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Weaving harmonious threads of change

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It’s 10 am. Shanno Sidiqui has sent her three children to school and completed all household chores. The 30-year-old knows what she has to do next. She pulls out mounds of threads piled on the porch of her small three-roomed brick house and gets to work. In the next four hours, she will spin out 50 kilograms of these threads or katran (extra threads snipped off saris) into colourful yarn. Each kilogram of this woven rope will fetch her Rs 80/ at the local market, four times the sum she has paid to buy katran of the same weight.

“These are discarded thread from looms. They are of no use to the weavers. But for me, these unwanted threads have changed my life. I have been able to send my children to a private English medium school and also been able to build my own house,” said Sidiqui.

Start of a new story

Sidiqui is not the only one. Many marginalised women in Jamgaon, a small village in Uttar Pradesh, 74 kilometers from Varanasi, are weaving a new story in their lives. Threads (katran), which become superfluous once a sari is woven and considered worthless by weavers, are helping women from economically and socially backward communities pull their families out of poverty.

While economic empowerment has been the primary focus, the women have also quietly managed to weave communal harmony through this process. Traditionally, an art practiced by the Muslims, women from this community showed great heart by sharing their skills with women from all castes and communities and enabling them to boost their incomes.

It all began five years ago when Sidiqui was looking for ways to augment the family income. Keeping the home fires burning with the income earned by her husband Kalim Sidiqui was becoming difficult. Her husband worked on a powerloom in Varanasi. He managed to weave three saris in the 12 hours he worked every day. For this he received a paltry amount of Rs 375. “I could work for 12 hours continuously only if there was electricity. Power cuts were very common. So actually it would mean working for more than 12 hours. My income was dependent on the number of saris I could weave in those 12 hours,” pointed out Kalim.

Considering the hours of work and the distance from his home, Kalim had to rent a room close to his place of work. Although this was a strain on his finances, Kalim had no choice. He was also unable to visit his family as often as he wanted. On occasions when he came home, Sidiqui could see the long hours and hard work was beginning to tell on Kalim’s health.

Collectives empowering women

So, in 2012, when Sidiqui, mother of two small children and pregnant with her third, heard that being a member of a self-help group (SHG) could facilitate thrift and credit, she jumped at the idea.

“Sidiqui had studied till Class 5 and understood the importance of saving. When we were helping women form self-help groups in Jamgaon in Sonbhadra district, Sidiqui was among the first to become member. She also persuaded other women from her community and neighbourhood to join. Once the first SHG in Jamgaon was formed, it set the ball rolling for other women. They overcame their hesitation and came forward,” recalled Ram Naresh, field officer, Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana (RGMVP), a not-for-profit working for women’s empowerment and poverty alleviation. The RGMVP is working in 51 districts in the state and has so far mobilized over 1,500,000 women, facilitating the formation of over 132,000 SHGs.

In Jamgaon, during the SHG meetings, women were also given information by the organisation about various livelihood options available to improve their financial status. They were encouraged to become economically independent by taking loans from their SHGs to start income generating activities. Sidiqui, who had learnt the art of turning katran into yarn before marriage from her maternal uncles employed in this business, decided to try her hand at it. She took a loan of Rs 5,000 from her SHG and bought 50 kgs of katran. Since converting the katran into rope initially required deft hands, Sidiqui didn’t need to invest in any loom. By intertwining the threads between two wooden rods, she used her hands to twist it into rope.

The business has helped Shanno Sidiqui and her husband and transformed their lives. Pic: Swapna Majumdar

So profitable did this turn out to be that within six months, Sidiqui was able to repay the loan. Buoyed by her success, Sidiqui asked her husband to leave his job and join her so that they could roll out a greater volume of rope. “This way we could be together and also earn more. He agreed and has been working with me for the past five years. Now, we buy 1500 kgs of katran every month. But had it not been for the SHG, I could not have started my business or even dreamt of a better life,” said Sidiqui.

It was not just Kalim who realised the worth of the business. Neighbour Farzana Khan, a member of another SHG formed with RGMVP help, saw the change in Sidiqui’s life and decided to follow in her footsteps. “I saw her transformation and was inspired. So, I asked her to teach me so that I could also give my family a better quality of life,” said Khan.

