BENGALURU: The Bengaluru bandh on Tuesday was peaceful, barring a few stray incidents. An MLA and two MLCs from BJP and over 1,000 protesters were detained as a preventive measure, and were released later.

They were taken into custody near Town Hall as they tried to take out a march defying the orders of the police commissioner, who had on Monday denied permission to protesters. At Freedom Park, where the protest was held, one protester tried to hang himself with the shawl he was wearing. The policemen at the spot stopped him from taking the extreme step. As he was gasping for breath, he was given first-aid.
In the stone-throwing incident, the police arrested two persons in Jayanagar.

“The bandh was peaceful. No untoward incident was reported from any parts. Elaborate security arrangements had been made. At a few places, protesters were taken into preventive custody, while a few organisations were allowed to protest at Freedom Park,” said Police Commissioner B Dayananda.

BENGALURU/MYSURU: Amid protests against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on Tuesday directed Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water to the lower riparian State for 18 days from September 28. 

The CWRC issued the directive on the day when the State capital witnessed a near total bandh in response to the call given by farmers and various organisations against releasing water to TN.

“The current order (on releasing 5,000 cusecs daily) will be applicable till September 27.

So, we will discuss the directive with the State’s legal team and take a decision on the action to be taken,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru while responding to a question on the CWRC directive. At the CWRC meeting, Karnataka contended that it is not in a position to release water from its reservoirs to TN. 

DKS: Happy CWRC rejected TN’s plea for 12,500 cusecs

As per Karnataka’s submission before the CWRC, cumulative inflows into its four reservoirs up to September 25 is 53.04%. It mentioned that the State Government has declared 161 taluks as severely drought-hit and 34 taluks as moderately drought-hit. Of them, 32 severely drought-hit taluks and 15 moderately drought-hit taluks are in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar said he is happy that the CWRC rejected TN’s plea for release of 12,500 cusecs of water. “Our officials convinced the CWRC about the distress situation in the State. The CWRC directed us to release 3,000 cusecs of water. I am thankful to the committee members for understanding our situation” he said.

As such, 2,000 cusecs of water is flowing towards TN everyday from the command areas of our dams. “We need to release around 1,000 cusecs of water more. It has been raining in the Cauvery basin areas in the State for the last couple of days. We have good inflows now,” he said. Shivakumar said the officials will present the distress situation in the State at the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting to be held soon.

“There is no need for another bandh on Friday,” he added. According to Shivakumar, the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project will be a solution to the Cauvery dispute between Karnataka and TN.

“Mekedatu reservoir is the solution. There is a need to convince the people of Karnataka as well as the Tamil Nadu Gover nment. Even the Supreme Court has mentioned that allowing Karnataka to construct dams should not be a problem as long as it releases 177 tmcft of water to TN,” he said.

This will also help Tamil Nadu as Karnataka will be able to release water in distress situations, he added.

BENGALURU:   Two days after the JDS officially agreed to join the NDA, the regional party is geared for action. But even as former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy met senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader  BS Yediyurappa to seek his blessings, murmurs of dissent grew loud, and some leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) minority cell decided to quit the party. 

In fact, mass resignations are expected soon. JDS Vice-President Syed Shafiulla Saheb had sent his resignation letter to JDS President CM Ibrahim, who passed it on to party supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda. Spokesperson UT Farzana Ashraf also resigned from the party membership. At a meeting of minority leaders on Sunday, more leaders decided to quit. Ibrahim, who has been mum, is likely to take a decision at the earliest. He had quit the Congress and joined JDS a few years ago. 

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy continued to slam the state government for proposing to open bars in every village which has a population of over 3,000. In a series of posts on his social media account, Kumaraswamy said Karnataka is a prosperous state. “By providing liquor to every household, the government is giving liquor guarantee to increase its revenue,” he said. The government is making Karnataka into a drunkards’ adda,’’ he said. 

