BENGALURU: After Delhi and Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has cast its eye on Karnataka, ahead of the 2023 assembly polls, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealing to the people to vote for the party promising zero-corruption governance.

Speaking at the farmers’ rally organised by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) faction headed by Kodihalli Chandrashekar at National College Grounds here on Thursday, Kejriwal trained his guns on the BJP, terming it a “rioters’ party”. 

“The entire country knows which party is behind the riots happening across the country. If there is any party for ‘goondas’, it is BJP,” he stated. He alleged that the BJP leadership is supporting rapists and killers of farmers, pointing to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident where four farmers were mowed down by Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra. 

I can give better schools, free healthcare: Kejriwal

“Instead of punishing them, the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership is not only protected them but also rewarded the father with a ministerial berth. A leader accused in a minor girl’s rape incident was taken out in a ‘shobha yatra’,” he said. Kejriwal maintained that though he did not know how to do politics, he knew how to construct better schools, give free healthcare, power, water and free rides for women in government buses in Delhi. “It is possible because we are honest to the core (kattar imandari). Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to acknowledge it as raids by CBI, Delhi Police and IT department on myself, my cabinet ministers and MLAs proved futile,” he remarked. 

Impressed by the huge gathering, he gave a call to farmers of the country to join AAP to bring about a change in their lives, and also the country. “The BJP was egoistic so it did not repeal the anti-farmer laws until the farmers came on to the streets of the national capital,” Kejriwal said, drawing a parallel to Ravana’s ego in the epic Ramayana, when he did not heed the advice of his well-wishers and wife. 

He listed out his government’s achievements in Delhi, especially modern schools which attracted 4 lakh children from private schools, and termed it “magic”. After former IPS officer Bhaskar Rao joined AAP a few weeks ago, Kodihalli Chandrashekar jumped on board and KRRS too has turned to the party, giving it a breakthrough in Karnataka.

BENGALURU: Over 6.8 lakh second PU students across the State were seen excited to take regular exams in the post-pandemic situation, which began at 5241 centers on Friday. 

At the last hour, one of the hijab petitioners, Aliya Assadi from Government PU College for Women in Udupi collected her hall ticket and arrived at Vidyodaya PU College in Udupi to write the exam. Another hijab petitioner, Reshab, also from the same college, appeared to write the exam at the same centre. Both of them insisted that they will write the exam with their hijab. They were sent back from the exam centre by the exam-in-charge after waiting till 10.45 am. Hijab petitioners refused to speak to the media.

Meanwhile, teachers at Government girls junior college at Chitradurga were seen welcoming their students with roses and sweets. Mamatha a parent expressed that having regular exams is important for students to assess their knowledge level in the subject. And students too will have that satisfaction of being rewarded for their real efforts, she said. Monisha a student shared that it is time that their two years of hard work are paid, so she is happy to take up exams, she said.

Students at National College in Basavanagudi in Bengaluru who arrived for the exam were seen being thoroughly screened before they entered the exam centre.

BENGALURU: Two new SARS-CoV-2 mutants, BA.2.10 and BA.2.12, related to the Omicron sub-variant BA.2, have been found in Bengaluru, by INSACOG attached labs. However, sources, requesting anonymity, claimed that the data is too meagre to know the transmissibility features of these sublineages of BA.2. 

“As per GISAID data, we have found BA.2.10 and BA.2.12, both sublineages of BA.2, in a few samples from Bengaluru. However, we need more samples and data to know more on this mutation. It is an alias of B.1.1.529.2.10, lineage from pango designation issue #496,” explained a scientist attached to the lab, seeking anonymity.

Bengaluru Urban has, in the past seven days, reported 300 cases, and the district has 1,428 active cases, according to data shared by the health department on Thursday. Special Commissioner BBMP (Health) Dr K V Thrilok Chandra, after a recent Covid review meeting, said he has no knowledge of any new mutation but has taken measures to ramp up surveillance in the city, to ensure they don’t miss any new variant. 

