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Karnataka govt tables bill in assembly to ban online gambling

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Karnataka govt tables bill in assembly to ban online gambling
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Friday tabled a bill in the assembly to ban online gambling or betting in the state and providing for a maximum imprisonment of three years or fine of up to Rs one lakh for any violation.

The ‘Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ was tabled in the assembly by Home Minister Araga Jnanendra.

The bill to amend the Karnataka Police Act of 1963 states “games means and includes online games, involving all forms of wagering or betting, including in the form of tokens valued in terms of the money paid before or after the issue of it, or electronic means and virtual currency, electronic transfer of funds in connection with any game of chance.”

However, it does not include lottery or wagering or betting on horse races run on any race course within or outside the state.

The Bill, in its statement of objects and reasons, says that “it is considered to amend the 1963 Police Act to provide for enforcement of provisions of the Act, by making offences under certain sections as cognizable offence and non-bailable, except Section 87 (gaming in public streets), which is made cognizable and bailable.

It will include the use of cyberspace, including computer resources or any communication device as defined in Information Technology Act, 2000 in the process of gaming, to curb the menace of gaming through internet and mobile apps. It provides for enhancing punishment for gaming to wean citizens away from the vice of gambling, extending to three years and fine up to Rs one lakh. It said the punishment for the first offence would be six months imprisonment and fine of Rs 10,000, for the second, one year imprisonment and fine of Rs 15,000, and for the third offence, 18 months imprisonment and fine of Rs 20,000.

Persons aiding or abetting such online gaming would also be punished, it added.

There is no extra expenditure involved in the proposed legislative measure, it said. Instruments of gaming include any article intended to be used as a means of gaming, including computers, computer system, mobile app, or internet or cyberspace, virtual platform, computer network, computer resource, any communication device, electronic applications, software and accessory, the bill said.

Also, means of online gaming, any document, register or record or evidence of any gaming in electronic or digital form, the proceeds of any online gaming or any winning or prize in money or otherwise distributed or intended to be distributed in respect of any gaming, it added.

The state government had in July informed the High Court, hearing a petition seeking a ban on all forms of online betting and gambling, that it had drafted a Bill.

Last November, Tamil Nadu had promulgated an ordinance banning online gambling, and earlier this year, Kerala too had imposed a ban on online rummy games.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari gets Rs 4 lakh royalty per month from YouTube for lecture videos

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Union Minister Nitin Gadkari gets Rs 4 lakh royalty per month from YouTube for lecture videos
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

Bharuch (Gujarat): Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said he gets Rs 4 lakh every month as royalty from YouTube, as viewership of his lecture videos posted on the platform has increased during the pandemic period.

While reviewing the progress of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (DME) in Bharuch, Gadkari further said his ministry has started rating road construction contractors and consultants.

During COVID-19 times, the road transport and highways minister said, he did two things.

“I became a chef and started cooking at home and giving lectures through video conference. I delivered more than 950 lectures online, including lectures to foreign universities students, which were uploaded on YouTube.

“Viewership of my YouTube channel increased and YouTube now pays me Rs 4 lakh per month as royalty,” he said.

Gadkari, who is known for his frank views, said that in India, those who do good work, don’t get appreciation.

The minister also emphasised on the importance of network of modern- and high-quality roads for economic development and creating employment opportunities.

He said that in Gujarat, 423 km of road is being constructed at a cost of Rs 35,100 crore.

Gadkari added that under this expressway, 60 major bridges, 17 interchanges, 17 flyovers and eight road over bridges (ROBs) will be built in the state.

The minister said 33 wayside amenities are also proposed to be build on this expressway to provide world-class transport facilities as well as generate employment opportunities in the state.

Karnataka assembly passes three bills, including one related to identification of prisoners

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Karnataka assembly passes three bills, including one related to identification of prisoners

Bengaluru: The Karnataka assembly on Friday passed the ‘Identification of Prisoners (Karnataka Amendment) Bill,’ which seeks to include collection of blood, DNA, voice and iris scan samples as “measurements” of offenders for effective surveillance and prevention of breach of peace and crime.

The bill, which amends the Central act of Identification of Prisoners with respect to its application to Karnataka, also empowers Superintendent of Police or Deputy Commissioners of Police, in addition to the judicial magistrate first class, to order for collection of measurement to avoid delay and workload.

Piloting the bill for the consideration of the House, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said “till now foot-print impressions were collected. Now we have added blood, DNA, voice, and iris scan samples to it. Earlier the measurements were collected for those with rigorous imprisonment for a term of one year, now it has been changed to a term of one month.”