The government claimed to empower women with the Shakti scheme, but is destroying their families with liquor, he added. Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan slammed Kumaraswamy, and challenged him to say whether he would win from Channapatna without Muslim votes. “Let HD Revanna, Turuvekere Krishnappa, Chikkanayakanahalli, Suresh Babu, Gurmitkal Nagangouda Kandakur, Deodurga Karemma and Chennarayapatna Balakrishna say Muslims need not vote for them,” he said. 

He said Kumaraswamy did not win by a big margin in Channapatna and had Muslims not supported him, he would have been defeated. On the other hand, BJP leaders too are unhappy with the alliance, as it may cost them their tickets in the Lok Sabha elections. 

“JDS does not have a presence in Karnataka, their number dropped to 19 in the assembly election, and many leaders joined the Congress. Their only Lok Sabha seat of Hassan is in dispute. We are not going to benefit,” said a BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity.

MANGALURU:  Stating that over 1,600 schools and PU colleges are operating illegally in the state, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said the government is cautious in taking action against them in the interest of students who have taken admission in those institutes.

Addressing the media here on Sunday, Bangarappa said the managements that have availed permission to run these institutes and the ones that are actually running them are different, and the addresses that are mentioned are also different. In order to make them fall in line, he said the norms to avail permission have been made more strict from the next academic year.  

Referring to the matter of reducing weight of school bags, he said that his department has worked out a formula to reduce the same by 1/3rd compared to the present weight.  He justified the government’s decision to conduct Board exams for Classes 9 and 11, stating that it will help them prepare for the public exams in Classes 10 and 12.  

Stating that over 53,000 government school teacher posts remain vacant in the state, he said there will be marked improvement in this regard in a year. About 2,000 bi-lingual Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) will be opened, and there will be one KPS for every 2-3 gram panchayats.  

To a query, the minister stated that some PU colleges conducting classes for 12 hours a day is not acceptable, and called for a stop to such practices.

Nasheman news

Bengaluru, 21st September 2023: In its persevering commitment towards fostering
mental health awareness, Udyam, the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of
SVKM’s NMIMS Bengaluru, recently organised a Walkathon. The theme of the walkathon
was ‘Walk for a Cause: Mental Health Awareness’ for its School of Business Management
(SBM) students.

The Walkathon began with students assembling at the Royal Meenakshi Mall. The
journey concluded at Windsor Amulyam. The 5 Km journey was replete with students
expressing themselves through slogans and banners demonstrating the central theme of
the event. The enthusiasm and energy levels among the participants were a sight to
behold. More than 150 students participated in the walkathon, making it a success.
In order to create awareness about mental health amongst the general public, an
inspirational ‘Nukkad Natak’ or a street play was performed following the walk. The
performance was divided into three segments. Each of the three acts covered distinct
topics with the focus of making people realise the positive results of sound mental
health. It was demonstrated by recreating real-life scenarios faced by the youth. The
performance concluded with the message of dealing with the hard times and emerging
victorious.

Professor Janaki Anant, the faculty mentor at Udyam, was the guiding light of the
students throughout the event. She created a safe space for students and asked them to
share their own stories of battling mental health. Each story provided deep insights into
the tough times faced by students and how they embraced reality and emerged out of it
successfully. The exercise reassured students that they were not alone in their MBA
journey at NMIMS SBM.
The walkathon resulted in three key learnings. Firstly, how the internal and external
pressures we build within us sow seeds of mental distress and the unwanted steps we

end up taking regarding our lives. Secondly, how failure leads to self-doubt, pain and
anguish. This further contributes to unhealthy behavioural patterns and lifestyles.
Lastly, seeking the right help and support can actually help us to release and overcome
the burden of the unaddressed trauma within.
The success of the walkathon was a result of Udyam’s commitment towards increasing
public awareness about mental health. The committee is aimed at contributing
to making the world more liveable and equitable. It is also a testament to the changing
times and the NMIMS’ commitment towards creating healthier campuses.