No need to panic: Expert

Dr Chandra said they have decided to conduct sewage surveillance in all 198 wards of the city. According to him, a high number of Covid-19 cases is coming from Mahadevapura and East Zone of the city, and sewage surveillance data has also corroborated this. However, in all these samples, the Omicron BA.2 variant is dominant, he explained.

The health department may soon increase Covid-19 testing numbers. Randeep D, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare, told “We are being vigilant and will increase testing soon. As of now, though Karnataka still has a Test Positivity Rate of below 1 per cent, Bengaluru on some days reached 1 per cent, but that has not been consistent too.”

Stressing the need for an increase in testing samples, Dr Manjunath CN, nodal officer for testing and member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) said, “This Covid-19 virus seems to have a great memory. In the last three waves, we have seen a rise in cases first in Delhi, then Maharashtra, Kerala and four to six weeks later, Karnataka. The same pattern is being seen now too. This will also be a rapid rise-rapid fall kind of wave. We have to increase testing by at least 10-15 per cent, and tests should be done on all admitted patients, irrespective of medical issue.”

Meanwhile, in Delhi, INSACOG scientists admitted to have found the BA2.12.1 mutant, again a Omicron sublineage of BA.2, which is probably the reason for the current surge. Dr Angelique Coetzee, Chairperson, South African Medical Association, told TNIE, “We have also found the BA2.10 sub-lineage in South Africa, but there is nothing to worry about. The clinical picture is more or less the same as Omicron. There is no need to panic.”

Shivamogga: The airport that is coming up at Sogane near here will be named after former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said on Wednesday.

The airport, with international standard facilities, will be inaugurated in December this year, he said.

“I’m happy to note that our cabinet has decided to name this as B S Yediyurappa airport. We will send it (proposal) to the Civil Aviation Ministry, Government of India. Once approved, we will issue an order naming the airport before it is commissioned,” Bommai said.

He was speaking after inspecting the ongoing airport work at Sogane on the outskirts of the city.

“The airport is currently under UDAN, a clearance from the Airport Authority of India is required, we will obtain it…we will have ATC and night-landing facilities here. The inauguration will happen in December, before that we will complete all the pending work and open it for the public,” he added.

The Shivamogga airport will have the second longest runway in Karnataka after Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.

Shivamogga is the political base of Yediyurappa, he is the MLA from Shikaripura assembly segment in the district, while his elder son B Y Raghavendra is MP from Shivamogga parliamentary constituency.

Stating that the airport will help all-round development of Shivamogga and surrounding areas, Bommai said it will enhance trade and commerce, and tourism in the region.

While the work on Bijapur Airport along with Shivamogga is under progress, Raichur Airport work will begin this year, and Karwar naval airport work is also underway, he added.

Noting that Yediyurappa as CM had conceptualised Shivamogga airport in 2007-08 itself, Bommai said it was approved in 2008 and was given to private players to develop under public-private partnership (PPP) model, but it did not happen.

“Then, the state government decided to put in money and develop the airport involving the Infrastructure Development Department and PWD department,” he said, adding that the Shivamogga airport will have the second longest runway in the state, about 3,200 metres long and can enable an Airbus aircraft to land.

Shivamogga: Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Wednesday indicated that the State government is contemplating strong action against those involved in rioting similar to the situation in Delhi where bulldozers razed down structures allegedly belonging to rioters.

He said he would discuss with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in this regard.

“There is thinking about it, Chief Minister too has said there is thinking on those lines. We will have to take strong action against those involved in riots,” Jnanendra said in response to a question on use of bulldozers in violence-hit areas of Delhi against people who allegedly indulged in rioting.

Speaking to reporters here, he said suitable action would be taken against those who feel that law and rules are not applicable to them.

Bulldozers were used in Delhi to demolish structures in areas of Jahangirpuri, a drive against encroachments which, some allege, was against those into rioting.

Jahangirpuri witnessed violent clashes, arson and firing between two communities during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday. Eight police personnel and a local resident sustained injuries in the clashes.