He said the bill empowers SPs and DCPs to order destruction of measurement after a period of 10 years, unless otherwise directed by the court or any other competent authority.

Participating during the discussion on the Bill, Congress MLA Tanveer Sait sought to know whether collecting measurement was necessary when such details are available in an individual’s Aadhar data.

Another Congress MLA Priyank Kharge said the government intends to create a database of biometrics and forensic tools needed for investigation and also sought to know whether the necessary infrastructure was in place. “Also, has the government thought about the right to privacy?”

Responding to the queries, the Minister said measurements were collected for those with Rigorous Imprisonment for a term of one month and above and it will be stored in the criminal tracking system in Bengaluru, so there will be no concerns of any breach.

He said it would also be helpful in identifying habitual offenders.

Also passed was a bill providing for the constitution of the Karnataka Prison Development Board for strengthening prisons and initiating correctional administrative measures.

Titled ‘Karnataka Prison Development Board Bill’, it also provides for initiating measures for skill improvement, welfare of prisoners and prisons’ staff and expanding prison industries.

The bill, in its statement of objects and reasons, said “it is considered necessary to provide for the constitution of the prison development board for development of modern prison industries and formulate a plan for job oriented technical programmes in different areas, to earn incentives.”

The board can suggest ways and means for improving coordination between different stakeholders, examine the present setup of prison industries and formulate a plan for modernisation and to start job oriented programmes including technical oriented ones, keeping in view the needs of prisoners after release, it said.

Participating during the discussion on the bill, several legislators, including Congress’ U T Khader said reforms are needed, but prisons should also be a place of deterrent for prisoners, while highlighting several illegal activities taking place in them.

Pointing out that the Minister for Prisons and other members of the board were all officials, some MLAs wanted non-official members like representatives of social organisations or journalists to be made members to have effective reforms, while others questioned powers of acquisition, maintenance and disposal of land and building given to the board.

The Minister, in his reply, said the board has been constituted for all-round reforms of prisons and representatives from various departments will be its members and added that experts can be invited for its meetings to take inputs.

“States like Haryana are generating revenue of about Rs 600 crore from Prisons. Manpower at prisons should not go waste,” he said.

He also made it clear that there should be no doubts about disposing of immovable properties, as it cannot be done without clearance from the government, and there is a clause for it. “The committee will rather look into effective utilisation of prison lands that have been lying unused.”

Another bill passed today is ‘The Code of Criminal Procedure (Karnataka Amendment) Bill’ that provides for recording of the evidence of the witness by audio-video-electronic means in the presence of the advocate of the person accused of the offence.

Gram Swaraj Bill passed in Karnataka Assembly, Congress walks out

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BENGALURU: Amidst stiff opposition from Congress members, who staged a walkout, the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Assembly on Thursday. The JDS members, however, remained present in the House. The Bill, which was tabled on Tuesday, came for discussion on Thursday.

At present, the delimitation exercise is carried out by the Karnataka State election Commission (SEC). 
Congress members charged that the move is only to delay the taluk and zilla panchayat polls and said the ruling BJP does not have the courage to face the polls. 

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa told the House that the SEC had carried out the delimitation process and more than 2,600 objections had been received.  The delimitation process was being done by the State Government before the powers were given to the SEC. The Commission will carry out the exercise scientifically, based on data and population, he argued.

Initially, though the Congress members demanded that the Bill be taken up for discussion on Friday, as their colleagues were at party leader Oscar Fernandes’ funeral, Eshwarappa said it had to be passed in the Assembly on Thursday itself and placed in the Council on Friday. “We have to submit it before the High Court on Monday,” he said.

‘BJP taking control of SEC unfortunate’

Opposition leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah said he could not see any good intentions behind introducing the Bill. “The government is bringing this to make rules that will help it. The BJP does not believe in delivering social justice.

Our party will oppose it and we will walk out.” Senior Congress leader H K Patil said when they were in power, they had entrusted the task of delimitation to the SEC. Now, the BJP goverment is taking control, which is unfortunate.

State Govt sidelining SEC: Priyank
Chittapur Congress MLA Priyank Kharge said by bringing the Bill, the State Government is sidelining the SEC. “Does it mean the SEC is not capable of carrying out delimitation?” the former minister asked.