Commending the success of the event, Dr. Narayani Ramachandran, Deputy Director,
NMIMS Bengaluru, said, “The success of the walkathon on mental awareness exemplifies
the positive change we’re witnessing, which calls for an environment conducive for growth
and happiness. The event reflects NMIMS Bengaluru’s commitment to shaping a better
society, where we shun the stigma around health issues. Rather, we must together create a
place where mental wellbeing is prioritised and positivity is encouraged.”
Ms. Gitanjana, the Counsellor at NMIMS Bengaluru, infused a sense of optimism and
positive energy through her words. Stressing the importance of seeking help and
overcoming hardships when the going gets tough, she shared, “In the face of adversity, it
is important to embrace the strength in seeking help and supporting one another. Let’s
aim to foster a community where seeking therapy is seen as a courageous step towards
personal growth.”

About NMIMS Bengaluru
The School of Business Management (SBM) Bengaluru campus has been ranked first in
the “Top B-Schools under Private Universities” category in Karnataka by Open
Magazine. NMIMS Bengaluru was ranked second in the city-wise category by Fortune
India Magazine and was awarded a rating of A+++ by Business India Magazine. Business
Today Magazine ranked NMIMS Bengaluru third in the city-wise category, seventh in
the south-zone category, and 15th among the private B-schools.

Minister D Sudhakar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister D Sudhakar and three others have been booked by the police here based on a complaint by a woman alleging atrocities against her and her family and an assault on her daughter over a property dispute, police officials said on Tuesday.

Officials said the victim and her family reside at the disputed property which falls under the limits of Yelahanka police station.

The minister and his associates have been accused of trespassing and forcefully trying to evict the victim and her family though the matter of property dispute is pending in court.

A purported video of the Planning and Statistics Minister, who has now been booked under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities Act) 1989 and various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), in circulation on social media shows the minister allegedly abusing and threatening some people.

In the FIR filed on September 10, the victim has alleged that on Saturday, the minister along with some real estate developers and others reached the disputed property at Yelahanka when no one was at home. The minister had come along with 35-40 people in the group. They allegedly barged into the property.

Using JCB, the accused party tried to demolish the building and compound wall on the disputed property. When the victim and her family came to know about the incident, they rushed to the spot. When she and her family members questioned them about their actions, they tried to overpower them and used casteist remarks against them, she alleged in the complaint.

The complainant alleged that they also physically assaulted her daughter and other family members, the FIR added.

“Based on the complaint received, we have registered the FIR. All the allegations are being looked into and the matter is under investigation,” a senior police officer said.

Following the incident, Sudhakar is said to have met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara and discussed the case.

Stating that the land dealing was lawfully done several years ago, the minister said the atrocities case has been filed against him “all of a sudden”. “It is completely false”, he said.

“There is no question of me abusing any caste,” said the minister. “A conspiracy has been hatched against me as I am a minister now. There is law and court and I am open to any inquiry.”

Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has demanded Sudhakar’s resignation, and urged the police to not succumb to any pressure and deal with it as any normal case.

Responding to the allegations, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar called it a false case and ruled out Sudhakar’s resignation.

“It is a private issue. I have checked with Sudhakar and others. It is a false case, nothing has happened, it is a civil dispute. They are trying to misuse the act (Atrocities act) they shouldn’t have done it. It can be misused against anyone tomorrow,” he said.

“Everyone including Sudhakar has to respect the law, officers have explained that it is a false case,” he said.

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has issued a directive to officials in district and taluk centers, emphasizing the importance of working from their respective offices rather than remotely from home. During a meeting with District Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers at the Vidhana Soudha conference hall, the Chief Minister conveyed his message sternly.

Siddaramaiah stressed the need for officials to be physically present in their offices to better serve the public. He voiced his concerns over complaints from citizens, MLAs, and ministers about officials’ unavailability via phone calls. The Chief Minister emphasized that it is essential for officials to be accessible and responsive, regardless of the caller, whether it’s from his office, ministers, MLAs, or the general public.

Furthermore, Siddaramaiah urged that those in public service must possess a compassionate and humane disposition. He cautioned officials against negligence and impertinence, emphasizing that the government’s reputation should not be tarnished due to their actions or inaction.

