Adani News

Tag: Karnataka

  • Karnataka ABVP leader arrested for posting obscene videos of girl students

    Karnataka ABVP leader arrested for posting obscene videos of girl students

    Shivamogga (IANS) | The Karnataka Police has arrested an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) functionary from Shivamogga district for posting obscene videos of college girl students on social media. The police said in a statement on Monday that the accused Prateek Gowda is the president of the Tirthahalli unit of the ABVP. Police said the video contained footage of him being intimate with several girl students of the college. He was arrested on Sunday and sent to judicial custody, police said.

    Members of the National Student Union of India (NSUI) have approached Superintendent of Police S Mithun Kumar over the circulation of the video and demanded action against the accused and other ABVP members.

    Police said the accused is accused of making nude photographs and videos of innocent college students and blackmailing them.

    ABVP members have also demanded the police to initiate action against the accused.

    The members also told the police that there were reports of harassment of girls by the accused using the organization’s name.

    –IANS

  • Poem on Savarkar, lesson on KB Hedgewar dropped: Changes in Karnataka syllabus sparks row

    Poem on Savarkar, lesson on KB Hedgewar dropped: Changes in Karnataka syllabus sparks row

    By ANI
    BENGALURU: In a revision to Kannada and Social Science subjects in Karnataka school textbooks, the state cabinet has dropped off a lesson on RSS founder KB Hedgewar and a poem on Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar from the school syllabus.

    While a lesson on Hedgewar and a poem on Savarkar is out, a letter written by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has found its place in the social science textbook.

    This comes after the Congress government in Karnataka ordered 18 changes in Kananda and Social Science subjects for classes 6 to 10. According to the list of revisions released by Karnataka Textbook Society, the Congress government has dropped a lesson on RSS founder KB Hedgewar, ‘Who Should Be an Ideal Man’, and replaced it with a lesson titled ‘Story of Sukumara Swamy’ authored by Shivakotacharya in class 10 in the Kannada language.

    The recent textbook revision, especially the omission of Savarkar and Hedgewar from the Karnataka school textbook has led to a political row in the country.

    On Saturday, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari criticised the Karnataka government’s move to revise school textbooks in the State and said that it is “unfortunate” that the chapters on Dr Hedgewar and Swatantra Veer Savarkar have been removed.

    He was addressing a gathering at the book launch ceremony on VD Savarkar. “It is unfortunate that the chapters on Dr Hedgewar and Swatantra Veer Savarkar have been removed from the school syllabus. There is nothing more painful than this,” said Gadkari on Saturday.

    Explaining the Karnataka government’s reasoning behind removing the right-wing ideologues from the state school syllabus, Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said, “There are two different ideologies in this country. We believe students of India and Karnataka should study (BR) Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi’s ideologies rather than studying KB Hedgewar and Veer Savarkar’s ideologies. We do not believe in the ideology which claims Godse, the man who gunned down Mahatma Gandhi to be a freedom fighter.”

  • RSS founder text removed from textbooks: Karnataka education minister

    RSS founder text removed from textbooks: Karnataka education minister

    Bengaluru (IANS) | Karnataka’s Congress government on Thursday announced that a text on RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar has been removed from textbooks. The move by the Congress is likely to create a controversy as the BJP says it will not remain silent if the curriculum is changed.

    Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that all the changes made by the BJP government have been reversed.

    He says that this decision has been taken in the interest of the children. He said that he has also made changes in the Kannada textbooks for classes 6 to 10 and social science textbooks for classes 6 to 10.

    Bangarappa said the textbooks would reach the students in less than 10 days. The Education Minister was asked which lessons have been removed, to which he said that the lessons added by the BJP government have been removed. For example, the text of Hedgewar has been removed.

    He said that the BJP had repeated the same material in the syllabus. He manipulated. The syllabus which was there before the amendment by the BJP government will be retained.

    –IANS

  • Applications for Griha Laxmi Yojana will be accepted from Friday: Karnataka Minister

    Applications for Griha Laxmi Yojana will be accepted from Friday: Karnataka Minister

    Bengaluru (IANS) | The Congress government in Karnataka has announced that applications will be received from Friday (June 16) for the Griha Lakshmi scheme, under which women heads of households will be given a monthly allowance of Rs 2,000. Women and Child Welfare Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar made this announcement while talking to reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday. He said that the beneficiaries can submit the applications online and offline from tomorrow.

    Minister Lakshmi said that BPL and Antyodaya card holders can submit the application. They can submit the application free of cost at Seva Sindhu Portal, Bengaluru Forest, Karnataka Forest and Village Forest Centres. Applicants have to provide their own and husband’s Aadhaar card. For any doubts they can call on 1902 helpline number.

