Page 6 - Karnataka Government

No lapses on govt's part in handling Prajwal's sexual abuse case: K'taka HM

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has asserted there were no lapses on the part of the government in handling cases relating to the alleged sexual abuse of women by Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and that the Special Investigation Team was probing them from all angles. He also rubbished the opposition parties' allegations about the collapse of law and order in Karnataka and defended the state police, saying they have "done well." "The SIT is seriously looking into this case (Prajwal Revanna) from all angles and they are quite competent. As soon as we got to know about this case, we first handed it to the CID and then formed the SIT looking at the gravity of the situation. There were no lapses on the part of the government. If the intelligence has failed here in Karnataka, the Central intelligence has also failed because they let him fly out of the country," Parameshwara said. Speaking with PTI Videos, he said a court has issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal Revanna following whi

SIT not going abroad to bring Prajwal Revanna back: K'taka HM Parameshwara

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing into sexual abuse charges against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, will not be going abroad to bring him back, and the Interpol will share information about him. He also cautioned political leaders about making public statements or sharing information in connection with the case, which is sensitive. The 33-year-old Prajwal Revanna, who is grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is facing charges of sexually abusing several women. The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest. Prajwal Revanna is said to have flown abroad on April 27, a day after the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka was held. He was BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls in the first phase. "No, there is no such option. Blue Corner Notice has been issued and the Interpol will

Girls, women unsafe under Congress govt in Karnataka, alleges BJP

The BJP on Saturday slammed the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government over the law and order situation in Karnataka and alleged that young girls and women had no protection. Sharing a newsreport where a minor Dalit girl was allegedly impregnated by a youth in Hubballi, the BJP took to social media platform to condemn the incident. In a post on 'X', the BJP alleged that the minor girl was "raped by a fanatic" and that there is no "protection for Hindu young women and girls in Hubballi." "Hindu young women are today victims of the mistake of giving power to terrorists, rapists, fanatic Jhihadists called brothers @INCKarnataka like the Kerala files," the party alleged in the post. Meanwhile, a youth has been arrested for allegedly impregnating minor girl in Hubballi, police said. Citing the recent murder case of Congress Councillor Niranjan Hiremath's 23-year-old daughter Neha, who was stabbed to death inside her college campus in Hubballi, the BJP attacked the state government over t

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

Ex-PM HD Devegowda's grandson Prajwal Revanna named in sex scandal: Details

A 47-year-old house help from the Revanna family has filed a complaint against Prajwal and his father, HD Revanna, accusing them of sexual harassment

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 ...

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 ..

Karnataka, Gujarat continue to lead country's clean energy transition race

Karnataka and Gujarat continue to lead the race to clean energy transition, but states like Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh need to step up efforts, according to a new report released on Tuesday. The joint report by research organisation, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), and clean energy think tank Ember evaluates the clean electricity transition preparedness at the sub-national level. The report's authors said Karnataka and Gujarat continue their strong performance across dimensions, effectively integrating renewable energy sources into their power sectors, making strong strides in decarbonisation. But states like Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh need to improve. While these states are in the early stages of their transition, they now need to focus on increasing renewable energy deployment, enhancing short term market participation and strengthening their distribution companies. The report launch coincides with a spell o

SC grants Centre one week to provide relief to drought-stricken Karnataka

Karnataka government has sought financial assistance of Rs 18,171.44 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for drought-relief from the Centre

BJP's Karnataka unit holds state-wide protests over Hubballi murder

The Karnataka unit of BJP on Monday staged statewide protests against the alleged brutal murder of a young woman in Hubbali. 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 in Dharwad on April 18 sparking statewide outrage. Neha was a first year student of Master of Computer Applications and the accused in the case, Fayaz, was earlier her classmate. Fayaz has been arrested by the police. The party decided to stage statewide protests accusing that the Congress government's alleged "appeasement politics" was responsible for the incident. The party also highlighted a series of incidents such as the bomb blast in Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru, attack on youths for chanting Jai Sri Ram, and reciting Hanuman Chalisa. The BJP State President B Y Vijayendra led the protests in Mysuru, while the Leader of Opposition R Ashoka and former Chief Minister and Haveri BJP .

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,

Politicians luring us with half-baked sops: Karnataka's Jenu Kuruba tribe

Crammed into a tiny room and learning for about five to six hours may not be what children look forward to. But it's obvious that the seven-odd children, aged between 3 and 10, are really happy to be sitting inside the spanking new anganwadi at the Nagarhole Gadde Hadi, a settlement consisting of about 60 families of the Jenu Kuruba tribe in the forests of Nagarhole in Karnataka. The children are aware that it's a privilege that no one before them had enjoyed the anganwadi is the only pucca construction in that forest settlement. The 12x12 room suddenly popped up in July last year, after years of cajoling, possibly because the election is round the corner, said anganwadi worker J K Bhagya. "We even got a toilet. Before this we were operating from a shed," she added, pointing to a bamboo structure with a tarpaulin for the roof next door. These few and far between sops for votes' are the reason why the Jenu Kuruba community, which is fighting the government for decades for even the

