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State waives off interest on medium, long term loans of farmers

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H S Mahadeva Prasad

Bengaluru: The State government has waived the interest on medium and long-term loans borrowed by farmers from cooperative banks for the financial year 2015-16.

However, the government has rejected to waive off the loans amount itself.

Cooperation Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad on Wednesday in Bengaluru said that the government has also allowed farmers to defer for an year the repayment of loan installments for the said period.

The minister said the government has directed cooperative banks not to issue notices to farmers to repay loan installments and interest for the current year. The interest amount of Rs 296.52 crore is being borne by the government.

A total of 2.13 lakh farmers have obtained medium and long term loans to the tune of Rs 2,300 crore from cooperative institutions over the last few years and as many as 21 lakh farmers are paying zero interest to cooperative banks as they have raised loan only within Rs 3 lakh. Since 95 per cent of these farmers have repaid the loan, the Minister said that the question of waiving off interest did not arise.

(Agencies)

Land scam: HDK demands Minister Deshpande’s resignation

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Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: JDS Karnataka unit president H D Kumaraswamy today sought resignation of Industries Minister R V Deshpande for “illegally” acquiring reserved forest land near here.

He threatened that if Deshpande does not resign in the next ten days, he would file petition before the Green Bench against cabinet ministers including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Kumaraswamy had alleged last week that Deshpande and 49 others had illegally acquired vast tracts of reserved forest land near here.

“Last week, I had released government documents, exposing Deshpande’s illegal acquisition of forest land in the city.

The Chief Minister so far has not taken any action in this regard. If he continues to protect the minister I will file a petition before the Green Bench against him, Revenue Minister Srinivasa Prasad, Forest Minister Ramanath Rai and Deshpande,” Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

The former chief minister had tabled documents to support his claims of a “land scam.” He had claimed that government was proposing to fix the guideline value of land at Rs 22,000 per sq feet and once that was done the value of the “scam” would be more than Rs 14,000 crore.

Kumaraswamy had alleged that these people, including Deshpande, had “illegally” acquired more than 177.28 acres in Jakkur-Allasandra plantation village, which was declared Reserved Forest in 1940 by erstwhile Mysore Government.

Replying to a query, Kumaraswamy said: “Siddaramaiah, government and BJP are silent over the issue … they are silent because I suspect they also must have illegally acquired the reserved forest land.”

Kumaraswamy said the scam was brought to the notice of the government by chief conservator of forests by writing a letter to the government, seeking an inquiry.

The Chief Minister, after forming the government, had promised strict action against land grabbers, but so far no action had been taken, he said.

“Whose interest or whom are the Chief Minister protecting – the land-grabbers or poor people, who are the rightful beneficiaries of government land to build houses. The Chief Minister should respond immediately,” Kumaraswamy said.

Deshpande had denied the charge linking him last week and argued that it was not possible for anybody to purchase reserved forest land.

“Is it possible to purchase land declared as reserved forest? It is not possible. I request Kumaraswamy to review his allegations against me,” he had said.

(PTI)

Karnataka bandh demanding Kalasa-Banduri canal project hits normal life

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Karnataka bandh

Bengaluru: Normal life was affected in the IT city and other parts of Karnataka today following a 12-hour statewide bandh called by several pro-Kannada outfits demanding implementation of Kalasa-Banduri canal project, over which state government has locked horns with neighbouring Goa.

With various public transport unions supporting the bandh, buses were not plying, while availability, of auto-rickshaws and taxis remained scarce.

People coming to the city from far of places were seen stranded at bus stands and railway stations following non-availability of buses to reach their destination. They even alleged taxis and auto rickshaws of overcharging.

Incidents of ‘rail roko’ were reported at Mysuru, Hassan, Hubballi, Dharwad and Tumkuru stations.

Some private schools and colleges had declared a holiday. Education Department has also declared holiday at several places.

Vatal Nagaraj, president of ‘Kannada Okkoota’, under whose leadership the bandh has been called said, “Calling for bandh was necessary to protect the interests of people of Karnataka.” Alleging MP’s across party lines failed to raise the issue in Parliament, he demanded their resignation.

The bandh was supported by several trade unions as well as Kannada film industry. A ‘massive’ protest march has been organised in the city as part of the bandh.

The Kalasa-Banduri Nala (diversion) project, which will utilise 7.56 tmcft of water from the inter-state Mahadayi river, is being undertaken by Karnataka to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag.

It involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river, to divert 7.56 TMC to Malaprabha river which supplies drinking water needs of the twin cities.

Protests are on by several organisations and farmers across districts of North Karnataka demanding implementation of Kalasa-Banduri project.

The protest has intensified since an all-party delegation lead by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi which turned out to be “inconclusive.”