    He further said that there is no last date for the submission of applications. He said that the process of receiving applications would go on throughout the year. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will launch the Seva Sindhu portal at Shakti Bhawan and beneficiaries can submit applications from 1.30 pm onwards.

    Minister Lakshmi said that the scheme is expected to cost the government Rs 30,000 crore annually. On August 18, Siddaramaiah will launch the scheme in Hubli or Belagavi cities.

    He said that the applications of taxpayers are going to be rejected and it is not possible to hide this fact. The Congress government has already successfully launched the free bus travel scheme. Free 200 units of electricity is already there.

    Siddaramaiah hit out at the central government alleging that it was not providing rice to implement the Anna Bhagya scheme.

    –IANS

  • As Surjewala’s presence in meeting creates stir, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah says it was not official

    As Surjewala’s presence in meeting creates stir, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah says it was not official

    Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday clarified that Congress national general secretary and state in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala had not “officiated” any meeting of the government and city civic body officials, dismissing the claims made by the opposition BJP and the JD(S).

    Siddaramaiah’s reaction came as the BJP has sought an appointment with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to complain against Surjewala allegedly “officiating” a meeting with the senior bureaucrats of the state government and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

    “Surjewala did not officiate any meeting. He has only spoken to some MLAs. The Deputy Chief Minister (D K Shivakumar) was present there. It was a meeting that the DCM had attended,” Siddaramaiah told reporters.

    “You must understand that it is not an official meeting. The Bengaluru city MLAs were summoned for the Bengaluru civic body election where he (Surjewala) had also gone,” the Chief Minister said.

    The meeting was regarding issues prevailing in Bengaluru city. Contextually, there were discussions about the (civic body) elections, Siddaramaiah said. The DCM was going to inspect the Hebbal flyover in the city and Surjewala was also asked to attend it.

    Meanwhile, a BJP delegation comprising Members of Parliament from the city and the former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka has sought an appointment with the Governor.

    The BJP on Tuesday questioned the presence of Surjewala at the meeting chaired by Shivakumar with officials of the state government and BBMP at a private hotel.

    The opposition party shared a photograph of the meeting on its Twitter handle in which Surjewala is seen sitting next to Shivakumar where Karnataka government’s Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath, and other government officers were present.

    According to the BJP Karnataka unit, the meeting took place at a private five-star hotel.

    “What is the secret of #ATMSarkara?’ ATMSarkara’s clandestine meeting at Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru? What has Congress state in-charge Randeep Surjewala to do with the senior BBMP officials, who have no official relationship with either the state government or BBMP? Is this an 85 per cent deal-fixing meeting? Please answer @Siddaramaiah Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and @DKShivakumar D K Shivakumar,” the BJP tweeted.

    Former chief minister and JD(S) second-in-command H D Kumaraswamy too raised the issue in his tweet seeking to know whether there is a Siddaramaiah government or a “10 Janpath” government in the state.

  • Even after the defeat in the assembly elections, the BJP is divided in Karnataka

    Even after the defeat in the assembly elections, the BJP is divided in Karnataka

    Bengaluru (IANS) | The Karnataka BJP unit is still a divided house even after suffering a crushing defeat in the assembly elections and losing mass base across South India ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    The party leadership is struggling to promote unity and the spirit of fighting together in the cadre. The saffron party which once showed all signs of emerging as a force to be reckoned with and making inroads in South India, is falling badly behind.

    It has been almost a month since the Karnataka election results were declared, but the BJP is yet to appoint the leader of the opposition in the assembly and council. The statements of former Chief Minister and BJP MP from Bangalore North DV Sadananda Gowda and National General Secretary CT Ravi have proved to be another setback for the party.

    CT Ravi said that there is politics of accommodation within the BJP and the party lost in the assembly elections due to this reason. He said that we have lost power due to our mistakes. The leaders have compromised and because of these few people the party has lost power. I will not name the leaders, but the politics of accommodation is there and it resulted in the defeat of the party.

    Party sources said CT Ravi’s remarks were aimed at former CM BS Yediyurappa and his son BY Vijayendra. Former CM DV Sadananda Gowda’s statements further disappointed the party workers and showed that all is not well within the party. He claimed that 13 MPs have approached him for defamation and the party high command is silent on the matter.

    Sadananda Gowda said that an attempt is being made to defame 13 out of 25 MPs by calling them useless. A well-planned attempt has been made to demoralize senior MPs. He demanded that national leaders should intervene and clear the confusion at this stage.

