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Budget is like ‘seedless peanut,’ says Karnataka Congress

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Bengaluru: Terming the Central budget as a seedless peanut’, the Congress in Karnataka on Wednesday claimed that it has nothing to offer to the people, especially for the State.

In a set of tweets, the party came down heavily on the ruling BJP in the State for “not getting Rs 23,000 crore for the Upper Bhadra project as it settled for a mere Rs 5,300 crore,” as announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the budget.

It also took a dig at the budget for “doing nothing” for farmers in Karnataka.

“The Central government’s budget is like a “seedless peanut”! This budget is similar to the ‘white crow’ called ‘Rs 20-lakh crore package’!”

There is no hope for the youth who are desperate for employment, the Congress alleged.

It also flayed the BJP at the Centre for “not coming out with any action plan to control price rise.”

“The Central government has belied the expectations of people who were hoping that their suffering will reduce,” the party said.

The Congress slammed the Karnataka unit of the ruling BJP which it said calls itself a “double- engine government”.

It sought to know why Karnataka got “nothing” in the Central budget and why only a “meagre” Rs 5,300 crore has been allocated for the Bhadra Upper Bank Project, which requires Rs 23,000 crore.

It also wondered why Mekedatu and Mahadayi schemes did not find any mention.

The party also took a dig at the budget for not mentioning anything about the capital- intensive suburban rail project in the State.

“The deadline for the work of the suburban train is coming to an end. For the Rs 18,000- crore project, a paltry sum has been allocated, which shows the Centre’s callous attitude towards Karnataka. BJP definitely has no intention of completing it within the stipulated time- frame,” the party said.

Alleging that Karnataka ranks second in farmer suicides among States in the country, the party asked the BJP State unit as to “what was there for the farmers of the State in the budget.”

“Farmers’ problems will not be solved by catchy terms like agriculture digitisation’. The Prime Minister does not seem to know the fact that crops cannot be grown with digital technology!” the Congress said.

Mukesh Ambani is richest Asian as Adani tumbles out on Hindenburg row

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New Delhi: Ports-to-energy tycoon Gautam Adani has tumbled on the world’s top billionaire ranking and is no longer the richest Asian or Indian.

Rival business magnate Mukesh Ambani, who was richest Indian before Adani’s eye popping gains in company stock prices catapulted him to top spot in April last year, has regained that position.

Adani, who ranked third richest in the world on the Forbes billionaire list just a week back, dropped to 15th position on Wednesday as his group stock continued to tumble in the aftermath of a damning report by a US short seller.

Ambani with USD 83.7 billion wealth is ranked No.9 on the list, according to Forbes website.

Adani, who has seen all of the USD 44 billion wealth gain he made last year vanish in one week, was ranked on 15th position with USD 75.1 billion wealth.

Since US-based short-seller Hindenburg in its January 24 report alleged that the group was “engaged in a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades”, Adani companies have lost USD 90 billion market value.

Adani group has dismissed the charges as lies, saying it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements. It called the Hindenburg report baseless and has threatened to sue the short seller.

The drop in rank comes a day after the Adani group managed to muster support from investors for a Rs 20,000 crore share sale for flagship firm Adani Enterprises despite the trading price of the stock being lower than the offer price.

Shares of Adani Enterprises plunged 30 per cent on Wednesday while Adani Power fell 5 per cent, Adani Total Gas slumped 10 per cent and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone dropped 20 per cent.

Adani Total Gas, a joint venture with France’s TotalEnergie, has been the biggest casualty of the short seller report, as it has lost about USD 27 billion in market capitalisation.

K’taka HC gives Bengaluru Metro two weeks to respond on pillar collapse accident

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Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday ordered issuing of notices to Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and others in a public interest litigation taken on its own over the death of two persons due to the collapse of an under-construction metro pillar here.

The BMRCL was given two weeks’ time to respond to the court.

The state government, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the BMRCL chief engineer and Nagarjuna Construction Company Limited are the other respondents in the case.

The High Court had initiated the suo-moto (on its own) PIL on January 13 following the death of software engineer Tejaswini and her two-year-old son when the pillar pier collapsed on the two-wheeler they were travelling in, near Hennur main road in the city on January 10.

The division bench of Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty heard the petition that the court had itself directed the Registrar General to initiate.

While initiating the PIL earlier this month, the High Court had said it was taking cognisance of news reports about the incident. “These news items prompted us to take cognisance of the incident referred to wherein there is an unfortunate death of a lady and toddler son at the condition of roads, the issue raises concern and question for the public at large.”

Meanwhile, the BMRCL had suspended three engineers and issued notices to its contractor Nagarjuna Construction Company. The police had booked nine persons including officials of BMRCL.

Scandal-hit BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi holds long meeting with CM Bommai

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Scandal-hit BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi holds long meeting with CM Bommai

Bengaluru: A day after accusing Congress state president D K Shivakumar of being involved in a conspiracy behind the sex scandal that led to his resignation as minister in 2021, BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi on Tuesday held a lengthy discussion with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, sources said.

