Karnataka Congress spokesperson Kavitha Reddy, along with two student activists, spotted Mahesh and started asking him questions.

MANGALURU: On  Friday morning, three social workers confronted Mahesh Vikram Hegde, founder of website Postcard News, at Mangaluru International Airport and urged him to sing ‘Vande Mataram’ to prove his ‘Indian-ness’.

A video of this incident has gone viral on social media. The incident reportedly occurred around 8:15am Friday. Karnataka Congress spokesperson and social worker Kavitha Reddy, along with two student activists, spotted Mahesh while he was waiting to board a flight to Bengaluru.

We were to board an IndiGo flight from Mangaluru. On spotting Mahesh, we approached him and started asking questions politely. It was just a normal conversation. He was smiling for a while, but then he called someone to rescue him from the situation, and fled within less than 10 minutes into the conversation.”

She added, “He abuses everyone through his website. He heckles and abuses women on TV shows. He once tweeted that those who cannot sing Vande Mataram are anti-nationals. So, we wanted to give it back to him politely.”

Student social activists Amulya Leona and Najma Nazeer, who were with Reddy, also confronted Hegde. In the video, they can be heard questioning Hegde, “At what time did Godse kill Gandhi? Do you remember?” “You have been torturing us on Facebook,” one of the women can be heard saying.

Najma Nazeer criticises Hegde, saying that his website spreads fake news. It may be recalled that Hegde has been arrested twice earlier for allegedly spreading fake news. She also told him that the country’s youngsters are losing their lives as they are falling for propaganda. This comes just days after comedian Kunal Kamra heckled editor-in-chief and co-founder of Republic TV Arnab Goswami aboard an IndiGo flight. When TNIE tried to contact Hegde for his comment, he remained unavailable.

My father had done everything to correct him, but he did not show any signs of reform, says younger My father had

MANGALORE: Akshath, the younger brother of Aditya Rao who allegedly planted a bomb at Mangaluru airport, said his family had disowned him (Aditya) a few years ago after he failed to “mend his ways”.

Akshath, who works with a nationalised bank in Mangaluru, said his family involving himself and his father cannot be held responsible for the wrongdoing of his brother. 

“My father had done everything to correct him, but did not show any signs of reform. So we totally disowned him. We are not in touch with him for the past two years in any way,” he said.

The family hails from Manipal. After the death of their mother a year ago, Akshath and his father Krishnamurthy, a retired bank employee, moved to Mangaluru.

According to Akshath, he was not in close contact with Aditya after they had joined different hostels during their high school years.

They used to meet only for family gatherings. Aditya has done his BE and MBA.

Akshath said even when their mother died a year ago, his brother who was then lodged in a Chikkaballapur jail for allegedly making a threat call to Bengaluru airport did not turn up to perform the last rites. He said the family did not even try to bail him out from jail.

Bengaluru: Aditya Rao has a history of triggering panic among security agencies. Rao had been earlier arrested for making hoax bomb calls to airports and also for stealing laptops.

Sources said that Rao, who was denied a security officer’s job at the Bengaluru airport, had allegedly made hoax calls to the airport on two occasions in 2018.

In the first case, he had claimed that he had planted explosives at the airport. In the second, he had claimed that explosives were planted in a plane.

The same year, he had also made similar calls to the City railway station.

The police had traced the unknown caller and had arrested him. Rao had told the police that he had made the calls as the airport had refused to give him a job.

Police records also reveal that he was arrested for stealing laptops in a paying guest accommodation, where he was staying.

“It is surprising that the man tried to make it for real by planting a bomb. He might have wanted to plant a bomb earlier. But, this time he must have mustered enough courage to do it,” an officer said.

Mangaluru: Aditya Rao, the Udupi man who was the prime suspect in Mangaluru Airport Explosives Case and was believed to have kept the bag with explosive at the airport has reportedly surrendered to the police on Wednesday morning.

According to the reports, Aditya surrendered to the police at the office of DGP Nilamani Raju on Wednesday morning at 8.45 am. He has been taken to Halasuru Police Station in the city.

Primary school textbooks for the 2020-21 academic year will see no changes made to the chapters on Tipu Sultan, said Education Minister Suresh Kumar.