    There is still one year left for the Lok Sabha elections. In such a situation, MPs are being targeted and they are being maligned. He alleged that I do not know who is behind this. Rumors are being spread that 13 MPs have not done any development work in their constituencies. Some MPs have fallen ill and will not be given tickets. Sadananda Gowda advises introspection on defeat.

    The BJP had recently held a meeting of its MLAs and the candidates who lost the elections. These candidates questioned the party’s decision to allot tickets to them at a very late stage and give a wrong signal to the people of the state. However, the party has postponed the scheduled core committee meeting. Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh has taken the opinion of various leaders and is looking at the party high command.

    On the other hand, Congress is taking major steps towards consolidating its support in the state. The party has filled the entire cabinet quota and has started preparations for the crucial Bengaluru civic polls and the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Congress is targeting and questioning the ideology of the BJP and the RSS. The high command is ensuring coordination between CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. The pair of these two is looking dangerous for BJP.

    BJP sources said the party was showing no seriousness in trying to understand why the 54 sitting MLAs, including several ministers, lost the elections. The experiment of issuing tickets to 72 new faces has turned upside down. The deposits of more than 40 candidates have been forfeited in the elections. Leaders are bravely trying to put up a front by talking about vote percentage.

    –IANS

  • Southwest monsoon enters Karnataka

    Southwest monsoon enters Karnataka

    BENGALURU:  Days after the monsoon arrived in Kerala, the Southwest Monsoon made inroads into Karnataka through Karwar and Madikeri on June 9. According to the IMD, Kollur and Karkala in Udupi district received 7 cm rainfall and the monsoon is likely to advance from June 12 to other parts.

    According to officials, the Coastal Karnataka region, including Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, received 5 cm rainfall, while Uttara Kannada district’s Kota and Shirali received 4 cm, while Ankola received 3 cm rainfall on June 9. Similarly, in North Interior Karnataka, Chincholi received 3 cm rainfall.

    In South Interior Karnataka, Kottigehara in Chikkamagaluru received 3 cm rainfall and Bengaluru received 1 cm rainfall on June 9. The official also said that on Saturday and Sunday, Bengaluru and its surrounding areas will witness cloudy skies, coupled with thunder and lightening. The IMD officials also stated that the rainfall for this season is expected to be normal.

    According to officials, for Bengaluru, from June 1 to September 30, 60 cm rainfall is expected, while for June alone, 11 cm rainfall is expected. With the arrival of the monsoon, civic agencies particularly in Bengaluru have prepared for heavy rain. BBMP officials have set up 63 control rooms across its sub-divisions. This apart, a massive storm water cleaning drive was taken up even before the Assembly election. The municipality has also taken up tree pruning.

  • Free bus ride for women in Karnataka from June 11

    Free bus ride for women in Karnataka from June 11

    By PTI
    BENGALURU:     Women in Karnataka can travel for free on government-run buses in the state from Sunday, with the administration rolling out the first of the five poll guarantees of the ruling Congress — “Shakti” scheme.

    This free travel service will benefit more than 41.8 lakh women passengers every day and would cost the state exchequer an estimated Rs 4,051.56 crore annually, officials said.

    The scheme is available for women, who are domiciled in Karnataka, for the journey within the State limits after 1 pm today.

    Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched the scheme, which will provide free rides for women and girl students of the state in government buses, from the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of Karnataka legislature and secretariat here.

    Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy were among others present at the event, where the logo of the Shakti scheme was unveiled and Shakti smart cards were symbolically issued to five women.

    Women can apply for the Shakti Smart Card by registering on the Seva Sindhu government portal.

    The CM has directed all district in-charge ministers to launch the scheme in their respective districts and the legislators to launch it in their constituencies.

    The government noted that this scheme will reduce the travel expenses of working women from poor and lower middle class, and as the savings can be used for household expenses, the scheme has brought smiles to women’s faces.

    This is the first of the five guarantees announced by the Congress ahead of the assembly elections.

    The other four guarantees are — 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders, both in the age group of 18-25 (YuvaNidhi).

    According to officials, all women, including girl students, without any discrimination on the basis of caste, religion caste, can avail the facility.

    Gender Minorities are also included in the scheme, they said.

    The free travel service can be availed in city transport, ordinary and express buses which accounts to 18,609 buses in all four state-owned Road Transport Corporations (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC).