The Chief Minister addressed the issue of farmer suicides in the state, revealing that 251 cases had been reported, with 174 of them already resolved. He expressed his desire for resolutions and the timely distribution of compensation for the remaining cases. 

Regarding private moneylenders, Siddaramaiah called for vigilant monitoring, especially in drought-affected areas, to ensure farmers are not harassed. He also urged banks to play a proactive role in this regard.

In the health department, the Chief Minister expressed concerns about the unavailability of doctors and the practice of para-medical personnel prescribing medications in lieu of qualified doctors. Siddaramaiah directed doctors to be stationed in their respective centers and address the healthcare needs of the people effectively.

Bengaluru: Former MP VS Ugrappa, during a press conference held at the KPCC office on Queen’s Road in the city, criticized former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy for his political choices, stating that Kumaraswamy had compromised the principles of the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) by forming an alliance with the BJP, a party Ugrappa referred to as “communal.”

Ugrappa accused Kumaraswamy of having no moral values, highlighting that he had joined hands with the BJP despite leading a party that claimed to be secular. He emphasized that while JDS founder Deve Gowda remained committed to his principles, Kumaraswamy had forsaken them for the sake of power.

Regarding the current political landscape in Karnataka, Ugrappa pointed out that both the BJP and JDS were internally divided. He questioned their claims of winning all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies together. Ugrappa also criticized what he saw as misleading tactics during the 2019 elections, alleging that they exploited the Pulwama incident for electoral gains.

With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections approximately eight months away, Ugrappa noted the sense of desperation among opposition parties in Karnataka. He highlighted the absence of an opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly, as well as factionalism within the BJP, causing confusion about its leadership. Additionally, he criticized the lack of an opposition leader in the Legislative Council and the absence of a chief whip.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said the state now is not in a position to release Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, due to lack of rains in the river basin region.

Noting that currently Cauvery water is not flowing to Tamil Nadu from the state, he said Karnataka officials at the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) will make a plea to at least to save water for drinking.

“On the Cauvery issue, our officials are currently participating in the meeting. We have had no rains, there is no water, we will make them (CWMA) aware of this fact. We will tell them there is no water, the situation is difficult to even provide drinking water…please permit us to at least to save water for drinking, this is our plea before the authority,” Shivakumar, who is also the Water Resources Minister, said.

“Water is not going (to Tamil Nadu) now…there is no rain. All of you pray for rain,” he said.

The CWMA had earlier directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cusec water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 29, based on the recommendation of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).

Tamil Nadu has also approached the Supreme Court with a plea to direct Karnataka to release Cauvery water for the standing crops. According to sources, the case may come up before SC next week.

Shivakumar said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his appointment to lead an all-party delegation to discuss with him regarding Cauvery river water dispute and other issues concerning the state. “As soon as we get the appointment we will go.” 

Bengaluru: The All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) disciplinary committee has taken action against Legislative Council member BK Hariprasad, issuing him a show-cause notice. This move comes in response to Hariprasad’s indirect criticisms of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which are believed to have caused embarrassment to both the government and the party.

During a conference held in Bengaluru, Hariprasad had openly criticized Siddaramaiah without explicitly naming him. He raised questions about the Chief Minister’s choice of wearing a Hublot watch, having breakfast at the residence of senior BJP leader L.K. Advani, and accused him of espousing fake socialism.

“The remarks made by Hariprasad had the effect of bringing embarrassment to the Congress party and the state government. Given his seniority within the party, it was expected that such issues would be discussed within the party platform rather than through open statements,” the notice added asserting that in response to these developments, several Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and ministers approached AICC President Mallikarjuna Kharge, requesting action to address the situation.

Hariprasad, had earlier implied that some individuals had complained to the High Command against him to divert attention from their own alleged wrongdoings. The AICC Disciplinary Committee has subsequently issued a notice to Hariprasad, requiring him to respond within a period of 10 days.