Archives for April 2019

Embattled businessman Vijay Mallya’s plea against his extradition order was rejected by a UK court on Monday. He will now appear for an oral hearing on his appeal.

Mallya, who is wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering to the tune of Rs. 9,000 crore, had appealed against the December 2018 order.

Last year, the London Westminster Magistrates’ Court ordered his extradition.

A brief timeline of Mallya’s case

Mallya left for the UK from India in March 2016 for a “self-imposed” exile. Ten months later, the Karnataka Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) said that Mallya owed Rs. 9,863 crore to 13 banks.

In February 2017, the Home Ministry certified India’s extradition request. He was arrested in April of the same year but got bail.

The extradition hearing began in June 2017.

Hearings

The murky case had troubled the judge

During the proceedings in the court, Judge Arbuthnot likened the case to a jigsaw puzzle. Mallya raised the issue of the condition of Indian jails to evade extradition.

Subsequently, Indian authorities sent video clips of Arthur Road jail where Mallya would be lodged when he returns to India.

He will live in a special cell, will have a library and open area.

Mallya claimed he was being made a scapegoat, court disagreed

Notably, throughout his trial Mallya claimed he was a victim of political conspiracy and reiterated that he couldn’t repay the money as his business, Kingfisher Airlines, failed.

After months of hearings, Judge Arbuthnot found Mallya guilty of fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.

CBI, which was investigating the case, was happy with the verdict and had said their hard work paid off.

In February, Mallya’s extradition was cleared by UK Home Secretary

To recall, Mallya’s extradition was formally cleared by the United Kingdom Home Secretary in February this year. A spokesperson of the UK Home Secretary said the green signal was given after considering all relevant aspects.

Meanwhile, Mallya was upset banks didn’t save Kingfisher

Last month, Mallya wrote a tweet to “highlight” the double standards of banks under NDA.

His comments were in connection to reports that government asked state-owned banks to bail out Jet Airways to ensure the airlines doesn’t turn defunct.

Mallya claimed he invested Rs. 4,000 crore into Kingfisher Airlines to save the company, but banks didn’t offer to help him.

Agencies

By: Suresh B Desai

Kalaburagi, Apr 9 : Kalaburagi Lok Sabha constituency is the one
of the High voltage constituency in the state which is grabbing
state-wide attention after Chincholi Congress rebel MLA Umesh Jadhav
resigned from his assembly seat and joined the BJP with the intention
of contesting the Kalaburargi Lok Sabha poll against Congress heavy
weight Mallikarjun Kharge who had never lost an election so far and
won nine Assembly and two Lok sabha election till now.
Bitter battle is in the card between the Congress and BJP in
Kalaburagi Lok sabha reserved constituency comprises eight Assembly
constituency of which Congress holds four , the BJP three and the
JD(S) one.
The Congress leader in Lok sabaha Mallikajun Kharge will test his
luck for the third time from this SC reserved constituency .However
the BJP which is leaving no stone unturned to wrest the segment from
the Congress has lured Chincholi Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav into the
part fold and he is tipped to be pitted against Kharge .
The BJP which has determined to wrest the seat from the Congress
had roped in the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who had participated
in a largely attended public meeting ‘Vijaya Sankalpa Yathra’ recently.
Whether Kharge will score a hat-trick or not is a different question.
It is apparent that all his opponents have joined together to make
Kharge bite dust the dust in this poll .
Former ministers Mallikayya Guttedar and Baburao Chinchansur who
were once close confidants of Kharge are now withe BJP and are waiting to
settle political scores on the veteran congress leader, which they blame him
for missing the cabinet barths in the previous Siddaramaiah’s cabinet by
accommodating his son Piyank Kharge .
Malaka Reddy, another former minister, who is nursing grudge against Kharge had
also resigned to the Congress and joined the Saffron party, recently.

Umesh Gopaldev Jadhav , the doctor who had shunned medical practice to
enter politics, had renewed the BJP hope to wrest the Kalaburagi Lok
Sabha seat from veteran congress Leader Mr Kharge.
Well -aware of all this developments Mallikarjun Kharge along with
his son Priyank Kharge had already begun the election campaign by
inaugurating several developmental works and laying the foundation
stone for several works for the past one month. Kharge’s seriousness
showed that he will not take any election lightly.This summer
Congress heavy weight Mr Mallikarjun Kharge has been literally
sweating it out , touring every nook and corner of the constituency.
From his crucial role in according special status to Hyderabad
Karnataka under Article 371(J) to the expansion of the road network in
the area, the establishment of an ESIC Medical Hub and a Central
University of Karnataka, the sanctioning of Kalaburagi Railway
Division and setting up of a rail coach factory at Kadechur during his
brief stint as Railway Minister, Mr. Kharge’s campaign focuses on his
achievements and the Congress’ promises to improve development in the
region.
On the other hand, the BJP and Dr. Jadhav, who’s Assembly segment
comes under the Bidar Lok Sabha seat, are relying heavily on Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma.
Umesh Jadhav , who hails from the Banjara community which come
under Scheduled cast community. The BJP is looking to consolidate
caste based voters in it favour . Mainly , the saffron party will bank
on Lingayaats ( 6 lakh ) they have traditionally voted for BJP and
those for Banjaras , Billavas ( Chinchansur’s community ) and Idigas (
Guddedar’s community ) all together including Banjars they are 3.8
lakh in the constituency .
The Congress is looking to consolidate the remaining SC, Backward
class and minority votes in favour of Kharge.
Except 1996 and 1998 Gulbarga lok sabha constituency has been a
fortress of Congress since 1951., Former chief minister Veerendra
Patil , and Dharm singh represented this in 1980 and 1984 . In
1996 , Qumar Ul Islam who was then in Janata dal wrested it for the
first time from the Congress. In subsequent polls , Basavaraj Patil
Sedam , of BJP won in 1998 . now the BJP is trying to snatch this
segments from Congress.

