Page 3 - Siddaramaiah

Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurates Dasara festival in Mysuru

The famous Mysuru Dasara festival commenced in the city and palaces on Monday with religious and traditional fervour, with International Booker Prize-winning writer Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the festivities. Mushtaq inaugurated the festivities during the auspicious "Vrushchika Lagna" by showering flowers on the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru and its royals, amid chanting of Vedic hymns by priests, at the premises of Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills here. Celebrated as 'Nada Habba' (state festival), the 11-day Dasara or 'Sharan Navaratri' festivities are expected to be a grand affair this year, showcasing Karnataka's rich culture and traditions, coupled with reminiscence of royal pomp and glory. In the inaugural event, Mushtaq was accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, several ministers in the state cabinet, among others. Earlier, Mushtaq, along with CM and other dignitaries, visited the Chamundeshwari temple and offered prayers to th

CM Siddaramaiah announces ₹70,000 cr irrigation boost for Kalyana Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday greeted citizens on Kalyana Karnataka Liberation Day and reaffirmed his government's commitment to the region's all-round development by outlining key initiatives, budget allocations and upcoming projects. He said the occasion was a reminder of the sacrifices made by freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Hyderabad-Karnataka from the Nizam's rule. Whilst the rest of India was celebrating independence on 15 August 1947, this region was still not free. The atrocities of the Razakars had reached unbearable limits, he said, recalling that the region was integrated into the Indian Union thanks to the determination of local heroes and the resolve of the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. The CM paid homage to several freedom fighters, including Sharanagouda Inamdar, Raja Venkatappa Nayak, Dattatreya Avaradi, Shivamurthy Swamy Alavandi, Matamari Nagappa and many others, ..

8 killed, 22 injured after truck rams into Ganesh procession in Karnataka

Karnataka CM Siddaramiah expressed grief on the death of the people and offered condolences to the families of the bereaved, and provided a compensation of ₹5 lakh to each of the families

Siddaramaiah blames 'mass hysteria' for Bengaluru stampede at RCB parade

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah blamed 'mass hysteria' for the Bengaluru stampede, recalling 20 stampedes in BJP-ruled states, while BJP said he and Dy CM Shivakumar must take blame

20 stampedes happened in BJP-ruled states: CM Siddaramaiah in Assembly

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said 20 stampedes took place in the BJP-ruled states, and blamed "mass hysteria" for the Chinnaswamy stadium incident in June that killed 11 people. Replying to a discussion in the Assembly on the June 4 stampede, the Chief Minister read out the list of stampedes starting from the one that occurred on August 3, 2008, at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, when Prem Singh Dhumal was the Chief Minister, followed by the stampede in Jodhpur in 2008, which killed 250 people. The stampedes he referred to include the one that had taken place in Ratangarh in 2013, Haridwar in 2021, Sehore in MP in 2023, and Hathras in UP in which 121 people were killed in 2024. He also spoke about the Prayagraj stampede during Kumbh Mela in January this year that claimed the lives of 39 people. CM also talked about the Gujarat Morbi bridge collapse in 2022 in which 135 people were killed. "Did Yogi Adityanath resign as UP CM" after Kum

Karnataka debt jumps to ₹63,000 cr in FY24; CAG blames guarantee schemes

Karnataka's debt rose to ₹63,000 crore in 2023-24, with CAG flagging diversion of ?5,299 crore from infrastructure funds to guarantee schemes, raising concerns over public finances

Karnataka-specific education policy in the works: CM Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said steps are being taken by the state government to frame a comprehensive "Karnataka-specific" education policy which will lead to holistic development of the youth. A commission constituted for this purpose has recommended a two-language policy in school education and that Kannada or the mother tongue be the medium of instruction up to Class 5. In his address during the 79th Independence Day celebrations here, the chief minister also said the government was upgrading first-grade colleges and polytechnics in the state, and establishing 13 new technical education institutions. "Recently, the State Education Policy Commission, chaired by Prof Sukhadeo Thorat, submitted its report. For the first time, steps are being taken to frame a comprehensive, Karnataka-specific education policy which will lead to holistic development of our youth," Siddaramaiah said. The Commission had submitted its report to Siddaramaiah on August 8. It was constituted i