BENGALURU: Primary school textbooks for the 2020-21 academic year will see no changes made to the chapters on Tipu Sutan, said Education Minister Suresh Kumar. However, a new committee would be constituted to look into “questionable angles” to Tipu’s history in textbooks from the academic year 2021-22. 

Since the textbook indents were already called for and printing had already begun, and keeping in mind the government’s promise to deliver textbooks before the first day of the academic year, the Tipu content will see no changes, the minister said.

Speaking to reporters on Monday at the SSLC Board office here, Suresh said there were documents provided by MLA Appachu Ranjan that need to be looked into, which record Tipu’s alleged atrocities and injustice in Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Melukote. The committee, which was formed by the Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT), said they needed at least one month to look into the documents.

Kumar said Ranjan’s request could not be dishonoured, and that he was duty-bound when the latter asked for revised content on the ruler. He, however, said that a new committee will be constituted to re-look into the Tipu Sultan issue.

Modi’s book in Kannada now
Exam Warrior, penned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been translated into Kannada by Sahitya Prakashana, a Hubli-based organisation. The department is contemplating ways to distribute the translated version among students across Karnataka, said Kumar. Students from the city as well as from across India, took part in an online interaction with the PM, wherein questions were raised pertaining to board examinations. Modi used the example of Chandrayaan-2 failing to land on the Moon to tell students to treat failure as a stepping stone to future success.

Bomb was destroyed by squad and residue sent to forensic lab; Security beefed up at M’luru and KIA

The bomb that was found at the Mangaluru airport on Monday morning did not reportedly have a timer device, sources told The New Indian Express.

“The bomb was destroyed by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) in a pit in Kenjar. The bomb squad had put a water charge on the bomb and destroyed it in a controlled condition. Soon after the blast, white smoke billowed out of the explosion and people at the site said it smelt of gunpowder,” the officer said.

Gunpowder is used in the preparation of firecrackers and comprises of potassium nitrate, sulphur and powdered carbon.

“Post blast investigation will reveal the actual composition of the bomb and how it was meant to explode. Prima facie it looks like a composition of crude explosives, which could have led to a low-intensity blast,” he said.

The BDDS, Mangaluru is analysing the bomb residue, which will be sent to Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Bengaluru for forensic analysis.

“The intention of the perpetrators was to create damage to the airport building because it has a glass facade, which would ultimately lead to panic among the passengers and others, who were present there. It was not a hoax bomb,” the officer added.

The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Bilal Ali Shah questioning the cancellation of Tipu Jayanti.

BENGALURU: The state government on Monday informed the Karnataka High Court that it requires eight weeks time to reconsider its decision on cancelling Tipu Jayanti celebrations and take a fresh call. Accordingly, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Hemant Chandangoudar granted time till March 18, 2020. 

The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Bilal Ali Shah questioning the cancellation of Tipu Jayanti. In the affidavit filed before the court, the Kannada and Culture Department has stated that the state government is actively examining all available literature and material in the matter, which is vast and intensive. Due to this, and because the period in question traces back to more than 300 years, it is taking time to examine all material in order to pass a fresh order, it said.  

“The state is also in the process of tracing the orders, if any, and recording decisions to celebrate Jayantis of eminent personalities. This process is also very time-consuming,” the department said.  On November 6, 2019, the court had directed the state to reconsider its decision and take a fresh call after considering all  the material.

CCTV footage showed a man who arrived in an autorickshaw keeping the bag on a chair before leaving the spot.

MANGALURU: Tension gripped Mangalore Airport on Monday after a suspicious and unattended bag was found abandoned at the airport’s ticket counter near the entrance. 

The bomb squad, which was pressed into action, undertook a detailed check of the bag. A wired device, suspected to be a bomb, was said to be found inside the bag. However, the police is yet to confirm it. CCTV footage showed a man who arrived in an autorickshaw keeping the bag on a chair before leaving the spot.

The suspicious material has been placed into a bomb defusal vehicle with high alert being sounded in the airport and all vehicles entering the airport being checked. City police commissioner PS Harsha is monitoring the situation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Bengaluru, said that when Hindu dharma was in danger, it was Adi Shankaracharya who gave it a big push and revamped it.