Mandya, Karnataka, Apr 9 : In an attempt to douse off dissidence in the party the Former chief minister and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah appealed the party workers in Mandya to work in favor of the JD(S) candidate Nikhil, who is also son of the Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.
In a video message, Siddaramaiah, who had hold a series of meeting with the Congress leaders in Mandya, pursuing them to join hands with the JD(S), where Nikhil is facing a stiff challenge form the Independent candidate, Sumalatha.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy is contesting as the alliance candidate in Mandya. Leaders and workers of Congress and JD(S) should campaign unitedly. I appeal to both Congress and JD(S) workers
especially voters of Mandya, to help Nikhil get votes and bless him,? Siddaramaiah said in the video.
He had also also mentioned that he would campaign in Mandya along with JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on April 12.

Bengaluru, Apr 9 : Former MP and Vice president of the Karnatka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) H T Sangliana, had resigned from the party, a statement said.
According to the statement on Monday, Mr Sangliana one of the strong aspirants for the party ticket from the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha seat, had resigned in protest against denial of a party ticket to Christian minorities in the state by the party High Command.
A couple of days back Former Chief Secretary of Karnataka government, G Alexander, had resigned the party, however, he retracted from his decision, following intervention by the AICC General Secretary, K C Venugopal

The BJP released its manifesto, titled “Sankalp Patra”, for the upcoming polls on Monday. The document was released in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, and union minister Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, and Rajnath Singh.

Most of the parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, and RJD, released theirs days ago.

Here’s what BJP promised this time.

BJP reiterates its stand on Article 370, 35A

In much-awaited manifesto, BJP repeated its stand on Article 370, which gives special rights to Jammu and Kashmir.

“We reiterate our position since the time of the Jan Sangh to the abrogation of Article 370. We are committed to annulling Article 35A of the Constitution of India as the provision is discriminatory against non-permanent residents and women of Jammu and Kashmir,” the manifesto read.

BJP releases its manifesto, promises to pass Citizenship Amendment Bill

Further, BJP’s stand remained unchanged on the sensitive Ram Mandir issue. The party said a grand temple should be constructed on the disputed land in Ayodhya.

The saffron party also promised to pass the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in both houses of the Parliament. However, it added identities of states won’t be compromised.

BJP also reiterated its commitment towards the Uniform Civil Code.

Farmers will be given short-term loans, said Singh

BJP also focused on rural areas in the manifesto. It said rural development is important for the country.

The party said farmers will be able to take short-term agriculture loans up to Rs. 1 lakh at a 0% interest rate for 1-5 years on the condition of prompt repayment of the principal amount.

The party promised to double farmers’ income by 2024.

BJP promises to give reservation to women

Shah spoke about achievements of PM Modi

Talking about the manifesto, Amit Shah said India has emerged as a big power in the last five years. He claimed BJP removed corruption from the country.

Shah said expectations of citizens increased after PM Modi came to power. “This government has set an example of transparency,” added Shah.

He went on to say that previous governments demoralized the country.

Journey from 2014 to 2019 will be remembered: Shah

“I want to remind you about 2014 polls. That time we brought you a vision of how the country would be between 2014 to 2019. The journey from 2014 to 2019 will be written in golden words in the history of Indian development,” Shah said.

Emotions of every citizen were taken into consideration: Singh

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the manifesto respects the sentiments of 130 crore Indians. He called it a visionary document which will help India take concrete steps towards a better future.

He said development in the country came to a standstill before 2014 but NDA, under the leadership of PM Modi, worked relentlessly.

“We thought about national security,” said Singh.

Our manifesto is not inspired by tukde tukde gang: Jaitley

Speaking on the manifesto, Finance Minister Jaitley said it was not inspired by “tukde tukde” gang. He congratulated Singh for focusing on all sections of the society in the manifesto.

He slammed those who couldn’t deliver “for decades” and sought support for a government which “kept its promise”.

“Our idea of nipping terrorism in its bud was well-received globally,” said Jaitley.

Understanding what BJP promised five years ago

In 2014, BJP had released its manifesto on the first day of the nine-phased polls. Last time, the saffron party focused on corruption and unemployment in its manifesto.

BJP had said it would ensure bureaucracy is not pulled down by “maladministration, scams and policy paralysis”.

The party had also promised to restore credibility in government and remove bottlenecks to ensure seamless delivery of schemes.

Agencies