Treating stray dogs as nuisance is 'cruelty', not governance: Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said treating stray dogs as a nuisance to be removed' is not governance, it is "cruelty". His remarks came after the Supreme Court directed Delhi-NCR authorities to permanently relocate all strays from streets to shelters "at the earliest". The top court noted that there was an "extremely grim" situation due to stray dog bites resulting in rabies, particularly among children. "Treating stray dogs as a nuisance to be removed' is not governance - it is cruelty. Humane societies find solutions that protect people and animals," Siddaramaiah posted on 'X' on Tuesday. "Sterilisation, vaccination, and community care work. Fear-driven measures only create more suffering, not safety," he said. The chief minister's post was in reaction to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's post in which he has said that the SC directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR is a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy, and stressed that "blanket remova

Karnataka minister KN Rajanna removed from cabinet amid 'vote-theft' row

Rajanna reportedly upset the Congress leadership by questioning his own party's government in Karnataka for the alleged 'vote theft' in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment

Karnataka best for entrepreneurs to start, grow big: CM Siddaramaiah

Pitching Bengaluru as the tech capital of India that is making leaps in new-age technology like quantum science and artificial intelligence, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday invited industry leaders for the 28th Bengaluru Tech Summit to be organised here from November 18 to 20. "We are the best place for entrepreneurs to start and grow big," he added. Siddaramaiah was addressing nearly 100 industry leaders at a breakfast meeting called by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Karnataka government, to promote the summit. "In Artificial Intelligence, Bengaluru ranks 5th among the world's top AI cities. It hosts nearly 50 per cent of India's AI talent, making it the second-largest AI talent hub globally," pointed out the CM. He promised that Karnataka's new IT policy will focus on creating infrastructure for AI. According to him, from the Mysuru kings to the first IT policy in 1997 and the Global Capability Centre Policy in 2024, Karnataka has always planned ...

Justice Nagamohan Das submits SC internal quota report to CM Siddaramaiah

Justice H N Nagamohan Das, who heads the one-man commission on internal reservation for Scheduled Caste in government jobs and education institutions, on Monday submitted his report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said the report would be presented in the cabinet meeting on August 7. "The report has been submitted. There is a cabinet meeting on August 7 where we will present it and take a decision," he added. Justice Das said he has submitted 1,766-page report. He further said 27,24,768 Scheduled Caste households and 1,07,01,982 individuals from the state participated in the survey. "At this juncture, this is the state government's property. I have no control over it. Its content and the decision whether to accept it or reject it rests entirely with the state government," Justice Das said. The retired High Court judge said that the state government formed the commission headed by him on January 1, 2025, and on March 27, he submitted an interi

Justice Desai submits report to Karnataka govt in MUDA scam probe

Retired High Court judge Justice Desai, who investigated the alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, submitted a report to the Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Thursday. The Karnataka government has constituted a one-man Commission headed by retired High Court judge Justice P N Desai on July 14 to inquire into the alleged MUDA site allocation scam. The details of the report have not yet been made public. Allegations of a scam gathered steam after the BJP alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi was one of the beneficiaries of alternative sites (plots) allotted in lieu of land given to Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Siddaramaiah categorically rejected the allegation and claimed that MUDA illegally took over the four-acres of land belonging to his wife and formed a layout without her permission. The CM said MUDA compensated them by providing them with 14 alternative plots in Mysuru upmarket.