In response to a question whether the Karnataka government would take a decision in line with Uttar Pradesh, where the administration has ordered againt taking out religious processions without permission, the Home Minister said he would discuss this with Chief Minister Bommai.

“When fair or processions happen, some elements may throw stones from somewhere causing disturbance to peace and order. Uttar Pradesh has taken a decision. I will also speak on this to the Chief Minister,” he added.

Amid violence during festivals in some States, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that no religious procession should be held without permission.

BENGALURU: An early warning system for a surge in Covid cases, developed by researchers from the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Bengaluru, has warned that 12 districts of Karnataka are showing an increase in effective reproduction number of Covid-19 cases, and two districts need immediate focus as they will reach 1,500 cases per million population, in the next 46 and 72 days.

The prediction has warned that Chikkamagaluru will reach 1,500 cases per million population in the next 46 days, and Tumakuru in the next 72 days. Explaining the basis of predictions on the website, the researchers said, “From the daily reported cases, a stable early warning system has been created based on each district’s health infrastructure capacity. It is assumed that health infrastructure capacity in a district is proportional to its population. Hence, the days taken to reach 50 cases per million population and 1,500 cases per million population, has been taken as markers for healthcare infrastructure capacity.”

The aim of this prediction is to provide an early warning to epidemiologists and district authorities. The researchers say the growth rate here is equal to the number of new infections per active infection, per unit time. Which means, the number of cases at the peak is taken as a critical number of cases in the early warning system. This is just another marker for healthcare infrastructure capacity.

“For the current date, we use the model to predict active cases for the next 14 days. If the green curve is shooting upward, then this is an early warning for the district,” they said. As per data, in Chikkamagaluru, the R-value is expected to go up to 2.54, with growth rate of 0.243, and days taken to increase to 1,500 active cases per million population (10 lakh people) is 56. For Tumakuru, the R-value is expected to go up to 1.21 with growth rate of 0.207, and days taken is 49 to reach 1,500 per million population. They have also warned other districts where the R-value is expected to grow. These districts are predicted to reach 1,500 active cases per million population in less than 100 days.  

BENGALURU: The NIA on Saturday filed a supplementary chargesheet before a special court here against three people for their alleged involvement in radicalising and recruiting gullible Muslim youth into the ISIS terrorist group.

Muhammad Tauqir Mahmood and Zohaib Manna of Bengaluru, and Mohammed Shihab of Bhatkal in Karnataka have been charged under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the spokesperson said.

The case was registered by the NIA in September 2020 after examination of Dr Abdur Rahman in a case of the Islamic State Khorasan Province which led to unravelling of an ISIS module, the official said.

During this, names of various people responsible for radicalising and funding the visits of Muslim youth from Bengaluru and Karnataka to ISIS areas such as Syria, had emerged, the spokesperson said.

The NIA had earlier filed a chargesheet against two accused in the case.

Mahmood and Manna were involved in radicalising and recruiting gullible Muslim youth into the fold of the ISIS through a “Quran Circle” group, according to the spokesperson.

They were also involved in raising and receiving funds to finance the visit of radicalised Muslim youth to Syria, the NIA official said.

Mahmood and Shihab had earlier visited Syria illegally to establish connection with ISIS terrorists, the spokesperson said, adding that further investigation in the case continues.

As the three main parties in Karnataka — BJP, Congress and JDS — face the looming Assembly polls that are likely to be held early next year, each one is doing so from the basis of its own predicament

It is well known that a house divided falls like a pack of cards, and no other party faces as many internal divisions as Congress in Karnataka. Its rivals have joked: “The biggest enemy of the Congress is the Congress itself !” There are several factions and they are led by Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, KH Muniyappa, HK Patil, BK Hariprasad and Dr G Parameshwara. The recent polls in five states left Congress unit in Karnataka demoralised as it feared that the same recurring here in the 2023 Assembly polls if they do not unitedly fight the opponents instead of fighting each other. Congress’ bungling over the Youth Congress leadership issue, torn between two groups even among the younger generation of the party — one led by Raksha Ramaiah and other by Mohammed Nalapad — brought the ugly divisions to the fore. Unless the leadership is clearly fixed and everyone remains accountable, Congress could fall apart, like in Punjab.