Once she learnt the ropes, Khan began getting good returns. When she realised that she could double her profits, Khan took a loan of Rs 10,000 from her SHG so that she could buy greater quantities of katran. Khan’s husband, then working as a daily wager having been laid off from the loom in Varanasi, joined his wife. So good has been the income that he hasn’t needed to look for another job.

Weaving communal harmony

Sidiqui initially taught her extended family and neighbours, all belonging to her community. When Hindu women from the SHGs expressed their desire to learn and earn, she had no qualms in teaching them too.

Rita Devi and Bindu Devi are among the 20 women who have learnt this trade so far. For Rita, this additional source of income has helped her to provide her three children better nutrition. “Both my husband and I are daily wagers. But our earnings are not enough to feed my children good food. But now I can afford to give them a better life as I have the skills to earn more,” said the 28-year-old Rita.

The income from weaving has pulled Rita Devi and Bindu Devi out of poverty. Pic: Swapna Majumdar

Unlike Rita, who is uneducated, Bindu Devi, 30, studied till Class 5. But she never got the opportunity to put her education to use. She and her husband are also daily wage labourers, so when the SHG was formed, it proved to be more than a boon for her. Not only did Bindu get elected as its treasurer, being one of the few educated women in her SHG, but she also learnt the art of making rope. Bindu, who has been weaving since the last three months, is able to twist three kgs of rope in a day. “I have five children and my husband has been ill for some time. Had it not been for this extra income, I don’t know what I would have done,” she said.

Winds of change

Sidiqui knows how tough it can be, having been through a similar experience. So, she is now outsourcing some of the initial work to 10 other women. Depending on the quantity of katran they are able to twist into ropes, she pays these women a minimum sum of Rs 50 daily.

Last year, Sidiqui’s entrepreneurial feats won her an award from the government’s Aajeevika programme under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development, for empowerment and promotion of livelihoods of poor rural women.

By weaving wealth out of waste, women in Jamgaon have shown that they can become game changers.

Stop Dreaming Azadi in Kashmir

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Theof the Indian Army Gen. Bipin Rawat has let it be known to stone-pelting mob in no uncertain term that they should stop thinking or dreaming about ‘Azadi’ in Kashmir. It will never be a reality, it will never happen and it is impossible, Gen Rawat has emphasized. These strong words came from Gen. Rawat after a tourist died in the incident of stone pelting in the Kashmir valley. The tourist who died in the incident was identified as 23 year old Thirumani, who had gone to Kashmir on vacation. He was from Tamil Nadu. Thirumani was going to Gulmarg on the fateful day. The nation, no doubt will not allow the separatists to fulfill their dream of ‘Azadi’.Those indulging in violence in the name of so called ‘Azadi’ would be annihilated by the Army. There is no hope for separatists. Their defeat is certain; they will be killed. Even China has recognized the strength of the Indian Armed Forces. The entire nation stands behind the Army.
Many questions are being raised after the death of tourist boy from Tamil Nadu. It was said earlier that tourists in Kashmir were not target of assault by the agitators and violent mob of the separatist elements in the valley. Tourists were revered and warmly welcomed by the Kashmiris since it was and it is a good source of earning for livelihood for them. It is Kashmiri culture to treat tourists as welcome guests. But the death of Tamil Nadu tourists has exposed this myth. This myth has been exposed earlier also, when almost every year during Amarnath Yatra pilgrims are attacked by the terrorists supported by local separatists.
There should not be any hesitation in saying that the stone pelting mobs are digging their own graves by attacking tourists which was abundantly clear when the bus carrying tourists was attacked by stone pelting mob in which Thirumani died. This happened when tourism gives the economic support to Jammu & Kashmir. Kashmiris seem to have forgotten this fact that their hearth runs on revenue from tourism. Stone pelting mobs are mentally deranged. Only mad people would attack and kill those who give bread and butter to them.
Mob Have No Fear
The stone pelting mob have no fear of authorities because the government attitude towards them have been rather soft in the past. Just look at the story of leader of the stone pelting mob Masarat Alam. By releasing Alam, the then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Syed had created controversy. There were solid evidence against Masarat that he had led the mob who pelted stones at armed forces during violent agitation between 2008 and 2010. He was arrested in 2010 from the outskirts of Srinagar. It is known to all that the stone pelting mob were responsible for killing many armed forces personnel and innocent public.
There was public outrage when Masarat, a separatist of Hurriyat Conference was released after spending four years in jail; the outrage was fully justified. Surprisingly the state police had not registered any case against him despite evidence of offence and crime against Masarat. He was in jail without any case under Public Safety Act. The point to be noted here is when there is no case against an individual how you can keep him in jail?
Ever since the Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed at the hands of Armed forces, the valley has been witnessing widespread violence and protests resulting in casualties of armed forces and attack on posts of police and security forces in the valley.
Human Rights
A big question arises, is there no human rights for our security forces. Are they not Indians? Do they have no family? Don’t they have people who love them? The security forces lost their lives while on duty in the troubled state of Jammu & Kashmir. There have been incidents of women throwing boiling oil on our jawans and sometime even shooting them dead. These incidents take place on a regular interval. When Police hunt for the accused nobody from public gives any clue to the investigating officers.
The officers and jawans are also human being and they have right to live with dignity. Far away from home, the security forces on duty in violent zone also have human rights. Terrorists are attacking camps of security forces, grenades are being hurled. Security forces are attacked when they return from duty with stones resulting in head injuries and damage to eyes. The situation is indeed grave.
How to improve the situation? For any improvement in the situation, the people of Kashmir will have to stand by the government and authorities. People must cooperate with the security forces and not confront them because people in general in Kashmir valley are suffering because of militant strikes and violence. The tourism is seriously hit by the agitation. Small and cottage industry are getting closed as there are no buyers. Time has come when the people of the valley should stop living in the shadow of fear of terrorists and separatist forces; rather people should now fight these elements to end the violent and bloody phase in the valley. This is the only way to come out of the crisis. The violent phase has ruined the life of three generations of the people of Kashmir. If the people have any grievances against the authorities it can be resolved through dialogue. After all, they are also citizens of India.

