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Karnataka floods: CM to visit districts from next week to review situation

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BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will start his tour of districts on Monday to review the flood situation and agricultural activities.

“Most probably, I will start my tour on Monday to Mangaluru, Udupi, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts,” he told reporters after holding a video conference on Wednesday with deputy commissioners and chief executive officers (CEOs) of zilla panchayats on the flood and drought situation in the state.

“Sixty-four people died between January 1 and July 25. These deaths, due to disasters, could have been avoided if the district administrations had been alert,” he said during the five-hour meeting.

He directed the officials of agriculture, rural development, revenue, police and other departments to work in tandem. He asked the DCs to spend grants available with them on emergency works.

Siddaramaiah said district-level officials should stay put in their headquarters and monitor the rain and flood situation. “Don’t wait for the disasters to happen to shift people to safe places,” he added. He took the officials to task for not taking steps to repair anganwadi centres, school and hospital buildings 
that are in a dilapidated state despite the government releasing funds for the same. “Such indifference and neglect will not be tolerated,” he warned them.

“There are many complaints from people that the houses built by the previous BJP government are not fit for occupation. Hence, precautionary measures should be taken,” he told the officials. Siddaramaiah lauded the Udupi district in-charge minister when she stated that the opening of war rooms in the district some time ago had helped in taking steps to tackle flash floods.

The CM said that a separate meeting on sea erosion will be held soon. A permanent solution has to be found to prevent sea erosion, he added. Referring to 12 bridges that have been submerged in Belgaum district, the CM said people living in flood-hit villages should be shifted to rehabilitation centres. There is no restriction on payment for work under SDRF and NDRF and also on taking up new works immediately, Siddaramaiah said. He directed the police to ensure that money lenders did not harass farmers.

Stating that sowing is now picking up with most districts receiving good rainfall, he asked the Agriculture Department to ensure adequate seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah on Tuesday night said that all efforts are being taken to ensure that problems stemming from the rains would be tackled. “To ensure safety, Deputy Commissioners have declared holidays for schools and colleges in the vulnerable regions and it is advised for all citizens to adhere to the instructions of local administration,” he said.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, School Education Commissioner Cauvery BB said that the decision to declare a holiday to educational institutions is being made on the basis of rain severity in districts.

UCC unnecessary row created by Centre: CM:Siddaramaiah

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. (Photo | Nagaraja Gadekal, EPS)

BENGALURU: The State Government will not compromise on protecting the rights of Adivasis, tribals and minorities as prescribed in the Constitution. The CM made this assurance to a delegation of the Muslim Personal Law Board who met him on Wednesday and expressed apprehension over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The delegation claimed that UCC is a threat to Adivasis, tribals and minorities. They said the previous Law Commission had rejected the Union Government’s proposal, saying UCC was not feasible in a country 
as diverse as India.

Responding to the delegation, Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka government will not allow suppression of the rights of the Minorities. “The Union Government is creating unnecessary controversy ahead of the Lok Sabha elections,” the CM added.

The delegation also requested the State Government to protect waqf properties and clear encroachments. 
The delegation included former Rajya Sabha member K Rehman Khan, Housing and Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, Legislative Council Chief Whip Saleem Ahmed, MLA Rizwan Arshad, Political Secretary to Chief Minister Nazir Ahmed, Maulana Syed Mustafa Rafai Nadvi, Maulana Syed Muhammad Tanveer Hashmi, Maulana Shabir Ahmad Hussaini Nadvi, Mufti Iftikhar, Ahmed Qasmi, among others.

Oppn likely to boycott RS Business Advisory Committee meeting to press for PM statement on Manipur

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NEW DELHI: Opposition alliance INDIA is likely to boycott a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of Rajya Sabha to be held on Thursday morning to protest against the prime minister not making a statement on Manipur violence in Parliament, a senior leader said.

The Rajya Sabha BAC has 11 members including the Vice President as its ex-officio chairman.

Sources said the parties may send someone who is not a member as an “observer” to the meeting.

However, it is not clear if such an “observer” will be allowed to attend the meeting.

On July 20, several opposition leaders had walked out of a BAC meeting to protest against Modi not making a statement on the Manipur issue in Parliament and the Centre bringing a bill to replace an ordinance on the control of services in Delhi despite it being sub-judice.

Leaders of the Congress and other opposition parties including the Left, TMC, DMK, RJD, NCP and AAP walked out of the meeting as their protest in writing was not lodged by the chairman.

On Wednesday, the Congress moved a no-confidence motion against the government in Lok Sabha on behalf of the INDIA bloc to press Modi to speak on the months-long ethnic violence in Manipur in which over 160 people have been killed.

Cops arrive at Twitter’s San Francisco HQ after work on sign removal starts

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A day after Elon Musk rebranded Twitter as ‘X’, cops were briefly called to Twitter’s San Francisco HQ after a worker began tearing down letters from the building’s iconic sign.

According to MailOnline, police responded to a ‘possible unpermitted street closure’ outside the building on Monday afternoon after a man on a cherry picker was seen removing pieces of the company’s sign – but later said no crime had been committed.