Congress was forced on the backfoot on issues of hijab, halal, and ban on Muslim traders at temples. It finally got an opportunity in the form of “40-per-cent corruption” issue on a platter. Though critics argue that “lethargic” Congress did not exploit the complaints by contractors’ associations in two back-to-back legislative sessions, the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil provided fresh ammunition. Shivakumar said for the upcoming 2023 polls they will focus on the failures of this government on all fronts — corruption, unemployment, price rise and Covid failure. Congress’ rivals had mocked at the party over night-long protest in the House seeking Eshwarappa’s resignation over the national flag issue and failing. Also, when Eshwarappa did resign on Friday evening, the ex-minister’s supporters stressed that he did so by his own will and not due to Congress pressure and demands for his resignation.

BJP: consolidating its hindu votes

Less than a year away from the Assembly polls, ruling BJP has started preparations well before the rival parties. The party organisations and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai are trying to work in tandem to further increase the momentum after BJP won four out of five states. The party has clarified that there are no plans of going for early elections, nor any more changes in leadership, and has shifted gears into the poll mode. Karnataka BJP leaders, in four teams, are touring the state to galvanise workers and popularise welfare and development programmes of both state and Union governments. Party insiders feel preparations started with the change in leadership of Lingayat strongman BS Yediyurappa being replaced by another Lingayat Basavaraj Bommai nine months ago. Bommai initially staggered and struggled to bring some seniors on his side, and is yet to take control of the administration to bring in a clean and transparent government to enhance the party’s image.

The low-profile Bommai’s imaginative budget had earned appreciation with some welfare programmes targeting all sections — including Vidaynidhi, a scholarship programme for children of farmers which is to be extended to children of fishermen and weavers; reintroduction of Yashaswini health scheme; additional Jayadeva and Kidwai hospital units; financial assistance to pourakarmikas, Dalits and others; and a manufacturing unit in North Karnataka region. The hijab row, the halal issue and the call to boycott Muslim traders turned out to be a blessing in disguise for BJP when the Congress itself was appearing to regain its lost ground by taking up Mekedatu padayatra and price rise issues. The principal opposition parties’ stand on hijab issue and support to some of the outfits to observe bandh against the High Court verdict was a windfall for BJP as vast sections of Hindus consolidated behind the party.

JDS: facing an existential crisis

Elections after elections, JDS is known to face the crisis of its existence and retaining its identity as a regional party to be reckoned with. Evidently, it has started all-out efforts to impress upon the people of the state, especially in the old Mysuru region. After holding a brainstorming workshop ‘Janata Parva’, also aimed at identifying the alternative candidates for those who are ready to quit the party, party supremo HD Deve Gowda sounded the poll bugle by launching the ‘Gangajala Ratha Yatra’ as part of the ‘Janata Jaladhare’ programme to showcase his contribution to the irrigation sector in the state. The 15 decorated buses with LCD screens dispatched in different directions will create awareness.

Since 2004, the party has experienced upheavals as stalwarts like Siddaramaiah quit the party along with his supporters and joined Congress. Yet JDS, which has the strong backing of Vokkaligas, managed to make an impression and become a kingmaker. With a poor track record of retaining stalwarts and their supporters in its ranks, the party is likely to merely play a role of “kingmaker” again. After Siddaramaiah, wi th some key leaders — including GT Deve Gowda, Srinivas Gowda, SR Srinivas, among others — leaving the party in the Old Mysuru region, it may get difficult (almost impossible) for the party to realise its ambitious plan of getting 123 seats in the Assembly polls, and might just limit itself to helping either BJP or Congress in their Assembly seat equations. Many leaders in the region have started identifying with Siddaramaiah as a leader who can fight for the farmers’ cause. For instance, when the state government failed to procure ragi, former MLC YSV Datta approached Siddaramaiah instead of Kumaraswamy — enough evidence of JDS men losing trust in their leaders.