Jarkiholi had on Monday demanded that the sex scandal case should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation as a “big racket” is involved in which politicians and bureaucrats are honey trapped and blackmailed.

Calling for the arrest of the young woman in the case and her accomplices including two people from Mandya, the BJP MLA had charged that Shivakumar was behind the scandal.

“Today, Ramesh Jarkiholi had a long meeting with the Chief Minister. He met him at his residence for 10 minutes, then travelled with him in the flight till Hubballi,” sources close to the Chief Minister told PTI.

The sources also said the meeting revolved mainly around the sex scandal and the alleged role of Shivakumar and a few others from Belagavi district.

Jarkiholi had insisted that the case should be handed over to the CBI for thorough investigation. It was not clear whether the Chief Minister heeded to the demand.

In a press conference on Monday, Jarkiholi had claimed that there are at least 120 sleaze video clippings available involving various officers and politicians who are being blackmailed.

He said the issue is very serious and the government should get it investigated by the premier investigation agency.

Another senior Executive of NDTV resigns after 23 years of service, second big resignation today

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Another senior Executive of NDTV resigns after 23 years of service, second big resignation today

New Delhi: The series of resignations at the Adani-acquired NDTV doesn’t seem to halt at the moment as another senior executive of the channel Kawaljit Singh Bedi announced his resignation on late Tuesday evening.

The announcement came hours after reports of the Executive Editor of the channel Nidhi Razdan’s resignation came out.

In a tweet, Bedia wrote “You and I have memories. Longer than the road that stretches out ahead. 23 years and some change. Time to say goodbye. Thank you @ndtv”

NDTV has been marred with a series of resignations ever since the Adani group took over the channel earlier in December last year.

Journalist Ravish Kumar and NDTV Group president Suparna Singh are among others who quit. NDTV founders Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy also left the company’s board in December 2022.

On December 30, the Adani group said it has acquired a 27.26% equity stake in NDTV from the Roys, founders of the news broadcaster. A week before that, the NDTV board also appointed two nominee directors of the richest Asian Gautam Adani-run conglomerate on the board – Sanjay Pugalia and Senthil Sinniah Chengalvarayan.

Uma Bharti links crime against women in MP to drinking

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Uma Bharti links crime against women in MP to drinking
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Uma Bharti

Bhopal: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Uma Bharti on Tuesday sought to link rise in cases of crime against women in Madhya Pradesh, ruled by her party, to consumption of alcohol and pushed for converting liquor outlets which are being operated in violation of rules into cow shelters.

Ending her four-day-long stay at a temple in Bhopal, Bharti announced the launch of “Madhushala Me Gaushala” (cow shelters in place of liquor outlets) programme in support of her demand for a “controlled” liquor policy in the state.

On Saturday afternoon, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister reached a temple located near a liquor shop in Ayodhya Nagar trisection of the state capital and announced she will stay there till January 31, awaiting announcement of a new liquor policy by the government.

She ended her four-day-long stay at the temple on Tuesday as the state government has delayed its liquor policy announcement.

Addressing the media here, Bharti claimed a liquor shop located near the famous Ram Raja Sarkar temple at Orchha in Niwari district, located around 350km from Bhopal, was illegal.

“Without waiting for the liquor policy, I will start converting liquor shops, which are being run in contravention of rules, into cow shelters,” she said.

Bharti said she has told people to arrange 11 cows to be put up outside the “illegal” liquor shop in Orchha.

“Will see who dares to stop me… will feed these cows and arrange water for them at the liquor shop,” said the former Union minister.

Governments are being formed in the name of Lord Ram, but a liquor shop has been allowed to come up near the Ram Raja Sarkar temple in Orchha, she said.

Quoting an unnamed report, Bharti said the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh is leading in crime against women and liquor consumption was one of the reasons for this disturbing trend.

Bharti said the BJP is winning elections due to the “magic” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“People have the choice to elect good or bad people in a democracy When one has a choice between bad and very bad, the people elect the bad, which is not an achievement… Forming a government is not a big deal but the big thing is to develop a healthy society and ensure protection of women and the future of children,” the BJP leader maintained.

She alleged a section of the BJP has been trolling her over her drive against liquor consumption and linking it to her political ambitions.

Bharti said she has held the post of CM, served as a Union minister and now only the position of Prime Minister is left to be achieved, but very few politicians can occupy that top office.

“Will I get that post (of PM) due to liquor prohibition agitation? A section of the BJP is spreading such things,” she said.

Bharti also threatened that she will start now revealing what the ministers, MPs and MLAs talk to her during as such people are continuously meeting her.

The senior BJP leader said during a meeting with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the latter agreed to her suggestion to come out with a “controlled” liquor policy.

Earlier, addressing a gathering, Bharti claimed women don’t want schemes like the recently announced Ladli Bahina Yojana (targeted at women from financially weaker section) but they instead want a controlled liquor policy.

Bharti said women roam freely at night in Gujarat like “lioness of Gir” and eat ‘bhelpuri’ (a street snack) at midnight because prohibition is in force in the adjoining state.

