerns about the state government’s ability to maintain law and order. Data from 2023 to June 30, 2024, reveals a disturbing trend in violent crimes. Between 2023 and mid-2024, the state reported 1,927 murders, 1,910 extortion cases, 5,810 kidnappings, and 263 robberies. These figures fuel allegations by opposition parties that the state home department has failed to control anti-social elements. A closer look at the numbers shows a consistent rate of criminal activity. In 2023, Karnataka saw 1,296 murder cases, while the first half of 2024 already accounted for 631 cases. Extortion cases remain high, with 1,246 incidents reported in 2023 and 664 in the first six months of 2024—over 50% of the previous year’s total. Kidnapping cases and riots have also seen an alarming increase, while robbery cases have shown a slight decrease. One high-profile case during a session in

Bengaluru hostel murder case: Accused arrested from Madhya Pradesh

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Bengaluru : Karnataka Police have nabbed the killer in the sensational murder case of a 24-year-old woman reported from Bengaluru in a PG hostel in the upscale Koramangala locality. The special teams, which had launched a hunt for him, have arrested the accused identified as Abhishek from Madhya Pradesh, sources confirmed on Saturday Abhishek, who had stabbed the deceased Kriti Kumari to death with a knife on the night of July 23, had fled to Madhya Pradesh and was hiding there and he had switched off his mobile phone. The deceased Kriti Kumari, a native of Bihar, was working at a private company. The preliminary probe has revealed that the murderer is Abhishek, a native of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Abhishek was in a relationship with Kriti Kumari’s friend and colleague. Abhishek’s girlfriend hailed from Maharashtra. Also Read Bihar woman found dead with throat slit in Bengaluru, police suspect murder Abhishek used to visit the PG hostel and often travelled to Bengaluru

Congress membership drive & elections from August 16: Shivakumar

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Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is the state president of the Congress, on Friday announced that the Karnataka unit of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) will take up a membership drive and conduct internal elections in August and September. Addressing a press conference at the KPCC office, he said the membership drive and internal elections in the Youth Congress will help create new leaders. Also Read Karnataka HC adjourns POCSO case against ex-CM Yediyurappa for a week “The nomination process has already started from July 24 and the last date for submitting the nominations is August 2. The nominations will be assessed from August 3 to 8 and the candidatures will be finalised on August 9. The candidates securing the highest votes will be elected as president and the rest of the winners will be allotted other posts,” Shivakumar said. He explained that the membership drive for the Youth Congress will be taken up from August 16 to September 16, and those inter

Karnataka HC adjourns POCSO case against ex-CM Yediyurappa for a week

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday adjourned for a week former chief minister B S Yediyurappa’s petition to quash the POCSO case registered against him. Yediyurappa had approached the high court against his arrest following a case registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Also Read Karnataka govt decides to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South The high court restrained the police from taking any precipitative action against the BJP veteran. On Friday, the high court adjourned the matter for a week. With this, Yediyurappa got relief for a week from the arrest. A woman had complained to the police alleging that Yediyurappa sexually harassed her 17-year-old daughter when they went to meet him to address their grievances. The police served him notice twice to depose before the investigation officer but he did not turn up. Later, the police approached a city court, following which an arrest warrant was issued a

Karnataka govt decides to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet decided on Friday to rename the neighbouring Ramanagara district ‘Bengaluru South’. The proposal to rename the district consisting of Ramanagara, Magadi, Kanakapura, Channapatna and Harohalli taluks had gained steam recently with a Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar-led delegation meeting the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and submitting him a memorandum to raise the pitch. “We have decided to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South….It is being done keeping in mind ‘Brand Bengaluru’ and based on the demand of the people there. The Revenue Department will start the process,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said. Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister, he said: “Only the name of the district will change, remaining all names (of taluks) will remain the same.” Ramanagara town, about 50 kms from here, will remain as the headquarters of the renamed district. “People of Ramanagara want to come