San Francisco Police Department officers suggested the work had been authorized by Twitter but not been properly communicated with building security. Police told DailyMail.com in a statement that it was not a police matter and directed any further questions to Twitter. 

The report said that crowds gathered and took photos of the sign’s dismantlement, which may mark the elimination of an internet brand that for nearly a decade and a half changed the way people around the world communicated. 

The Daily Mail added that inside the building, Musk also started renaming conference rooms to incorporate the letter X, using names such as ‘eXposure,’ ‘eXult’ and ‘s3Xy,.

No entry for bikes, autos, tractors on Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway from August 1

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BENGALURU: From August 1, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, tractors and other agricultural vehicles will not be allowed to enter the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway. 

A notification was issued on July 12 and will come into effect from August 1, a top official from National Highways Authority of India told The New Indian Express. 

While there were demands before NHAI to allow two-wheelers with high cubic capacity (indicating power output of the engine) to be allowed, with the toll fee, all requests were declined and a blanket ban was imposed on all kinds of two-wheelers. 


The 6-lane expressway, which reduces travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru, was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, but was opened to traffic months earlier. Ever since, it has been in the news for one or other reason, including fatal accidents, controversy over the toll fee, and lack of a continuous service road. 

Home Minister G Parameshwara had stated that the e-way lacks scientific planning and the police department, led by Additional Director General of Police (Traffic and Road Safety) Alok Kumar inspected the stretch in June and started penalising overspeeding vehicles. Of the 296 accidents on the e-way since January, 132 were fatal. The maximum speed limit allowed on the e-way is 100 km/hour.

After being heavily criticised for the increasing number of accidents, NHAI set up a three-member committee to inspect the stretch and is expected to submit a report by this month-end.

Additional Director-General of Police (Traffic and Road Safety) Alok Kumar inspected the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway on Tuesday along with Ramanagara SP Karthik Reddy and IGP (Central Range) BR Ravikanthe Gowda. Alok Kumar examined the safety measures taken to curb the increasing accidents on the expressway.

Congress MLAs unhappy? Karnataka CM downplays such claims

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Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU/HUBBALLI : Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday downplayed claims that some Congress MLAs are unhappy with his cabinet ministers for not providing adequate funds for development works in their constituencies. Addressing reporters at Hubballi, Siddaramaiah said if Congress MLAs have problems, they could discuss them at the legislative party meeting to be held on Thursday.

While a fake letter on Congress MLA BR Patil’s letterhead, which stated that many MLAs are unhappy with the ministers for not providing funds for various development works, created a flutter in political circles, nearly 30 MLAs have written to the CM urging him to convene a meeting of CLP.

Siddaramaiah said the MLAs requested him to hold a meeting, but it was deferred in the wake of the proposed meeting of former AICC president Rahul Gandhi with them. However, it did not happen. Debunking claims, the CM said, “No MLA has complained against any minister

Meanwhile, Patil said the alleged letter is fake and he would ask the police to take action against those responsible for it.

Koppal MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy said that they have written to the CM to hold a meeting of CLP to discuss the need for better coordination between MLAs and ministers. Rayareddy, however, said they have nothing to do with the fake letter. 

Meanwhile, the BJP tweeted, “Angered by the transfer racket and frequent interference in administration, 30 Congress MLAs have turned against 20 ministers and filed a complaint seeking CM’s intervention. Within two months of coming to power, the Siddaramaiah government is facing a no-confidence motion from their legislators.”

Pounding rains in Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah says govt well-prepared to tackle situation

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BENGALURU: With rains pounding most parts of Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state government has reviewed the risk-prone areas and is well-prepared to tackle the situation.

He appealed to people to follow the instructions of the local administration.

The Government has reviewed the risk-prone areas and is well prepared to tackle the issues on ground,” the Chief Minister tweeted.

To ensure safety, District Commissioners have declared holidays for schools and colleges in the vulnerable regions and it is advised for all citizens to adhere to the instructions of local administration, he further said.

Meanwhile, all the reservoirs are completely filled up with a heavy inflow of water. Most of the rivers in the state are in spate.

The India Meteorological Department has sounded an orange alert for the coastal and Malnad region in the state with a forecast that moderate to heavy spells of rain accompanied by gusty winds was likely in these places.

The wall of a house at a village in Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district collapsed and the inmates moved to the house of their relatives. Three houses in Pudu village were damaged in rain-related incidents.

The temporary service road at Kalladka which was a make-shift arrangement during the ongoing construction of the National Highway was completely washed away following heavy downpours.

A warning has been issued to the residents, and tourists against visiting beaches, rivers and waterfalls and attempting to take photos and videos in these areas.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea. District and taluk level officials are asked to be in their central office and follow disaster management mandatorily, sources said.

PM Modi performs ‘pooja’ at redeveloped ITPO complex at Pragati Maidan

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs 'havan' during the inauguration of the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday performed “pooja” at the redeveloped India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) complex at the Pragati Maidan here ahead of its official inauguration.

He also interacted with the workers who were involved in the construction of the complex and felicitated them.