Imam killed as wall of mosque collapses in UP’s Muzaffarnagar

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Muzaffarnagar (UP): A wall of a mosque collapsed killing an imam in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Tahir Kasmi, 60, the general secretary of Muzaffarnagar City Jamiat Ulema Hind.

The wall of the mosque in the Kotwali police station area of the district collapsed Tuesday evening, trapping the imam under the debris.

He was taken to a hospital where doctor pronounced him dead on arrival, Kotwali police station SHO Mahaveer Singh said.

400 companies of central forces to be deployed in Tripura for assembly polls

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Agartala: A total of 400 companies of central forces will be deployed in Tripura to ensure free and fair assembly elections later this month, a senior police officer on Wednesday.

Elections to the 60-member assembly will be held on February 16.

“Around 200 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be arriving here by first week of February for area domination, patrolling and flag march apart from counter insurgency operations,” Assistant Inspector General (Law & Order) Jyotishman Das Chowdhury said.

“In total, 400 companies of central forces will be deployed in the state to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections. This will be in addition to the state’s own security personnel and BSF jawans who guard the India-Bangladesh border,” the officer said.

Out of the 3,328 polling booths, 1,100 have been categorised as sensitive’ and 28 were identified as critical’, he said.

“A special drive for vehicle checking has been launched and so far 11,000 vehicles have been inspected,” Chowdhury said.

Contraband worth Rs 5.89 crore has been seized by security forces in the last few weeks, he said, adding, firearms were also recovered by the law enforcement agencies.

The Election Commission has already launched a Zero Poll Violence’ campaign in the northeastern state.

In the last assembly elections in 2018, 300 companies of central forces were deployed in Tripura.

AAP sets agenda for Karnataka assembly polls, to, fight all 224 seats

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AAP Logo, Aam Aadmi Party

BENGALURU: Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi on Tuesday said her party is setting the agenda for the upcoming Karnataka assembly election with BJP promising ‘Namma Clinic’ on the lines of Delhi’s Mohalla Clinics and Congress promising 200 units of free electricity as has been implemented in the national capital.

The party will fight in all the 224 assembly constituencies across the state in the election, which is less than three months away, and the list of candidates would be announced in the first week of March, the AAP leader said at a press conference here.

The party leader said people do not want a “copycat version of the Delhi model of governance and want the original”. Hence, the party has decided to fight the election in Karnataka with all its vigour.

She said the BJP and the Congress are “poor copycats in implementing schemes”.

While the saffron party has been in power for the past three-and-half years, it is only at the brink of assembly polls that it is promising to implement the ‘Namma Clinics’ based on the Mohalla Clinic model of Delhi, she claimed.

“If you (BJP) were serious about providing high-quality healthcare, why has it not been done all these years? It goes to show that a copycat is only a copycat,” Atishi charged.

She wondered why the BJP made a promise of 24,000 classes under the ‘Viveka’ scheme in Karnataka at the end of its tenure.

“My question is why they were not built in the last five years. You (BJP) have been in power, you had the budget and yet you have not built them,” Atishi sought to know.

The AAP leader said the Congress is promising 200 units of free electricity if voted to power, which is similar to AAP’s scheme, which has already been implemented in Delhi.

She challenged the Congress that the people of Karnataka will believe the party’s promise of free electricity if it gives free electricity in the states where it is in power such as Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh before the date of the Karnataka assembly election.

Regarding the Janata Dal (Secular), she said the party is now talking about high-quality education.

“You can see that the entire election agenda of the Karnataka state assembly election has been set by the AAP because people want change as they are tired of corruption,” said the AAP MLA, representing Kalkaji in Delhi.

“The AAP has shown that they can bring high-quality education, high-quality healthcare, and they can give 200 units of free electricity to the people and that is the reason people are gravitating towards our party,” Atishi pointed out.

The party will contest all 224 seats and there was a tremendous response on the ground, the AAP leader said. “I urge the people of Karnataka to choose an honest party, which has delivered its promises,” she said.

Congress kicks off Siddu poll campaign with lunch in Karnataka

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KOLAR: Kicking off its election campaign, the Congress laid out a non-vegetarian meal for Vokkaliga leaders and prominent persons from the community in the Kolar assembly segment. It was the first such meeting for Vokkaliga leaders, with former minister Krishna Byre Gowda, MLA K Srinivasa Gowda, K Y Nanje Gowda, MLC Anil Kumar and former Chintamani MLA Dr Sudhakar appealing to voters to support Siddaramaiah in the upcoming election.

The meeting was held on the outskirts of Vemgal and chaired by Congress leaders from the Vokkaliga community. The meeting could also be the first such in Kolar by the Congress. Those who addressed the meeting targeted the JDS, particularly the Deve Gowda family, claiming that they are keen to promote their family interests and were not in favour of Vokkaligas. Instead of choosing a Vokkaliga leader for the Mandya election, the party fielded Kumaraswamy’son Nikhil, they claimed.

The leaders said that Kolar MLA K Srinivasa Gowda, who won on a JDS ticket and has joined the Congress, was neglected, his seniority was forgotten, and so was his contribution to the party. They appealed to the gathering to ensure support for the Congress in the upcoming election and elect Siddaramaiah, which will benefit the entire district.

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