    Until smart cards are issued, free bus travel can be availed by producing a valid photo identity card issued by Government of India, Government of Karnataka or Government-owned offices, and getting a zero value ticket.N

  • Karnataka’s free electricity scheme to cost Rs 13,000 crore annually

    Karnataka’s free electricity scheme to cost Rs 13,000 crore annually

    Bengaluru: The Gruha Jyothi scheme for free electricity, up to 200 units, to over 2.14 crore consumers in Karnataka, is set to be implemented from July and registration of households will start from June 15, it was announced on Wednesday. The scheme will cost the public exchequer Rs 13,000 crore annually. There are 2.16 crore domestic consumers in the state. Of them 2.14 crore consumers are using less than 200 units and their annual consumption is approximately 13,575 MU. Addressing a press conference at the BESCOM corporate office, Energy Minister K.J. George explained in detail the notification issued on Tuesday regarding the implementation of Gruha Jyothi. “The average monthly consumption of these consumers is 53 units. 2 Lakh consumers consume above 200 units. The registration process will start from the 15th of this month and consumers can register at Bangalore One, Karnataka One centers. A separate section to register for the Gruha Jyoti scheme will also be opened in Seva Sindhu Portal. Consumers can complete the registration process by logging through website or mobile by providing appropriate information,” he said. He said that an average calculation process of one year has been done for the estimation of monthly electricity consumption of 2.14 crore household consumers. Considering the average consumption for the 2022-2023 financial year, monthly usage will be calculated for each consumer by giving an additional 10 per cent on their average usage. However, the maximum free electricity usage cap is restricted to 200 units. If the fixed average unit of electricity consumed per household is less than 200 units, the household consumer need not pay any fee. If the units used are more than the average, only the extra units will be charged. However, if more than 200 units are used, the full fee will have to be paid, George said. “If the consumption of units is used within their average monthly consumption ratio, consumers will get zero bills, they need not to pay the bill,” he added. If consumers use more than average consumption limits, bills will be generated to only difference of units excluding fixed energy charges and Fuel and Power Purchase Cost Adjustment Charges (FPPAC). If the consumers’ monthly average usage exceeds 200 units they have to pay the full amount of the bill. If consumers fail to pay their arrears within three months, their connections will be disconnected. All the house owners, tenants, and authorised users can be the beneficiaries of the Gruha Jyothi scheme. To avail the scheme, the consumers must link their Aadhaar numbers with the Customer ID/RR number or Account ID mentioned in the bill and submit the application through Seva Sindhu portal. Even if the Aadhaar address is different, one can complete the registration process by providing other relevant proof that he is a consumer at a particular address, George said. “Our focus is on inclusivity and empowerment of people. The scheme is being implemented to help the middle class who are affected by the price hike and the scheme will not be a burden on the government. This will prove beneficial in the long run. The saved money can be better utilised for education which leads to more employment opportunities. Through this initiative, the economy of the state will also progress,” he clarified. The scheme will not be applicable to commercial consumers. For proper implementation of the scheme, separate guidelines will be issued soon, George said. The government will pay Gruha Jyothi subsidy amount, and FPPAC amounts to all ESCOMs in advance to implement the scheme.

  • Defeated Karnataka BJP MLAs wait for a platform to vent

    Defeated Karnataka BJP MLAs wait for a platform to vent

    Several defeated lawmakers and candidates are seething at the BJP’s failure to give them a platform to be heard, with many of them itching to spill the beans on why the party lost the May 10 Assembly election.

    It was only on Sunday that former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with defeated MLAs of Belagavi district, a move that came a full three weeks after the BJP’s abysmal poll defeat.

    A seven-time BJP candidate told DH that the BJP has a procedure of inviting defeated MLAs for a meeting that usually takes place within a week after the election results and the process of electing a new Leader of the Opposition is complete. 

    “The idea is to know the exact reasons why the party lost in seats where it had won. This picture can be given only by defeated candidates,” this candidate said.

    The latent anger among defeated candidates, including MLAs who lost their seats, seems to be directed at Bommai and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel. Some say that a meeting has not been convened expressly because the top brass knows that the knives will be out. 

    “MLAs’ pleas to convene the Karnataka Development Plan meetings were ignored. District in-charge ministers, who were from different districts, did not focus on implementing welfare schemes which marred the party’s prospects,” one leader said.

    Sarcastically, former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda said the number of ‘aatmas’ (souls) has decreased in all parties and that’s why ‘Aatmavalokana‘ (introspection) is not happening.

    “There’s not a single aatma to do avalokana,” Gowda quipped.

    Gowda, who also served as the BJP state president, pointed out that the party used to appoint its Leader of the Opposition within 2-3 days after a new CM is in place. “I am surprised that this time, it has not followed this time-tested policy,” he said.

    The Bangalore North MP appealed to leaders to convene a legislature party meeting to discuss and appoint the Leader of the Opposition without further delay.

    “We need to find reasons for our defeat and move forward. This election result should also serve as an eye-opener to winners as well losers. Rich candidates have been defeated, those who spoke harshly have been defeated and parties must respect love and harmony in the society,” he said.