As few senior Congress leaders expressed unhappiness about Prime Minister’s response to the all-party delegation, BJP accused it of “misleading” the public and said Modi was positive about getting peaceful settlement to the issue.

Adequate security measures were taken to ensure that no untoward incidents occur, Additional Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru West) Pratap Reddy had yesterday said.

About 4,500 officials and police personnel have been deployed in the city besides 63 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police and City Reserve Police Force.

(Agencies)

Karnataka: Cabinet expansion to be delayed as Rahul, Digvijay not in India

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siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: The state government’s much-awaited Cabinet expansion and reshuffle have been indefinitely put off as AICC Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh are not in the country.

Digvijay Singh, for the past few weeks has been in the US as he is attending his ailing daughter, though he was supposed to return on Thursday, his trip has been delayed. Rahul, too is in the US. Hence, CM Siddaramaiah who was supposed to stay back in Delhi and discuss regarding the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle, will return to Bengaluru on Thursday evening. Digivjay Singh is in-charge of party affairs in the state. It should be noted that several ministerial aspirants who were in Delhi to campaign for ministerial posts will return empty-handed as the decision will be postponed.

CM Siddaramaiah said that since both Rahul and Digivjay were not in the country, he would discuss with them once they return.

He indicated that the talks would take place only after Rahul visits the state and speaks to the families of farmers who committed suicide which is scheduled for October 6 and 7.

With regard to the Kalasa-Banduri project, the state government will file an interim petition in the Supreme Court, said the Chief Minister and added that the petition would be filed after a legal team looked into the available options.

(Agencies)

Priest arrested for making threat calls to Karnataka Sahitya Academy

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K S Bhagwan

Bengaluru: A man working as a hostel warden and priest has been arrested at Hubballi in north Karnataka for allegedly making threat calls to Karnataka Sahitya Academy for choosing rationalist free-thinker and writer K S Bhagwan for annual Honorary Awards for Lifetime Achievement for 2013.

The arrested person was tracked down yesterday through the mobile phone used by him, police said today.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru Central) Sandeep Patil said that the person was produced before the court and is now under judicial custody.

Following the announcement of the award, which will be presented to Bhagwan and others on November 7 in Dharwad, Sahitya Academy had complained about receiving a threatening call.

Academy officials had also said they had received several abusive calls for choosing Bhagwan for the award, following which police had provided security to the literary body.

Recently a letter threatening Bhagwan was delivered to his residence at Mysuru, which came close on the heels of the murder of another noted Kannada progressive thinker and scholar M M Kalburgi in Dharwad.

Bhagwan has incurred the wrath of right-wing activists after he allegedly disparaged the Bhagavad Gita while speaking at a programme in Mysuru in February this year.

Earlier, a Bajrang Dal local activist was arrested in Dakshina Kannada district, a day after Kalburgi was gunned down on August 30, for allegedly posting remarks on Twitter threatening Bhagwan for his derogatory remarks on the Bhagavad Gita.

(Agencies)

Prof. K S Bhagwan receives 20 threat calls in 2 hours

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K S Bhagwan

Mysuru: Prof. K S Bhagawan has reportedly received as many as 20 threat calls on his mobile in just 2 hours on Sunday September 20 evening.

Bhagawan later filed a complaint with this regard. The complaint stated that he received calls from several numbers between 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm. The callers spoke to the writer using foul language and also threatened to kill him.

He then stated that he switched off his phone at about 8.30 as he was unable to bear the calls.

Police sources say that they were trying to trace the call. The writer also received a threat letter which was sent to his residence on September 9. The security arrangements were tightened post Kalburgi’s murder in Dharwad. Bhagawan was provided police protection earlier too after warnings from organisations.

(Agencies)

Karnataka government announces reward to informants of Kalburgi’s assassins

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M M Kalburgi

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said the government has announced Rs five lakh to those who could provide clues about the murder of noted Kannada progressive writer and scholar M M Kalburgi.

The government has decided to give a reward of Rs five lakh to whoever gives information about Kalburgi’s murder. The identities of the informants would be kept secret, he told reporters here after meeting the families of Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, the rationalists who were killed in Maharashtra, and Kalburgi, who was shot dead at Dharward in Karnataka on August 30.

The families during their meeting with the Chief Minister demanded speedy investigation into the case and were assured by him that the culprits would soon booked.

“I told the relatives that the investigation is underway and we are hopeful of hunting down the killers,” he said adding that CID is probing the matter.

“The relatives met me and demanded expediting the investigation to hunt down the culprits and find out who were the forces behind Kalburgi’s murder. Already we have taken up the case very seriously. In this regard, we have formed eight teams who are investigating the case,” he said.

