Page 16 - Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru court grants bail to Rahul Gandhi in defamation case: Details

The City Civil Court in Bengaluru granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the Karnataka defamation case filed against him by the state Bharatiya Janata Party unit

Rahul Gandhi to appear before Bengaluru court today in BJP defamation case

The BJP in the complaint had alleged that the advertisements in local newspapers and 'false campaigning' by Congress ahead of the 2023 state assembly elections damaged BJP's image

Defamation case: Court summons Rahul on Jun 7, grants bail to K'taka CM

A court here on Saturday directed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear before it in a defamation case filed by the BJP, and granted bail to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar in connection with the matter. Rahul Gandhi was asked to appear before the court on June 7 in connection with the case. The defamation case on alleged false advertisements was filed by BJP general secretary Keshav Prasad. While Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar appeared in person before the Special Court for People's Representatives in Bengaluru, Gandhi, who was supposed to appear, did not turn up. BJP advocates raised objections and said Gandhi should not be given an exemption under CrPC 205 since he had skipped an appearance for the second time. Congress advocates argued that Gandhi was attending the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi, and he is also a contestant in the Lok Sabha polls. They requested the court for exemption from Saturday's hearing and promised that the Congress l

No response from Centre on request to cancel Prajwal's passport: K'taka min

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said the state has not yet got any official response from the Centre regarding its request seeking cancellation of the diplomatic passport of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing women. Taking a dig at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's reported statement that the state government's request to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal was received only on May 21, he sought to know what happened to the letter sent by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1. "As far as I know, we have not got any information or letter so far (from the Centre). I have seen that the External Affairs Minister has told the media that they are taking action and in a couple of days they will cancel it (diplomatic passport), but we have not got any written communication on this," Parameshwara said. Speaking to reporters here, he said the Chief Minister on May 1 wrote a letter to the Prime ...

BJP hits out at Congress govt in K'taka, terms capital city Udta Bengaluru

The development comes after the Bengaluru Police busted a rave party at a farmhouse here recently which was allegedly attended by 86 people

K'taka CM writes to PM Modi seeking cancellation of Revanna's passport

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to take "prompt and necessary" actions to cancel the diplomatic passport of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing women. He said that it is "disheartening" that his previous letter on the issue had not been acted-upon, despite the gravity of the situation. The chief minister earlier on May 1 had written to Modi urging him to move the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal. Recently, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government to probe the serial sex abuse charges against the MP, had also written to the Ministry of External Affairs to cancel his diplomatic passport, on the basis of an arrest warrant issued against him by the court. "I write to you once again to draw attention to the grave series of incidents that Prajwal Revanna has been accused of

CBI likely to issue Blue Corner notice against Prajwal Revanna: SIT

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday was informed by offices of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna that there is a possibility of the CBI issuing a "Blue Corner Notice", against the Hasssan MP. Siddaramaiah held an "important meeting" with SIT officials, during which he instructed that immediate action be taken to arrest Prajwal Revanna. "We will proceed for arrest with appropriate measures. There is a possibility of CBI issuing a Blue Corner Notice, which will speed up the investigation," the officials told the CM, according to a release from his office. "They (SIT officials) have assured that they will arrest and get the accused back, as soon as they get the information from the airports," it said. A Blue Corner Notice is issued by the international police cooperation body to collect additional information from its member countries about a person's identity, location or activities in relation to a crime. Th

Rahul Gandhi writes to K'taka CM for support to Prajwal Revanna's victims

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to extend all possible help to the victims of JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna's exploits. In a letter to Siddaramaiah, Gandhi condemned the actions of Revanna, an MP from the southern state, and accused him of enjoying immunity with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In a veiled attack on Modi, the Congress leader said he has never come across a senior public representative who has constantly chosen silence in the face of untold violence against women. "I request you to kindly extend all possible support to the victims," Gandhi said in his letter to the Karnataka chief minister. "They deserve our compassion and solidarity as they fight their battle for justice. We have a collective duty to ensure that all parties responsible for these heinous crimes are brought to book," he added. Describing the incidents as "horrific sexual violence" unleashed b

