Page 41 - Karnataka

Cong govt in K'taka mired in competition for CM, Dy CM posts: Union min

Accusing the Congress government in Karnataka of being in deep slumber and mired in competition for Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister posts and internal rifts, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Sunday urged the CM Siddaramaiah and his administration to "wake up" and save the people. Highlighting health issues such as dengue cases, also deteriorating law and order situation, stalled infrastructure projects in the state and the city among others, the Member of Parliament from Bangalore North accused the Siddaramaiah government of having forgotten the people amid its internal rifts. "There are several issues in the city and the state, and there is no government here that responds to it. This government is in a deep slumber. There is no use of telling anything to this government, it will be like pouring water on a rock," Karandlaje said. While speaking to reporters here, she said the only thing that is happening in this government is, competition as to who should become the Chi

Authority's inspection of Mhadei basin crucial, will uncover truth: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said the PRAWAH river authority's inspection of the Mhadei basin is crucial for the state, as it will uncover the truth. The Central government constituted the Progressive River Authority for Water and Harmony (PRAWAH) last year to enable the compliance and implementation of the award and decisions of the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal. Members of PRAWAH began the inspection of the basin in Goa on Thursday in the presence of officials from Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka. In a post on 'X', the chief minister on Thursday said PRAWAH members will conduct a detailed site inspection of the Mhadei basin, and it will familiarise them with facts about the extent of work the Karnataka government has undertaken. "The inspection is crucial for Goa as it will uncover the truth before PRAWAH members. This is an outcome of our continuous efforts to protect Mhadei, which will strengthen our case and vindicate our stand," he wrote. Talking to PTI on Friday,

Yediyurappa dares CM Siddaramaiah to dissolve Assembly, hold elections now

BJP stalwart B S Yediyurappa on Thursday challenged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to dissolve the Karnataka Assembly and go for elections now and claimed that the saffron party will win 140 to 150 seats. He said the people of the state have rejected the 'useless guarantees', money and muscle power of the Congress government and opted for the BJP in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. "I challenge Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, if he has guts, then dissolve the Assembly and go for elections again. Then only you will know what your position is. If the elections are held, BJP will win 140 to 150 seats," the Lingayat strongman said during the BJP state special executive meeting organised at the Palace Grounds here. Karnataka has 224 Assembly and 28 Lok Sabha seats. The former chief minister said in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-JD(S) alliance won 19 seats and the BJP got a majority in 142 assembly segments. Just a year ago, the Congress had come to power by winning 134 seats, b

CM Siddaramaiah rejects BJP's demand for CBI probe into alleged MUDA scam

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday rejected the BJP's demand for a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) even as the opposition party intensified its protests against "fraudulent" allotment of sites to land losers. The BJP has alleged that alternative sites were also allotted to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been acquired by the MUDA, and sought his resignation. The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of over three acres of her land, which the authority had acquired for developing a residential layout. The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts. The BJP has alleged that irregularities to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore had taken place in distribution of si

Tier-II,-III cities can contribute to Karnataka's economic growth: CII

The 'Beyond Bengaluru' initiative is expected to empower Tier-II and Tier-III cities by enhancing the ease of doing business, implementing skilling programmes, and promoting energy efficiency

Will drive sustainable growth with focused initiatives in FY25: CII K'taka

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Karnataka on Wednesday said it aims to drive sustainable, competitive and inclusive growth through focused initiatives for 2024-25. CII Karnataka will be taking forward the initiatives for the year 2024-25 aligned to the theme Globally Competitive Karnataka Partnerships for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, its Chairman N Venu said at a press conference here. The focus will be on policy advocacy, thought leadership, inclusiveness, ecosystem competitiveness, growth, sustainability, global linkages, and international partnerships, he said. Collaborating closely with the government, CII Karnataka aims to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, Venu said, adding, key areas include technology and innovation, clean and alternative energy, MSME (Micro, Small, & Medium Enterprises) growth, and emerging sectors such as semiconductors, solar and mobile phones (electronic). According to him, CII will continue to work closely with ..