(The writer is a Member of Parliament,Rajya Sabha as well as the Chairman of Multilingual News Agency Hindusthan Samachar)

B Sriramulu claims BS Yeddyurappa government will get majority more than required

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B Sriramulu,Molakalmuru BJP MLA claimed here today that the BS Yeddyurappa led Bharatiya Janata Party government will get majority more than required during the floor test to prove the majority of the government.
He was talking to media persons after BS Yeddyurappa was sworn in as chief minister and claimed:Just keep watching on how we will prove our majority.We will prove majority more than required.
On queries as to how the party will manage the required magic number he parried all questions in this regard and left the place.
It may be recalled here that the very same B Sriramulu along with mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy were resourceful to the BJP in enabling a simple majority to the BJP government during 2008 by roping in six Independent legislators to the party.Later some more MLAs of other parties were pouched under ‘Operation Lotus’.
In the meantime Anandsingh,Hospete Congress MLA and Prathapgouda Patil,Maski Congress MLA have gone missing and the party managers have failed to trace them.Rajasekhar Patil,Humnabad Congress MLA has left the Eagleton resort on the pretext of ill health this afternoon.
Anandsingh was BJP MLA in the previous Assembly.At the fag end of his tenure he had switched sides towards Congress and was re elected on a Congress ticket.Before that he was also arrested by the CBI for mining export scam.
He is a descendant of the Vijaynagar royal dynasty and is said to be close to Rajnath Singh,Union Home Minister apart from B Sriramulu.
In fact B Sriramulu had declared on the counting day itself to BS Yeddyurappa that he will manage the support of four MLAs belonging to other parties but still very good with him.
Prathapgouda Patil,Maski Congress MLA from Raichuru district is also said to be tilting towards the ruling party.He was a BJP MLA during 2008 but did not go behind BS Yeddyurappa to join Karnataka Janata Party(KJP) and instead joined the Congress.He had been a Congress MLA during 2013 and now re reelected on the same party ticket.
Manohar Maski,BJP MLC and B Sriramulu are said to be instrumental in roping him to politics and now the same duo are said to be behind the move of bringing him back to BJP.
Rajasekhar Patil,Humnabad Congress MLA from Bidar district went out of the Eagleton resort this afternoon on health grounds.He’s said to have walked till the resort gate where the security staff refused to let him off.But on being told by DK Suresh,MP and KJ George,former minister he’s said to have been permitted to go.But whether he’ll return or not is yet to be soon.

Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti

Rs 4 a litre hike in petrol , diesel prices coming days, say Stock Broker firms

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A Rs 4 per litre increase in petrol and diesel prices is in the offing if state-owned fuel retailers are to return to pre-Karnataka poll hiatus margin levels, brokerage firms said.

No sooner had Karnataka polled to elect a new state government, state-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOCNSE -0.72 %), Hindustan PetroleumNSE -0.28 % Corp Ltd (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCLNSE -1.95 %) on Monday ended a 19-day hiatus in revising petrol and diesel prices and reverted to the practices of of changing rates on a daily basis.
Since then petrol price has risen by 69 paisa a litre, including a 22 paisa hike effected today that took rate in Delhi to Rs 75.32, the highest in almost five years. Diesel prices have gone up by 86 paisa a litre, including 22 paisa increase today that took the rate to their highest ever of Rs 66.79 a litre in Delhi.

“Our computation suggests that downstream oil marketing companies (OMCs) are required to increase retail prices of diesel by a steep Rs 3.5-4 a litre and gasoline (petrol)by Rs 4-4.55 per litre in the coming weeks to earn normative gross marketing margins of Rs 2.7/litre,” Kotak Institutional Equities said in a report.

The increase is based on assumption that global price of diesel and petrol and Rupee-US Dollar exchange rate remain stable hereon.

“We note that the lack of price hikes over the past three weeks, before Karnataka elections amid a sharp increase in global crude/product prices, has resulted in sharp moderation in gross marketing margins to around Rs 0.5-0.7 a liter,” it said.
Last week, ICICI Securities had said that auto fuel net marketing margins were weak at Rs 0.31 a litre due to no price hike after April 24.

OMCs returned to daily price revision from May 14. They are estimated to have lost about Rs 500 crore on absorbing higher cost resulting from the spike in international oil rates and fall in rupee against the US dollar.

The benchmark international rate for petrol, used for revising rate on April 24, had gone up from USD 78.84 per barrel toper barrel to USD 82.98 on May 14. It has further risen to USD 83.30, indicating more daily hikes would be needed to level retail price with cost.

Similarly, benchmark international diesel rates during this period have climbed from USD 84.68 per barrel to USD 88.93. Also, the rupee has weakened to Rs 67.06 per US dollar from Rs 66.62, making imports costlier.

Congress stakes claim to govt in Goa, RJD in Bihar After BJP’s ‘largest-party theory’ in Karnataka Govt

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A day after Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala invited BJP, the single-largest party, to form a government in the state, two Opposition parties, the Congress and the RJD, are demanding that the governors of Bihar and Goa should invite them to stake claim to the government as they were the single-largest parties in last assembly polls held in these states.
While the Congress announced it will be meeting Goa governor Mridula Sinha to ask him to invite the party to stake claim to the government, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also asked the Bihar governor Satya Pal Malik to dissolve the assembly and invite his party to form a government in the state.
In Goa’s 2017 assembly election, Congress was the single-largest party with 21 seats in the 40-seat assembly, however, it was the BJP through a post-poll alliance that ended up forming the government, In Bihar, the RJD was the single-largest party with 80 seats in the 243-seat assembly in the 2015 assembly election, but it ended up in the opposition.
According to reports on ANI, Congress’s Goa in-charge Chella Kumar today said he along with more leaders will meet the governor of Goa and ask him to invite his party to form the government. The party is also planning to parade its 17 MLAs at the governor house, according to a source.
Soon after, in an apparent show of unity against the events unfolding in Karnataka, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav followed suit, asking governor Satya Pal Malik to dissolve the Bihar assembly and invite RJD on account of it being the single-largest party in the state.
“We would be holding a one-day dharna tomorrow against the murder of democracy in Karnataka. We also request the Bihar governor to dissolve the state government and like in Karnataka invite the single largest party, which in Bihar is the RJD,” said Tejashwi Yadav.

‘State of Indian judiciary equivalent to Pakistan and Africa’ : Rahul Gandhi attacks BJP

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congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the Narendra Modi-led BJP dispensation at the Centre, saying the Indian Constitution was under “severe attack” and the current state of the judiciary was like that of Pakistan.