BENGALURU: Accusing the opposition Congress of wanting to be investigator, prosecutor and judge in the case relating to civil contractor Santosh Patil’s death, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday dismissed allegations of interference by his government in the investigation.

“Santosh Patil’s suicide is being investigated, postmortem has been done, FSL (forensic science laboratory) report will come. On the basis of it, what has happened will be scientifically known,” Bommai said in response to Congress’ questioning, as to why Eshwarappa has not been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Speaking to reporters here, he recalled that during Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s tenure in K J George (former Minister) case, the police, despite having video allegations against him and the death note, did not mention his name in the FIR, and there was an attempt to shut the case, and the court had to issue an order, when the deceased police officer M K Ganapathy’s family approached it.

“But, we have filed FIR (in Santosh Patil case) as per the complaint and accordingly the investigation is on…based on the progress of investigation, further sections may be added, let the investigation happen,” he added.

M K Ganapathy, who was Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mangaluru, had allegedly killed himself at a lodge in Kodagu on July 7, 2016.

In a video message before suicide, he had named the then Home Minister K J George, and two top IPS officers responsible for his extreme step.

Congress wants to be an investigator, prosecutor and judge in the contractor’s suicide case and it cannot happen, Bommai said, adding that people are aware how the national party shut several cases while in power.

“When, what section has to be invoked, what provisions, will happen as per law. The government has in no way interfered. Just because I brought out what they (Congress) in during the George case, they have accused me of giving a certificate (of innocence to Eshwarappa), did I give a certificate?” he said.

There is law and investigation will take place in accordance with it, he said, the veracity of the investigation will be analysed in the court, when the charge sheet is submitted.

Accusing the state government and Bommai of trying to protect Eshwarappa, the Congress on Friday had demanded his arrest and that a case be registered against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The opposition party also urged that an impartial investigation be conducted by the police under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Karnataka High Court.

Noting that Congress is going on a statewide protest against corruption, as though they are very clean handed, Bommai said, “people are aware of what Congress is, let them first calculate the number of skeletons of corruption in their cupboard…they are trying to set a narrative, we will place before the people about their corruptions.”

Asked whether the Santosh Patil suicide cases will be handed over to CID or other agency for further probe, he said, “Let the preliminary inquiry happen first, based on the need, we will decide.”

Santosh Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, was found dead at a hotel in Udupi on Tuesday, weeks after accusing Eshwarappa, who is also a senior BJP leader, of corruption.

In a purported suicide note in the form of a WhatsApp message, Patil had blamed Eshwarappa for his death.

Patil last month complained to Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh and also BJP central leaders stating that he was yet to be paid Rs four crore for road works undertaken in Hindalga village and had accused Eshwarappa’s aides of demanding 40 percent commission for the release of the payment.

BELUR: Depicting communal harmony, amid the row over the ban on non- Hindus to set up stalls during the famous Channakeshava Car festival in Belur, the chariot carrying the idol of Lord Channakeshava was pulled after a muslim cleric read a few versus from the Quran in front of the chariot.

Thousands of devotees from various parts of the district and state witnessed the car festival in Belur on Wednesday.

The idol of Lord Channakeshava installed on the chariot was  pulled by the devotees led by Belur MLA K S Lingesh after Syed Basha Khadri, a muslim cleric, recited a few verses from the Quran in front of the chariot.

Following the direction of priests- Krishnaswamy Bhat and Srinivasa Bhat, devotees started pulling the chariot at exactly 11:20 am. Earlier, a group of priests performed rituals continuously for many hours. As per tradition, devotees showered plantains, davana and flowers on the chariot.

The temple had arranged prasadam, Kosumbari and Panaka. Additional deputy commissioner Kavita Rajaram and temple executive officer were present.