BJP leaders march to K'taka CM's residence, taken into preventive custody

The opposition BJP leaders tried to lay siege to the chief minister's office-cum-residence here on Wednesday alleging rampant corruption by the ruling Congress government in Karnataka, but were stopped and taken into preventive custody. The party leaders, including BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka, former ministers S Sunil Kumar, Araga Jnanendra, S Suresh Kumar, C N Ashwath Narayan and C T Ravi were accompanied by several MLAs and a large number of party workers. Due to the heavy deployment of police forces, the BJP leaders could not reach their destination and were taken under preventive custody. The party has alleged that there was around Rs 4,000 crore worth of alternative sites (plots) scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in which one of the beneficiaries is Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi. The party also charged that there were attempts to cover up over Rs 180 crore Maharshi Valmiki Schedul

Byju's second rights issue: Karnataka HC sets aside NCLT interim order

Byju's recently moved the Karnataka High Court challenging the order of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) restraining it from going ahead with the second rights issue

K'taka govt opposes new criminal laws, says Centre did not take suggestions

The Karnataka government on Monday opposed the three new criminal laws, which came into force on July 1, saying the Centre did not take its suggestions into consideration. The three laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replacing Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act should have been implemented by the BJP government during its previous tenure itself and not now, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said in a press conference The Minister recalled that in 2023, Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote to CM Siddaramaiah asking him to review and give suggestions on these laws. Based on the Chief Minister's direction, an expert committee was formed. The panel submitted a report to Siddaramaiah, which was forwarded to Shah. We gave a total of 23 suggestions but the central government did not take any of it seriously. No opinion of ours is included in it. Now, th

Zomato faces Rs 9.45 crore GST demand from Karnataka tax authorities

Food delivery platform and quick commerce company Zomato will be filing an appeal against the order

Google adds Tulu to its translation services, community says 'great honour'

In a significant stride towards preserving and promoting regional languages, Google has added Tulu to its translation services. Tulu joins 110 new languages on Google Translate from June 27, marking a historic moment for the millions of people who speak this language. This addition allows users to easily translate Tulu words and phrases, enhancing the accessibility and understanding of this cherished language. The Tulu-speaking community, which has long sought greater recognition for their language, is celebrating this achievement as a major honour, especially since Tulu is not officially recognised in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. While the initial translations for Tulu on Google Translate may contain some errors, the system is expected to improve over time. Users are encouraged to provide accurate translations in the feedback section to help refine and enhance the service's accuracy. Google's inclusion of Tulu leverages advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Sexual abuse: Court remands Prajwal Revanna to judicial custody till July 8

A court here on Saturday remanded former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of rape and sexual abuse of several women, to judicial custody till July 8. He was produced before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court judge after his four-day Special Investigation Team (SIT) custody ended today. On Monday, Prajwal Revanna was remanded to judicial custody till July 8. But, he was later sent to SIT custody till June 29 by the Magistrate court judge, after the police sought a body warrant through the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP). Four separate cases have been registered against the 33-year-old grandson of the former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, all of which are being investigated by the SIT. Prajwal had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan constituency in the recently concluded LS polls. The cases of sexual abuse came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead o

Karnataka HC reserves order on edtech firm Byju's second rights issue

Byju's is currently restricted from issuing shares and using funds raised from a $200 million rights issue until the tribunal decides the matter

DK Shivakumar mocks demand for 3 more deputy chief ministers in Karnataka

Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Thursday mocked demand from some Ministers to create three more posts of Deputy Chief Minister, saying they will get no "solution" by discussing it before the media. Some of the Ministers have been pitching for leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities to be given the post of Deputy Chief Minister. Currently, Shivakumar, a member of the Vokkaliga community, is only the Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government. "Let those speaking to papers (newspaper or media) go and speak to high command, get a solution and come. Let them go and get whatever solution they want. There is no need to discuss before the media. I will also not discuss anything before the media," Shivakumar said, making no secret of his displeasure. "Let anyone go and get whatever solution they want, who will say don't? Neither newspapers nor TV channels will give a solution for this, you (media) only give publicity, that's all," he told

Siddaramaiah to meet PM Modi on June 29 during 3-day visit to Delhi

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 29 during his three-day visit to the national capital to discuss with Union Ministers state projects pending approval from the Centre. "I will be meeting the Road Transport Minister (Nitin Gadkari), also Prime Minister and the Home Minister (Amit Shah). Will also try to meet the Finance Minister (Nirmala Sitharaman). The Home Minister has still not given the time and he might give today. Will also try to meet Railway Minister (Ashwini Vaishnaw) and Jal Shakti Minister (C R Paatil)," he told reporters here. He said the Prime Minister has given an appointment on June 29. The Chief Minister, who is leaving for the national capital today, has convened a meeting of MPs and Union Ministers elected from the state in the national capital this evening to discuss projects related to Karnataka pending Centre's nod. "We will share the list of projects pending at the centr