Asked whether the relatives demanded handing over the case to CBI, Siddaramaiah said there was “more clamour” for CID probe than CBI and hence “we did not give it to the latter.”

Siddaramaiah also said the government will take stringent action against people who indulge in making instigating remarks and speeches.

Siddaramaiah also assured the family members of passing the anti-superstition bill in Karnataka assembly after examining the Maharashtra anti-superstition bill.

“The family members also demanded to immediately pass anti-superstition bill … we are examining the Maharashtra anti-superstition bill,” he said.

(PTI)

BBMP issues notice banning meat during Hindu festival; Govt says no ban

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beef

Bengaluru: The Karnataka state government and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are not on the same page, as far as the meat ban during the Ganesha festival is concerned.

Soon after the BBMP issued a notice banning the sale of meat during the festival, the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted that there is no such ban in Karnataka.

However, BBMP Commissioner G Kumar Naik said the ban is very much in place as he has not got any directive from the State government to revoke it. The Palike as well as the State government had come under severe criticism in the social media, minutes after the BBMP issued a circular banning sale of meat on September 17.

It was an embarrassing situation for the Congress which has been fighting tooth and nail against a series of bans in the BJP-ruled states. More vocal was Dinesh Gundu Rao, who took to the social media where the issue was largely debated.

Rao tweeted: “No meat ban in Karnataka..confusion due to a circular issued by previous BJP govt. Will not be binding in Karnataka.. Will not be enforced. Hope more people will come out against these fundamentalist extreme, radical right-wing view points. Liberals should raise their voice.”

Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the Palike’s notice regarding ban on sale of meat was issued on the basis of a circular issued by the erstwhile BJP government to the Urban Development Department.

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai had announced ban on sale of meet and closure of abattoirs for September 13 and 18, the Maharashtra government had banned it further from September 10 and 17.

The civic body later, through a resolution adopted by an emergency meeting of its elected council, withdrew the ban. The Bombay High Court stayed the ban imposed by the Maharashtra government while observing that such a move was not feasible.

(Agencies)

Prof. K S Bhagwan receives anonymous threat letter

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K S Bhagwan

Mysuru: Rationalist Prof K S Bhagwan received an anonymous letter in English reportedly warning to kill him at his house on Wednesday. His wife said that the letter was delivered by the postman around 12.45 pm at Bhagwan’s house on Udayaravi road, Kuvempunagar. The letter was duly handed over to Kuvempunagar police station. The Police are reported to have been guarding the house round-the-clock.

The letter typed using a typewriter, addressed Bhagwan derogatorily and read as follows: “Don’t relax thinking you are safe. Haavina dvesha 12 years. 3 successful. Next you. Will never miss the target. No police security will save you when we come. We know how to do. Count your days”. (sic)

Sources said that the letter may have originated from Bengaluru, as per the seal on the order according to the report of investigators.

Earlier, soon after the Kannada scholar was shot dead by two unidentified men, a Bajrang Dal co-convener Bhuvith Shetty had posted a controversial tweet at 10:41 am on August 30 that said, “Then it was U R Anantamoorty and now it is M M Kalburgi. Mock Hinduism and die a dog’s death. And dear K. S Bhagwan you are next”, which had gone viral.

Soon after Bantwal police were informed about the controversial tweet, they registered a suo moto case at Bantwal police station.

Mysuru Police immediately provided Bhagwan with a personal security guard. Prof K S Bhagawan had reportedly received threats after his controversial speech on Bhagavad Gita at a recent event.

(Agencies)

Farmers call for Karnataka bandh today

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Farmers-bandh

Bengaluru: The Karnataka farmers called for a state-wide bandh today on Saturday, September 5, agitating over the Central and the State government’s alleged indifference towards the rising cases of farmer suicides in the state.

Several protest rallies are held across Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru. This is the second bandh in the State in less than a week and this time the bandh call has been given by the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers Association and the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene.

Farmers, social organisations and pro-Kannada organisations are expected to take an active part in the bandh. However, it has not created much impact like the recent Bharat Bandh, which was observed on Sept 2.

In order to end the crisis of farmers’ suicide, the association has demanded that the Centre and State government waive off crop loans taken by farmers from nationalized and cooperative banks as the drought situation in the state has adversely affected production, the farmers demanded.

Earlier, KSSGA president Kurubur Shanthakumar had also said that in order to put pressure on the authorities, the association will observe a bandh and also be part of the agitation till the demand is met.

Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has also extended its support to the protest. KSCA, headed by its secretary Brijesh Patel, has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Siddaramaiah.

The state-wide bandh is unlikely to disrupt normal life in Bengaluru, state capital. Buses and autos are also expected to ply in the city as usual.

(Agencies)

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