K'taka CM holds dharna protesting Centre's 'injustice' over drought funds

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar along with several ministers and legislators on Sunday staged a dharna here, alleging injustice done to the state by the union government while releasing the drought relief funds. Holding 'Chombu', the round water pot symbolising emptiness and deception, the leaders charged the Centre with "cheating" Karnataka by not releasing adequate relief to face acute drought, the kind of which was not witnessed in the past several decades. They held the symbolic dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the premises of "Vidhana Soudha", which houses the Legislature and Secretariat. The state government has declared 226 out of the total 236 Taluks in Karnataka as drought-hit and said there was a crop loss in 48 lakh hectares of land. According to Siddaramaiah, against the demand for Rs 18,171 crore for drought relief, the union government ordered release of only Rs 3,454 crore, that too after the state approached the Suprem

Centre released Rs 3,454 cr for drought relief: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the Centre has approved Rs 3,499 crore as drought relief and released only Rs 3,454 crore and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give the balance amount as soon as possible. The chief minister thanked the Supreme Court for warning the Central government and providing some drought relief to the state. "According to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) rules, the state was supposed to be paid Rs 18,171 crore, but the Central government has only approved Rs 3,498.98 crore. This money is not sufficient for the drought relief. Our fight for the arrears will continue," he told reporters here. The chief minister said that the union government did not give the drought relief fund out of concern for Karnataka but it was forced to release money after the state government approached the Supreme Court and pleaded about the drought situation. "The Supreme Court, which heard this petition, was convinced that the Centre was doing ...

No Modi wave in Karnataka but one in favour of Cong govt: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said there is "no Modi wave" in Karnataka but there is one in favour of Congress government's guarantee schemes, as he claimed his party will win about 20 out of total 28 Lok Sabha polls in the state. He was speaking to reporters after casting his vote at his native village Siddaramanahundi in this district. Voting was underway on Friday in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in 14 constituencies. "There is no Modi wave in Karnataka, the wave that is there is the 'guarantee wave'. Congress will win about 20 seats, because our guarantee schemes have reached the people and without any middlemen the money is reaching the bank accounts of the people directly every month," Siddaramaiah said. He expressed confidence about people "blessing" the Congress party, as they did during the Assembly polls last year which saw his party scoring a thumping win. Asked as to how many seats the Congress will win out of 14 seats in the first .

CM Siddaramaiah slams PM Modi, defends 4% Muslim quota in Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the Congress had transferred the reservation quota from backward classes to Muslims is a blatant lie. He also defended 4 per cent reservation for Muslims under the backward classes category in Karnataka. It stems from ignorance but also indicative of his desperation born from a fear of defeat. No leader in the history of our country has ever demeaned the office of the prime minister to such a low level, Siddaramaiah said in a post on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the Congress has transferred the reservation quota from backward classes and Dalits to Muslims is a blatant lie, he said. Being in a position of responsibility, Prime Minister Modi should either substantiate these irresponsible allegations with evidence or apologise to the nation, Siddaramaiah said. In an election rally in Rajasthan's Tonk on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi said the Congress has tried to extend ..

Siddaramaiah stages dharna over delay in release of drought funds by Centre

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday staged a dharna here protesting against the delay in release of drought relief funds by the Centre and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over the issue. Siddaramaiah said the protest -- held in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the premises of Vidhana Soudha which houses the Legislature and State Secretariat -- was aimed at drawing public attention towards the "injustice" done to Karnataka and its people by the BJP-led government at the Centre. He alleged that Modi and Shah "hate Karnataka and its farmers" due to which the drought relief funds were not released even after seven months of severe drought. The chief minister said the state has not seen such a severe drought in 100 years. Citing government survey reports, he said 223 out of 240 taluks of the state are drought-affected. "Modi and Amit Shah hate Karnataka and its farmers," Siddaramaiah said during the protest organised by the ruling .