Karnataka to host 'Quantum India Bengaluru Summit' from July 31 onwards

The Karnataka government is all set to host a two-day 'Quantum India Bengaluru Summit' here starting from July 31, officials said on Wednesday. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the summit, while Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar will release the 'Karnataka Quantum Roadmap'. Through this summit, the government aims to showcase quantum technology to the world and strengthen Karnataka's leadership in this transformative field, they said. According to an official statement, state Minister for Science and Technology N S Boseraju has conducted several preparatory meetings, engaging with private technology companies, startups, and representatives from various technical institutions. The landmark event will witness participation from quantum experts representing eight countries and over 1,000 delegates from across India, it said. The summit will also be attended by IT & BT Minister Priyank Kharge, Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda,

Questions persist over Siddaramaiah's tenure as CM; leaves for Delhi

Will he or won't he. This is the million dollar question hotly debated in Karnataka's political circles over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah completing his term, even as a unique record beckons the veteran, who along with his deputy and another claimant for the CM's chair, D K Shivakumar, once again air dashes to Delhi. Siddaramaiah, in his second term as chief minister, is on the cusp of becoming the longest serving elected head of the state, closing in on veteran Devaraj Urs' record as CM for over 2,700 days. Despite his assertions, questions over whether he will complete a full five year tenure in office, or if he will make way for DKS as per a rumoured rotational formula, persists. Shivakumar is addressed as DKS. The two are in New Delhi in their third trip since June, even as an uneasy calm prevails in the state Congress unit where voices from either camps have fallen silent over the CM issue following a high command gag order. During their visit to the national capital, the two .

Govt won't pursue tax arrears on exempt goods, says CM Siddaramaiah

The move came after widespread concerns over tax notices issued based on Unified Payment Interface (UPI) data, which had prompted traders to plan a strike on July 25

Why use ED for politics? SC warns against misusing agency in Muda scam

The Supreme Court has dismissed the ED's appeal against Karnataka HC order quashing Muda case summons to Siddaramaiah's wife; said political battles should not be fought through agencies

SC rejects appeal against Karnataka CM's wife, questions ED's role

The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Enforcement Directorate's conduct in politically sensitive cases as it upheld the Karnataka High Court's decision to quash the case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife in the MUDA case. Cautioning against the agency being used as a tool in political battles, a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai said, "Let political battles be fought before the electorate. Why are you being used". The bench comprising Chief Justice Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing the ED's appeal challenging a Karnataka High Court order that quashed proceedings in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case involving BM Parvati, wife of the Karnataka chief minister. Mr Raju (Additional Solicitor General S V Raju who was appearing for the ED), please don't compel us to open our mouths. Otherwise, we will be forced to make some harsh comments about the ED. Unfortunately, I have some experience in Maharashtra. Don't perpetuate this violence ...

CM Siddaramaiah announces ₹32.25 cr for Kabini dam restoration work

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday offered baagina' (a traditional offering) to the Kabini River and said Rs 32.25 crore had been approved for the dam's renovation, along with a slew of irrigation and development projects for the region. Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said he offers oblations to the Kabini River every year, which irrigates over 1.13 lakh acres of agricultural land. He recalled that the dam across the river was built 51 years ago and said the government has now taken up its strengthening and modernisation. "A sum of Rs 32.25 crore has been approved for the renovation work," he said, adding that there are also plans to develop a garden similar to the iconic Brindavan Gardens near the KRS dam. Proposals have also been submitted for the modernisation of the Taraka Reservoir canal and other irrigation systems around Kabini in H D Kote taluk. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who was also present, said dam repair works across the state would be ...

GST burden on small traders: Bommai urges CM Siddaramaiah to intervene

Bommai said the State Commercial Taxes Department, in haste, has imposed taxes for several years along with interest and other charges, placing a heavy burden on small roadside business owners

Four injured as escort vehicle in DK Shivakumar convoy overturns in Mandya

Four people travelling in Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's escort vehicle were injured when it toppled at Srirangapatna taluk here on Saturday, officials said. The incident occurred near T M Hosuru gate when Shivakumar was returning to Bengaluru in a convoy after attending a convention in Mysuru, they said. According to police officials, the driver of the escort vehicle allegedly lost control, leaving four people injured. The impact of the accident was such that the vehicle toppled. The vehicle was partially damaged. Those injured were given first aid and later rushed to a hospital for further treatment, a senior police officer said.