AIMIM workers protest against Maharashtra CM; ‘thank’ him for ‘resolving’ woes of Marathwada

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AURANGABAD: The All India Majalis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Friday held an agitation here against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray before his arrival for an event, wherein the protesters sarcastically thanked him for resolving various problems faced by the city and the Marathwada region of the state.

This unique protest was held near Baba Petrol Pump in the city.

Thackeray arrived in Aurangabad for a flag-hoisting ceremony on the occasion of the Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din (Marathwada Liberation Day) at a memorial located in Siddharth Garden.

The AIMIM workers stood at the square carrying placards in hands, which read “Thank you chief minister for resolving the drought-related woes, clearing the irrigation backlog and for resolving other issues”.

Former AIMIM corporator Naser Siddiqui said, “Aurangabad is now known as the city of potholes. Shiv Sena says that the party has given 14 mayors to the city. But the chief minister should assess what work they have done for the city.”

‘He is a busy man’, Pakistan PM Imran Khan takes swipe at US President Joe Biden

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ISLAMABAD: “He is a busy man”, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said curtly about Joe Biden, expressing his disappointment over US President’s reluctance to contact him since coming into office in January this year.

During an interview to CNN on Wednesday from his private Bani Gala residence in Islamabad, Khan admitted that he had not spoken to President Biden since the collapse of the Afghan government.

When asked why Biden hadn’t called him since coming into office, the premier curtly said: “He is a busy man” and later said Biden should be asked “why he is too busy to call”.

Khan’s remarks came days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a Congressional hearing indicated that Pakistan was involved in harbouring members of the Taliban, including the militants of the dreaded Haqqani Network.

“I think you’re very right to point at the role that Pakistan has played throughout the past 20 years and even before it. It is one that has involved hedging its bets constantly about the future of Afghanistan. It’s one that’s involved harbouring members of the Taliban, including the Haqqanis,” Blinken said while responding to a specific question from Democratic Congressman Bill Keating who alleged that Pakistan played an active and by so many accounts a negative role in Afghan affairs for decades.

And so, there are a number of things that have come into play.

It has a multiplicity of interests, some that are in clear conflict with ours.

“When it comes to Afghanistan, it’s focused, of course, as well on India and the role that India is playing in Afghanistan,” Blinken said.

This is not the first time that Prime Minister Khan has expressed his disappointment over Biden’s reluctance to contact him.

During an interaction with foreign journalists at his residence in August, Prime Minister Khan had said that he was not really “waiting” for a phone call from President Biden.

“I keep hearing that President Biden hasn’t called me. It’s his business. It’s not like I am waiting for any phone call,” he had said in response to a question.

Khan, who had congratulated President Biden on his inauguration and expressed his desire to work with the new American administration to deepen bilateral ties, had said that Washington sees Pakistan as “useful” only for clearing the “mess” it has left behind in Afghanistan after 20 years of fighting and prefers India when it comes to forming a “strategic partnership”.

During his interview with CNN, Khan said Pakistan’s relationship with the US is not just dependent on a phone call, it needs to be a multidimensional one.

That’s something Khan said he doesn’t feel Pakistan enjoyed during the US’ 20 year war in Afghanistan.

“We (Pakistan) were like a hired gun,” Khan said.

“We were supposed to make them (the US) win the war in Afghanistan, which we never could.”

Khan also said he repeatedly warned US officials that America could not achieve its objectives militarily, and would “be stuck there.”

He said the US should have attempted a political settlement with the Taliban from a “position of strength,” at the height of its presence in Afghanistan, not as it was withdrawing.

The US-Pakistan relationship has witnessed ups and downs over the past decade.

The ties nose-dived after the US killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden at his hideout in Pakistan in a covert raid in May 2011.

Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump had briefly suspended roughly USD 1 billion in US security aid to Pakistan and publicly accused Pakistani officials of “lies and deceit” for purportedly providing a base for the Taliban and other militant groups to carry out attacks across the border in Afghanistan.

Islamabad is unhappy that Biden has not spoken to Prime Minister Khan since he assumed the presidency in January.

Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf has also expressed disappointment over President Biden’s reluctance to contact Prime Minister Khan despite considering Islamabad as an important country in some critical issues like Afghanistan.

Yousuf also said that Islamabad has other “options” if the American leader continues to ignore the country’s leadership.

The US State Department, however, had assured Islamabad that Washington recognises Pakistan’s vital role in restoring peace in Afghanistan and wants Islamabad to play that role.

Rahul Gandhi greets PM Modi on birthday

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NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday on Friday.