BJP slams K'taka CM over his post on demolition of 'illegal' houses in Goa

The BJP has slammed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his comments on the demolition of some houses allegedly built illegally and belonging to Kannadigas in Goa and said he should first work to solve problems in his own state. Bharatiya Janata Party's Goa spokesperson Giriraj Pai Vernekar told PTI on Sunday that the demolition drive was carried out following a directive of the Supreme Court. A total of 22 houses built illegally on land owned by the local communidade (community institution) at Sangolda village in North Goa district were demolished by the authorities on Friday and Saturday. Siddaramaiah in a post on X on Sunday said, "Deeply concerned by the demolition of homes belonging to Kannadigas in Sangolda, Goa. I appeal to the Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Dr Pramod Sawant, to cease further demolitions immediately until alternatives are provided, and ensure all displaced individuals receive adequate rehabilitation." He shared the media reports and pictures of the ...

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ED writes to Karnataka Guv, Lokayukta over alleged scam in KOMUL hiring

The Enforcement Directorate has written to the Karnataka governor and the Lokayukta seeking registration of an FIR and independent probe into "systematic rigging" of a 2023 recruitment process in the Kolar-Chikkaballapur District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited (KOMUL) led by a Congress MLA under investigation in a money laundering case. Official sources told PTI that the alleged 'cash-for-jobs' racket was unearthed by the federal agency during searches conducted by it in January against K Y Nanjegowda, a Congress MLA from Malur seat in Kolar district, and his associates. They were raided as part of a money laundering investigation into an alleged illegal allotment of government land worth Rs 150 crore to ineligible persons. The alleged recruitment scam pertains to September, 2023 when KOMUL announced hiring for 81 positions through a written test conducted by the Mangalore University. The recruitment process, as per the ED, comprised a written test (85 per cent weightage)

'Royal vs ordinary citizen' battle erupts in Mysore Lok Sabha constituency

In a battle involving the 'royal' and the 'ordinary', the voters of Mysuru are faced with a dilemma of choosing between BJP's Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and Congress's M Lakshmana in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. While Wadiyar, the scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family is making his political debut from the Mysore Lok Sabha segment, Lakshmana is state Congress spokesperson and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's confidant. It's no secret that Siddaramaiah has chosen to focus on this constituency given the number of his visits and campaign meetings in the region. "Voting for Lakshmana is like voting for me. His victory means my victory," says Siddaramaiah, who represents Varuna Assembly segment in the district. The Congress has also chosen to play the caste card, highlighting that Lakshmana is a Vokkaliga, the agrarian community that dominates the region. "National issues do matter but we have to think locally as well," Raju Gowda, a farmer, sitting at an 'Ashwatha Katt

K'taka drought funds: Let there not be contest between govt, state, says SC

Let there not be a "contest" between the Union and the state, the Supreme Court said on Monday while hearing the Karnataka government's plea seeking a direction to the Centre to release financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the state for drought management. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta was told by Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who were appearing for the Centre, that they would seek instructions in the matter. The apex court, which observed that various state governments were required to approach the court, initially asked the Centre to file a response to Karnataka's plea. Urging the court to take up the matter after two weeks, the solicitor general said they would take instructions in the matter. "Let there not be a contest between the Union and the state," the bench said. Mehta said instead of filing a petition in the top court, if somebody would have spoken to the authorities on the issue

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

No doctor in ambulance of K'taka Guv's convoy, protocol officer suspended

A protocol officer of the Madhya Pradesh Health Department was suspended after it was found that no doctor was marked for duty in the ambulance attached to Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot's convoy to attend to a medical emergency, an official said on Saturday. The absence of a doctor in the ambulance came to light after Gehlot's granddaughter, who was accompanying him, fell ill when the convoy was passing through Indore district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday evening, he said. "The Karnataka Governor's granddaughter, who was with him in the convoy, fell ill near Indore on Friday evening. But there was no doctor in the ambulance," Collector Ashish Singh told PTI. Gehlot's granddaughter was then admitted to a private hospital. She is now fine after being treated there, he added. "The protocol officer of the health department has been suspended for negligence in putting in place appropriate medical arrangements in the governor's motorcade," Indore's Chief Medical and Health Officer

Our govt will usher in 'Rozgar Kranti', says Cong chief Mallikarjun Kharge

The Congress will usher in a 'Rozgar Kranti' by taking concrete steps to increase employment opportunities, enable entrepreneurship and realise the aspirations of the youth, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday. He said the Congress guarantees that the future of youth will turn from bleak to bright and reiterated the 'Yuva Nyay' guarantees which the party would implement if voted to power. In a post on X, he said, "The Congress party will usher in a 'Rozgar Kranti (employment revolution)' through Yuva Nyay guarantee! We will take concrete measures to increase employment opportunities, enable entrepreneurship and realise the dreams and aspirations of our youth." Kharge listed the guarantees given by his party under its 'Yuva Nyay' pitch. Under the 'Bharti Bharosa' guarantee, the Congress chief said, his party would provide 30 lakh new Union government jobs, according to a jobs calendar. As part of 'Pehli Naukri Pakki', the party will provide one year Right to Apprenticesh