The revamped International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex will be officially inaugurated in the evening by the prime minister, who will also address the gathering.Advertisementhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/jul/26/pm-modi-performs-pooja-at-redeveloped-itpo-complex-at-pragati-maidan-2598741.html

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday had said the facility, built following an overhaul of the old and outdated structures at Pragati Maidan, was developed as a national project at a cost of about Rs 2,700 crore and has a campus area of approximately 123 acres.

The IECC complex has been developed as India’s largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination.

In terms of the covered space available for events, the complex finds its place among the top exhibition and convention complexes in the world, it said.

It comprises multiple state-of-the-art facilities including the convention centre, exhibition halls and amphitheatres among others, the PMO said, adding the new facility is in line with Modi’s vision of having a world-class infrastructure for hosting meetings.

Opposition ‘INDIA’, BRS move no-confidence motion against Modi government in Lok Sabha

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NEW DELHI: The Congress submitted a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi-led central government on the Manipur issue in the Lok Sabha, sources said on Wednesday.

Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi moved the motion, the party’s whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore told PTI.

“The INDIA alliance is together and this is the idea of the INDIA alliance. Congress party’s leader will be moving the motion. We feel that it is our duty to use this last weapon to break the arrogance of the government and make them speak on Manipur,” Tagore asserted.

Sources also said that a notice has been given to the Speaker’s office in this regard.

Tagore said the opposition had decided to move the no-confidence motion to break the arrogance of the prime minister, who is not speaking in Parliament.

The alliance of 26 opposition parties, INDIA, had decided to move the motion in order to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak in Parliament on the Manipur violence, senior leaders of the front said.

The Congress has also issued a whip in the Lower House of Parliament for its members to be present in its parliamentary office by 10.30 am on Wednesday to “discuss some important issues”.

Although the no-confidence motion by opposition parties is bound to fail the numbers test, opposition parties argue that they will win the battle of perception by cornering the government on the Manipur issue during the debate.

They contend that it is also a strategy to make the prime minister speak in Parliament on the crucial matter even as the government has been insisting that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will reply to the debate on the Manipur situation.

24-year-old Indian student dies after being assaulted during deadly carjacking in Canada

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TORONTO: A 24-year-old Indian student, who worked as a food delivery partner in Canada, has been killed after he was violently assaulted during a deadly carjacking, according to media reports.

Gurvinder Nath was delivering pizza at around 2:10 am on July 9 on Mississauga’s Britannia and Creditview roads when unknown suspects confronted him and tried to steal his vehicle, CTV News channel reported.

“Investigators do believe that there are multiple suspects involved and that the food order was placed as a means of luring the driver to this specific area,” Inspector Phil King of Peel Regional Police’s Homicide Bureau said, adding that investigators have obtained an audio recording of the Pizza Pizza order placed before the attack.

After Nath arrived, he was “violently assaulted” and left critically injured by a suspect who robbed him of his vehicle and fled the scene, police said.

Multiple witnesses came to his aid and called for help before Nath was rushed to a trauma centre where he was pronounced dead on July 14.

Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India in Toronto, said Nath’s death is a “heartrending loss” and he extended his condolences to family members, friends and the wider community, the CBC reported.

He said the consulate general has contacted the family after his death.

“It was heartening for me to see how the community responded, came together both online and physically to support the family in this time of grief,” the Consul General said. “Of course, nothing can make good the loss, but it will be some solace to the grieving family and it’s also a signal of the spirit of the community because it is in times like this when the spirit and the solidarity and the sense of empathy is tested.” 

The Consul General said he hopes the people responsible are brought to justice.

Inspector King said despite the infancy of the investigation, police believe Nath was an innocent victim.

Nath’s vehicle was found abandoned in the hours following the attack in the area of Old Creditview and Old Derry roads — less than five kilometres from the crime scene, King said.

“The working theory is that perhaps there may have been extensive injuries (to Nath) that may not have been anticipated and that may have caused (the suspects) to get rid of the vehicle early,” he said.

The vehicle has since been forensically examined and “several” pieces of evidence have been retrieved, King added.

Police say there is no known connection between Nath and his attackers.

“I would like to remind those involved that regardless of your level of participation, you are complicit in the murder of Gurvinder Nath and you will be arrested and charged accordingly,” King said.

Nath’s body will be flown to India on July 27 with the help of the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

Last week, CTV News Toronto spoke to family and friends of Nath, who said the Brampton resident was on summer break before he returned to his final semester of business school.

“He was innocent, he was just delivering pizza [when] random people hit him on his head,” Nath’s cousin, Balram Krishan, said.

Nath arrived in Canada from India in July of 2021 and had plans to open his own business.

On Saturday, more than 200 people gathered in Mississauga at a candlelight vigil for Nath, the CBC reported.

Speakers at the vigil said that Nath came to Canada carrying his family’s hopes and now his family is dealing with grief at the loss of one of its three sons.

“You come to Canada with a dream. You start your life. But these people stole a dream,” Bobby Sidhu, a friend of a relative of Nath, said.

Sidhu said: “Canada was known for peace. And I hope that in our country such senseless and merciless crime will come to an end. Everyone could relate to Gurvinder. I think that’s the reason the community has come together.”

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