Siddaramaiah releases docus to ‘prove’ no role in MUDA scam case

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Bengaluru : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday released some documents to show that he had no role in the MUDA land scam and also said that his political career was an open book. Addressing a press conference in Vidhana Soudha, CM Siddaramaiah said, “The property in question was not allotted to Dalit family by the government. The family had purchased the land in an auction by the government and hence the provision of Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act won’t apply in this case. The opposition is trying to unnecessarily make allegations in this regard.” “It has been 40 years since I became a minister. To this day, there is not even a small black mark against me. My political life is an open book. The BJP and JD(S) are desperate. After we won 135 seats in the Assembly election, they have been making politically motivated statements. They are trying to tarnish the character of the Chief Minister. It is difficult fo

Court rejects Kannada actor Darshan’s plea for access to home food in prison

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Bengaluru : A Court here on Thursday rejected a petition filed by Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is in judicial custody in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case, seeking a direction to the prison authorities to permit him to have access to home food in the jail. He had also sought cutlery, clothing, bedding, and books to be supplied by his family members. The Karnataka High Court had earlier this month directed Darshan to approach the Magistrate court in this regard. In his petition, Darshan had also said that he had lost several kilograms of weight as he was unable to eat and digest the food provided at the prison. It was also mentioned that the actor suffered from diarrhoea and the prison doctors diagnosed it to be a case of food poisoning. Also Read Kannada actor Darshan’s wife Vijayalakshmi meets Deputy CM Shivakumar According to the petitioner, Section 30 of the Karnataka Prisons Act, 1963, allows undertrial prisoners to receive these materials subject to e

Karnataka passes resolution against NEET exam, wants CET back

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Bengaluru: Raising its strong voice against the all-India medical entrance exam NEET, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government on Thursday passed a resolution in both houses of the state government against the exam and demanded the Centre for allowing the state to revert back to the earlier system of CET for medical admissions in Karnataka. Pointing out the flaws and the recent irregularities in the NEET exam, the resolution urged the Union Government to exempt the State of Karnataka from this examination and allow it to provide admissions to medical colleges based on the Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by the state government. While the State Minister of Medical Education and Skill Development, Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, moved the resolution in the legislative assembly, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar presented it in the legislative council. “The NEET examination system severely affects the medical education opportunities of poor rural students and deprives the rights of t

Kannada actor Darshan’s wife Vijayalakshmi meets Deputy CM Shivakumar

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Bengaluru : Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa’s wife Vijayalakshmi on Wednesday met Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar at his residence here and held discussions. Darshan, his friend Pavithra Gowda and 15 associates are currently lodged in jail in the Renukaswamy murder case. Later speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said the meeting was regarding admission of their son Vineesh Thoogudeepa in his school. “Their son was studying in our school earlier but he was shifted to another school. Now she wants her son to study in my school once again,” he said. “I have told her that I will talk to the Principal because there are lots of formalities involved including examination.” Also Read Fan murder case: Actor Darshan, associates’ judicial custody extended Asked whether he would “help her in the Renukaswamy case,” Shivakumar said he cannot interfere in the police investigation. He said Vijayalakshmi was concerned about her son’s education. According to police probing the

Desperate measures by Siddaramaiah, says Karnataka BJP on FIR against ED officials

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Bengaluru : Karnataka BJP on Wednesday alleged that the act of lodging an FIR against two Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials was a desperate measure by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to save himself in the tribal welfare scam. Taking to the X on Wednesday, Karnataka BJP stated that the official named Kallesh B, who filed a police complaint against the ED, was suspended by the state government last month on corruption charges. Upon learning that Kallesh had revealed information about the involvement of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar during the ED investigation, the Congress party started the drama, the party said. “The Congress government while misusing its power got the false complaint filed by Kallesh, a tainted official. By influencing and luring, the Congress is forcing him to say that the ED officials are forcing him to name the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister,” BJP said. Also Read High command will address ED’s targeting of

‘Expansion of Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway will boost regional economy’