Hubballi case to be transferred to CID, special court to be set up: CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said his government has decided to hand over the Hubballi student murder case to the Crime Investigation Department and that a special court will be set up for its speedy disposal. Neha Hiremath (23), daughter of Congress councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was allegedly stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on Thursday. The accused Fayaz Khondunaik, who fled from the scene, was arrested by the police subsequently. Neha was a first year Master of Computer Application (MCA) student and Fayaz was earlier her classmate. "We have decided to give it to the CoD (CID). We will set up a special court for it. Charge sheet has to be filed in a time-bound manner and the case has to be disposed off, so the special court," Siddaramaiah said. Responding to a question from a reporter, he said, "I have not been able to go to her (parent's) residence. Our district in-charge Minister and party workers had go

Cong will win up to 20 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, says CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the response from voters towards Congress is "very good" and the party would win up to 20 seats in the state in the coming Lok Sabha polls. The guarantee schemes launched by his government will not be stopped for any reason, Siddaramaiah asserted as he claimed that the Congress will return to power after completing the current term, and they would continue. "The response is very good from the voters in Karnataka, but I do not know about the other parts of the country. As far as Karnataka is concerned, we will win up to 20 seats this time," Siddaramaiah told reporters here. Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the Congress and its then alliance partner JD(S), which were running a coalition government at the time, had won just one seat each, while the BJP secured 25, and had also ensured the victory of an independent supported by it. This time, the JD(S) is in an alliance with the BJP,

BJP never fulfilled any promise, says Siddaramaiah on party's LS manifesto

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday listed the BJP's unfulfilled promises of two crore jobs a year and doubling farmers' income, among others, and mocked the saffron party over its manifesto, saying its government has never fulfilled a promise, nor will it in the future. Siddaramaiah said there has to be a review of what the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has done in the past 10 years. "Have they (BJP) fulfilled what they had promised earlier? It has to be discussed. Did they give Rs 15 lakh (to every bank account holder)? Did they generate 2 crore jobs (per year)? Did they double farmers' income? Did they do Make in India? Did 'achhe din' (good days) come? Did prices of all food products and essential commodities come down?" Siddaramaiah asked in response to a question about the BJP manifesto, while speaking to reporters here. The BJP-led government has never fulfilled any promises and they will not fulfill in the future too, he said. "They (BJP) may promi

Siddaramaiah accuses Sitharaman of lying on drought relief fund to K'taka

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday alleged that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lied when she said that the drought relief fund was not released because the Model Code of Conduct is in force. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Sitharaman sought to defend the Centre saying procedures to release funds had taken time by which time the MCC came into effect. She said that after the Karnataka government submitted a memorandum in October and the inter-ministerial central team conducted a spot assessment, the release of drought relief had to go through a few procedures and that it had taken time. According to the finance minister, the central authorities had written to the Election Commission on March 28 to get prior approval to convene a high-level committee, given that the Model Code of Conduct in force -- and the EC's approval is awaited with regard to the grant of drought relief. Siddaramaiah said the state had submitted its memorandum for drought relief in Decem

CM Siddaramaiah attacks Centre over K'taka's drought memorandum submission

CM Siddaramaiah wrote on X that the state submitted the 1st Memorandum to the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Home Affairs on September 23, 2023

Congress can't be intimidated by tax terrorism': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the BJP is wrong if it thought that it can intimidate the Congress Party with "tax terrorism". Reacting to the Income Tax Department's fresh notice to the party asking to pay Rs 1,823 crore, Siddaramaiah alleged that the BJP is afraid of losing the Lok Sabha elections and hence "terrorising" the party by misusing central agencies. "The Bharatiya Janata Party, fearful of impending defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, has been misusing autonomous institutions like the IT Department, ED, and CBI to undermine the Congress Party. "As part of this tactic, they have unleashed tax terrorism' on our party. The BJP is under the illusion that by weakening our party, it can win the election," Siddaramaiah said in a statement. Quoting Congress leaders, the chief minister said that between 2017 and 2018, the BJP obtained contributions from 92 undisclosed donors and from 1,297 donors lacking address details. "Should the same criteria

Congress will decide about making me CM in future: Dy CM DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the Congress will decide about making him the Chief Minister in future, bringing to the fore again the issue of leadership change. There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister. There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party. During a temple visit here, a priest prayed that God's blessings may be showered on Shivakumar, and he became the Chief Minister. Speaking to reporters here in Uttara Kannada district, Shivakumar, who has in the past made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, amid speculations of change in guard