Prices not hiked as additional cost is for more quantity of milk: K'taka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday defended the Rs two hike in 'Nandini' milk prices with additional 50 ml of milk in half-litre and one litre packets, stating that it has been done keeping in mind the interest of farmers in view of rising procurement. He reiterated that milk prices have not been increased. "Last year during the same time milk (production) was 90 lakh litres (per day), now it is more than 99 lakh litre. We have to procure milk from farmers, we cannot say no to them, the milk is produced and it has to be marketed. So we have enhanced the half litre milk packet quantity by 50 ml," Siddaramaiah told reporters here. "The quantity has been enhanced and, proportionate to the increased quantity, the price has been hiked. The cost of 50 ml that has been enhanced in half and one litre packet is Rs 2.10, and we have increased Rs 2, where have we hiked the milk price?" he said. "Can we throw away (more) milk that has been produced? Can we say to farmers we will

Demand for 3 more Dy CMs in Karnataka: CM says Cong's decision final

With the demand to have three more Deputy Chief Ministers resurfacing in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the decision of the Congress high command is final. Some of the Ministers have been pitching for Deputy CM posts to be given to leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities. Currently, D K Shivakumar from the Vokkaliga community is only the Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaiah cabinet. "Whatever the high command decides is final," Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question. A section within the Congress is said to be of the opinion that statement by the Ministers seeking three more Deputy CMs, was part of a plan by Siddaramaiah's camp to keep Shivakumar in check, amid talks he might seek the CM post after two-and-half years of this government's tenure, and to counter his influence both in the government and party. Co-Operation Minister K N Rajanna, Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Public Works Minister Satis

Another FIR lodged against former MP Prajwal Revanna for sexual harassment

Another FIR has been registered against former MP Prajwal Revanna on charges of sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation, police sources said on Tuesday. Along with him, three others, including former BJP MLA from Hassan Preetham Gowda has also been named in the FIR for allegedly sharing images captured by Prajwal during sexual harassment of the victim on a video call, they said. With the fresh FIR, this is the fourth case registered against Prajwal. "A fresh case has been registered by the SIT against Prajwal and three others. Former BJP MLA Preetham Gowda has also been named in the FIR," a police source confirmed to PTI. The case has been registered under sections 355 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354 D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and 66 E (punishment for violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act, according to the police sources. Meanwhile, Prajwal i

Cong will reply to ministers pushing for 3 more DCMs in K'taka: Shivakumar

Seemingly expressing his displeasure against ministers demanding three more deputy chief minister posts in Karnataka, state Congress President D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said the party would respond to them appropriately. Currently, Shivakumar from the Vokkaliga community is the only DCM in the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet. Some of the ministers in the cabinet have been pitching for DCM posts to be given to leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities. "You people (media) put in news if someone says something. Why should I say no to people who are happy (by appearing in news)... Let anyone make any demand, the party will respond to them appropriately. Simple," Shivakumar told reporters here in response to a question. Asked whether there is a plan in the party to have more deputy chief ministers, he said, "You please meet Mallikarjun Kharge (AICC president) and our in-charge general secretary or ask the chief minister." A section within the Congress is said to be of

H D Revanna alleges conspiracy behind abuse charges against son Suraj

JD(S) MLA and former Karnataka Minister H D Revanna on Sunday termed the allegations against his son and MLC Suraj Revanna of sexually abusing a male party worker as a "conspiracy" and said he has faith in God and the judiciary. Not wanting to react to anything, he said when time comes he will tell everything. Suraj Revanna -- the brother of former MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women -- was arrested in Hassan earlier in the day on charges of "unnatural offences" against him, police sources said. He was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a party worker a few days ago and under different sections of the IPC, including "unnatural offences." "I won't react to anything. Let the (CID) do it (investigation). Who said don't (investigate)? I won't say anything on this. I have respect for the judiciary. I know what's happening in the state," Revanna said. While speaking to reporters here, he said, "I won't react to anything. I have