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Bengaluru: BJP MP and former Karnataka Cabinet minister K. Sudhakar on Tuesday said that the announcement in the Budget to convert the Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway to a 12-lane expressway will boost the regional economy. Speaking to the media, Sudhakar said: “The expansion of the Bengaluru-Hyderabad Highway to a 12-lane expressway will boost the economy in the region and will specifically benefit my constituency, Chikkaballapura. “When I recently met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and requested to take up this project, he immediately agreed and promised to take it up soon. I thank Gadkari ji for the announcement of this project in the Budget.” Also Read Telangana government to waive power shutdown charges for NHAI Sudhakar further said that the Union Budget clearly reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for Viksit Bharat where the farmers prosper, poor lead a life of dignity, the middle class get the due for their hard work and Indian enterprise gets a boost. “The Budge

Karnataka to boycott NITI Aayog meeting, over neglect of state in budget: CM

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said his government had decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27, as a mark of protest against the “neglect” of the state’s demands in the Union Budget. He said there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting, as Kannadigas are not heard. “Despite my earnest efforts in calling for an all-party MPs meeting in New Delhi to discuss Karnataka’s essential needs, the Union Budget has neglected our state’s demands,” Siddaramaiah said. Also Read This Budget is an attempt to save NDA govt: Shivakumar “Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also attended the meeting, has ignored the concerns of the people of Karnataka. We don’t feel that Kannadigas are heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting,” he posted on social media platform X. “We have decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi o

This Budget is an attempt to save NDA govt: Shivakumar

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Tuesday that the budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is an attempt to ‘ save’ the NDA government. “This budget by Nirmala Sitharaman is an attempt to save the NDA government at the Centre. It focuses solely on appeasing its crucial alliance partners from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh,” the Deputy Chief Minister told media persons at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. He said that the budget has ignored states ruled by the INDIA bloc. Also Read Very little to cheer about in Budget; only Bihar, Andhra gained: Shashi Tharoor “I had pinned high hopes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The world is looking at India. Karnataka and Bengaluru have created a name for themselves on the global stage,” the Deputy Chief Minister said. He said that he was hopeful that Nirmala Sitharaman, who represents Karnataka, would protect the interests of the state by allocati

High command will address ED’s targeting of Karnataka govt: Siddaramaiah

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Bengaluru : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that he has discussed the issue of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) targeting the Congress government with the party’s high command and they will address the issue. “I have discussed the matter with the high command. They will also take up this issue. We are ready to fight a legal battle. I don’t know what the ED and CBI are going to do. About 90 per cent of the investigation has been completed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT),” the Chief Minister said while staging a protest condemning the ED’s move to force an officer to implicate the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister in an alleged Tribal Welfare Board case. He said that SIT is carrying out the investigation and will initiate stern action against the accused. “We will not show mercy to anyone and won’t protect anyone involved in the scam. We will punish the guilty. The investigation into Tribal Welfare case is progressing well,” the Chief Minister sai

ED questions lodging of FIR against its officials in Karnataka HC

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Bengaluru : In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) approached the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday questioning the filing of an FIR against its officials by the state police in connection with the alleged multi-crore tribal welfare board scam. In its petition, the ED has claimed that the FIR is being lodged with the intention to botch up the investigation conducted by the authority regarding the scam. The ED also has stated that without any preliminary inquiry, the FIR has been registered by the Karnataka Police. Madhukar Deshpande, senior counsel representing ED, has submitted to the court that the matter needs an urgent hearing. The High Court is most likely to take up the matter at noon. The Karnataka Police on Monday registered an FIR against the two Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers who are investigating the State Tribal Welfare Board case. Also Read Karnataka cabinet resolves against NEET, ‘One Nation, One Election’ & delimitation The FIR was r

Karnataka cabinet resolves against NEET, ‘One Nation, One Election’ & delimitation

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet has decided to pass three resolutions, including the one against the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), late Monday night, sources said. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, also approved the passing of the other two resolutions against ‘One Nation, One Election’ and the delimitation of Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies as they are under consideration by the Union government. The Cabinet will table all three resolutions in the State Legislature on Tuesday, according to sources. The move is likely to trigger controversy and debate. The Cabinet also approved the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024, which proposes decentralising power at various levels under the Greater Bengaluru Authority and will also include city corporations. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be the President of the Greater Bengaluru Authority. Sources also said that the Cabinet discussed the controversial private sector quota for local