BENGALURU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Bengaluru, said that when Hindu dharma was in danger, it was Adi Shankaracharya who gave it a big push and revamped it. Many of his teachings are relevant even today, said the Home Minister, who stayed away from any political talk on the dias. Shah attended a mass chanting of Vivekadeepini by schoolchildren, written by Shankaracharya, on Saturday.

Speaking at the occasion, Shah, who has been seen spreading awareness on the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) and other issues, was seen calm and composed as he spoke about Shankaracharya’s work. “In one lifetime, Shankaracharya did so much. He died early, but travelled across the country seven times by foot. He established Sharada Peeta at four different places to spread awareness one Hindu dharma. During that time, Hindu dharma was in danger, but because of one person, it stayed strong,’’ he said. 

Shah told children that whoever learns Vivekadeepini will not follow “a bad path, that is the beauty of our culture.” Through Kendra Sahitya Academi, the Union government is translating Vivekadeepini into 24 languages to reach more people, he said. “After many years, we are in a proud state to tell the entire world look at us, we have so much to give you,’’ he said. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for flying our cultural flag across the globe.  

Meanwhile, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, speaking at the occasion, said that the BJP government has already given a nod to schools to teach Vivekadeepini, and that many schools have already started teaching it from June 2019 onwards.

 City police have made elaborate security arrangements at Palace Grounds, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend an event on Saturday.

BENGALURU: City police have made elaborate security arrangements at Palace Grounds, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend an event on Saturday. Over 1,400 policemen have been deployed for bandobast.Shah will attend the Viveka Deepini Convention on the grounds. Over one lakh people are expected to take part in the event. In view of protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the city, police have placed tight security measures in place for the event. 

As many as 1,487 police personnel has been deployed for security. The police conducted a rehearsal of the security to be in place on Friday. All officers have been instructed to carry service revolvers and pistols with them. Other policemen have been directed to wear helmet and body protectors and carry lathis.

“All those attending the event will be thoroughly frisked and anti-sabotage checks will be conducted at the venue. Besides, 12 KSRP and CAR platoons, a SWAT vehicle, a rapid intervention vehicle and a command and control vehicle will be deployed as security measure,” an official said.

Traffic snarls expected near Palace Grounds
As Shah’s convoy will take the road from Kempegowda International Airport, traffic snarls are expected on the stretch. It is adviced that those who want to go to the airport leave early or take the following route: 
South Bengaluru to Airport: Basaveshwara Circle—Old High Grounds Police Station Junction—T Chowdaiah Road—Windsor Manor Junction —Cauvery Theatre Junction—Bashyam Circle—Jeevaraj Alva Road—Sadashivanagar police station junction—New BEL Road—Hebbal flyover—and proceed furtherEast Bengaluru to Airport: MG Road—Kamaraj road—Thom’s Cafe—Wheeler Road—ITC Bridge—MS Nagar—IOC Bridge—Banasawadi Main Road—ORR—Hennur Ring Road—Nagawara Junction—Thanisandra Main Road—Hegde Nagar—Kattigehalli—Bagalur Cross—and proceed further. 

This comes after Bar announced its members would not appear for her, as she displayed a ‘Free Kashmir’ placard 

MYSURU: A few days after Mysuru Bar Association made an announcement that none of its members would appear for Nalini Balakumar, who is facing sedition charges for holding a ‘Free Kashmir’ placard during a protest at the University of Mysore recently, support has begun pouring in for the beleaguered woman and other students from several advocates.

In a statement, senior advocates from across the state said that they are ready to represent Nalini and other students who are booked in the case, and help them by providing necessary legal assistance. Offering to appear in court to represent Nalini and the other students who are booked under IPC sections 34 and 124A (sedition), the advocates stated: “Every person has the fundamental and constitutional right to be represented in a court of law.”

“As senior advocates, we are ready to represent the accused in court and provide her necessary legal assistance. So, students are requested not to worry and concentrate on their academics,” the statement says, undersigned by senior advocates CS Dwarakanath, S Shankarappa, KN Jagadeesh Mahadevu, BT Venkatesh, JD Kashinath, Srinivasa Kumar and R Jagannatha, among others. On Wednesday, a group of advocates from Bengaluru issued a statement calling the Mysuru Bar Association’s decision a blatant attack on the ideals of the Constitution.