As Prime Minister Modi turned 71 several dignitaries and politicians greeted him.

“Happy birthday, Modi ji,” Gandhi tweeted.

Born in Gujarat in 1950, Modi joined Hindutva organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at an early age and was later drafted into the BJP.

HDK goes soft on Bommai govt over rise in prices

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BENGALURU: Lending more grist to talk that the JDS  is leaning towards the BJP,  former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday refused to attack the government on the price rise by saying “it is wrong to make allegations against one another to gain political mileage.”

Terming price rise as a “continuous process”, the JDS leader asked the State Government to use the revenue generated from levying cess and taxes of fuel and other products, to rebuild the lives of the poor who are battered by both inflation and the Covid-19 pandemic.

During a debate on price rise in the Assembly, he said, “It is wrong to make allegations against one another to gain political mileage. We should look at what can be done to help the poor,” he said. Kumaraswamy also said he will not insist on a resolution in the House — as suggested by Opposition leader Siddaramaiah— to appeal to the Union Government to reduce taxes on fuel.  Siddaramaiah had demanded that the State Government  cut taxes on fuel. Many states, including Tamil Nadu, have cut  taxes on fuel.

“It is not just a BJP government… it is our government representing 6.5 crore Kannadigas. I urge Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to make best use of the revenue generated to rebuild the lives of the weaker sections affected by Covid-19 and price rise,” he added.  Asking Karnataka to become a model for the entire country, he urged the State Government to announce a special package of Rs 25,000 each to about 55 lakh affected families.

Kumaraswamy also demanded that the government drop populist schemes, including ‘Amrith’, to come to the rescue of the affected. Citing the CAG report, he slammed the State Government for borrowing Rs 48,499 crore during 2019-20 for development works.

Meanwhile, what was more surprising was that a senior Congress leader too was sympathetic towards 
the State Government. Former speaker Ramesh Kumar said that any one party or the government cannot be blamed for the price rise. “All of us are responsible for privatisation of essential services which is benefiting traders. These traders are those who give money for parties. It is inter-linked.

There is no point in blaming one party or government,” he said. “Those who are speaking here (MLAs) should reveal their property details that were filed during  polls. The price hike will not affect them. Gone are the days when MLAs used to voice common people’s concerns. Just 30 years ago, hardly a few MLAs used to come in cars… the remaining in cycles or buses. But now, they come in Audis… what can you expect from them,” he rued.

Maharashtra: Pothole kills mother-son duo on way home after Lord Ganesh ‘darshan’ at kin’s place

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THANE: A pothole-ridden road at Bhiwandi in Maharashtra’s Thane district has claimed the lives of a woman and her 26-year-old son, who were returning home on a two-wheeler after having ‘darshan’ of Lord Ganesh idol at their relative’s place, police said on Friday.

The incident took place at Mankoli junction in Bhiwandi town on Mumbai-Nashik highway on Thursday afternoon, they said.

The deceased were identified as Devikabai Balaram Kakade (48) and her son Nitin, police said.

“They were returning home to Ambepada on a two-wheeler after having darshan of the Lord Ganesh idol installed at the house of the woman’s daughter in nearby Purna village.

When they reached Mankoli junction, their two-wheeler skidded off the road after hitting a pothole and both of them fell down.

They came under a speeding vehicle that was coming from behind,” an official said.

The victims were rushed to a hospital, where the doctors declared them brought dead, he said, adding that the bodies were later sent for post-mortem.

A case has been registered against an unidentified driver of the vehicle under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Motor Vehicles Act at Narpoli police station and further investigation is on, he said.

India adds 34,403 COVID-19 cases; active cases decline to 3,39,056

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NEW DELHI: India saw a single-day rise of 34,403 new COVID-19 infections while the active cases have further declined to 3,39,056, according to Union health ministry data updated on Friday.

The ministry said that a reduction of 8,164 cases has been recorded in active cases in a span of 24 hours.

Also, 15,27,420 tests were conducted on Thursday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 54,92,29,149, it said The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 2.25 per cent.

It has been less than three per cent for the last 18 days, according to the data.

The weekly positivity rate has been recorded at 1.97 per cent.

It has been below three per cent for the last 84 days, the ministry said.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease is 3,25,60,474, while the case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.33 per cent, it said.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the vaccination drive has exceeded 77.24 crore, according to the ministry.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19 last year.

India recorded two crore cases on May 4 and three crore cases on June 23.

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