Bengaluru: Suraj Revanna gets conditional bail in sexual assault case

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Janata Dal (Secular) leader Suraj Revanna has been granted conditional bail by a Karnataka court on Monday, July 22. Suraj Revanna was charged in connection with the alleged sexual assault case. He is the elder brother of Revanth Revanna who is also facing rape cases. The court has set multiple bail conditions including surrender of passport, regular attendance before the investigation officer, and no travel outside the State without its permission. Suraj Revanna was booked last month for allegedly sexually assaulting a 27-year-old party worker. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Karnataka govt should address underperformance of other sectors before IT: BJP

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Bengaluru : Karnataka BJP on Monday slammed the state government regarding the setting up policies for the IT and ITES sectors, saying that the government should be more worried about its underperformance across the sectors. “Siddaramaiah’s government itself is in a sleeping mode but he plans to propose a bill that will force the IT sector to work for 14 work hours a day, 70 hours a week,” State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra wrote on X. The @INCKarnataka govt has not only made a mockery of themselves but is leaving no stone unturned to destroy everything in its way While the @siddaramaiah 's govt itself is in a sleeping mode, it plans to propose a bill that will force IT sector to work 14 Work Hours A Day, 70 A… pic.twitter.com/ce0n63fPkL — Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) July 22, 2024 He said that the government should worry about its underperforming productivity, the collapsing state economy and degrading infrastructure before setting policies for a sector tha

Karnataka man arrested on conversion bid complaint by Hindu devotees

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Bengaluru : Karnataka Police arrested a man on Monday and launched a hunt for another in connection with an alleged religious conversion bid targeting Hindu pilgrims in Bellary district. The arrested person was identified as 44-year-old Hussain Basha, while his accomplice, 24-year-old Saibaba, was absconding. Both are residents of the Tekkala Pattana area in the district. According to the police, on July 18, the accused targeted devotees who were walking to the Hindu pilgrimage centre ‘Mantralaya’. Also Read Uttarakhand: 4 kanwariyas arrested for attacking man with swords The Hindu devotees were carrying and waving saffron flags in their hands. The accused allegedly stopped them and started preaching about Islam, insisting they abandon Hinduism. A Hindu devotee, Gadilingappa, later filed a complaint with the Tekkalakote police station. he also provided a video clip of the alleged religious conversion attempt. The Hindu devotees have expressed concern over the incident, and t

Karnataka HC overturns transport dept’s decision to stop promotion over height

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Bengaluru:  The Karnataka High Court has overturned the transport department’s decision to deny promotion to P Manjunath, a First Class Assistant, based on his height. A division bench comprising Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice Anantharamanath Hegde passed the order after hearing the petition filed by Manjunath, emphasizing that the height requirement is not applicable to direct recruits. The court directed that Manjunath be promoted within the next month according to the criteria prescribed for direct recruitment, with the promotion subject to a pending special appeal before the Supreme Court. Also Read Bengaluru mall that denied entry to man in dhoti, turban shutdown for a week The court noted that the physical criteria for direct recruitment, outlined in the recruitment rules, are not applicable to those already in service. “The government has previously promoted 33 candidates without considering their height,” the bench stated. “Therefore, the petitioner is also eligibl

Will investigate all scams of previous BJP term: Karnataka DCM Shivakumar

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said the government will investigate all the scams that have taken place during the previous BJP government’s tenure. He alleged that the BJP government at the time had siphoned off over Rs 300 crore from various departments. Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, he said, “During the previous BJP government, headed by former chief ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, there were scams in various departments amounting to Rs 300 crore. We will reveal the details in the House.” He was reacting to the BJP’s charges related to the Rs 187 crore scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation, including the illegal transfer of Rs 88 crore to various bank accounts. During the previous BJP rule, Rs 87 crore from the Bhovi Development Corporation, Rs 47 crore from APMC, Rs 22 crore from Disabled Welfare Department, Rs 5 crore from the Ambedkar Development Corporation, Rs 47 crore