“Usually people go to the Supreme Court for justice. But, for the first time in 70 years we saw Supreme Court judges coming to the people complaining that they are being intimidated and they are not being allowed to do their job,” Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a Jan Swaraj Sammelan in Chhattisgarh.

”Such a thing,” he added, ”normally happens in dictatorships.”

“It happened in Pakistan and Africa. But this happened for the first time in 70 years in India,” he said, referring to the Supreme Court’s judges press conference earlier this year.

”RSS is making way into all institutions in the country. Aisa Pakistan ya tanashahi mein hota hai,” the Congress president said in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur.

RSS is making way into all institutions in the country. Aisa Pakistan ya tanashahi mein hota hai: Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur

While Congress president Rahul Gandhi said India mourns the defeat of democracy, the party’s communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala described the events in Karnataka as a “black spot” on the country’s democracy that will be erased.

Earlier in the day, the Gandhi scion had accused the BJP of making a mockery of the Indian Constitution. Rahul taking to his Twitter handle said that this day India will mourn the defeat of democracy.

“The BJP`s irrational insistence that it will form a Govt. in Karnataka, even though it clearly doesn’t have the numbers, is to make a mockery of our Constitution,” he tweeted .

“This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy,” he added.

The BJP’s irrational insistence that it will form a Govt. in Karnataka, even though it clearly doesn’t have the numbers, is to make a mockery of our Constitution.

This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy.
Rahul’s remark evoked an equally hard-hitting and prompt response from BJP chief Amit Shah.

The BJP chief hit back at Rahul Gandhi after the latter accused the BJP of murdering the democracy. Shah tearing into Rahul Gandhi said that the democracy was murdered by the Congress the minute it decided to ally with the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) for political gains.

Shah continuing his tirade against the grand old party chief said that it was at the time of emergency imposed by the latter party that the constitution of democracy was heavily damaged.

“The `Murder of Democracy` happens the minute a desperate Congress made an `opportunist` offer to the JD(S), not for Karnataka`s welfare but for their petty political gains. Shameful!,” Shah tweeted.

The ‘Murder of Democracy’ happens the minute a desperate Congress made an ‘opportunist’ offer to the JD(S), not for Karnataka’s welfare but for their petty political gains. Shameful!

”President of the Congress obviously doesn’t remember the glorious history of his party,” Shah said in another tweet.

President of the Congress obviously doesn’t remember the glorious history of his party.

The legacy of Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s Party is the horrific Emergency, blatant misuse of Article 356, subverting the courts, media and civil society.
”The legacy of Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s Party is the horrific Emergency, blatant misuse of Article 356, subverting the courts, media and civil society,” he added.

Rubbishing all allegations, the BJP chief said that it was his party which won the mandate of the people by securing 104 and not the Congress or the JD (S).

“Who has the people’s mandate in Karnataka? The BJP, which has won 104 seats. Or Congress which dropped to 78 seats, whose own CM and Ministers lost by big margins. JD(S) who won only 37 seats and lost their deposits on several others. People are wise to realize,” he tweeted.
The BJP, which has won 104 seats.
Congress which dropped to 78 seats, whose own CM and Ministers lost by big margins.
JD(S) who won only 37 seats and lost their deposits on several others.

People are wise to realise.
”Congress which dropped to 78 seats, whose own CM and Ministers lost by big margins. JD(S) who won only 37 seats and lost their deposits on several others,” he said.

The war of words between Shah and Gandhi erupted after Yeddyurappa took oath as the 23rd chief minister of Karnataka after the Supreme Court this morning decided not to put a stay on the swearing-in.

The apex court passed its order while conducting an overnight hearing during which Congress and JD(S) pleaded it to stop the oath ceremony, citing BJP`s inadequate strength in the assembly to stake claim at forming the state government.

Late last night, Congress and JD(S) challenged Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R Vala`s decision in the top court to invite BJP to form the government even when the saffron party, with 105 MLAs, including one Independent MLA, is seven short of the halfway mark of 112.

They contended that they, with a total strength of 115 MLAs, are in a better position to form the government. Though Vala invited the BJP to form the government, he has given 15 days to the saffron party to prove its majority in the state assembly.

7 ‘EVM hackers’ handover from losing candidates in Mysuru

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Some defeated candidates brought a group of seven people for the police to arrest, alleging that this group had managed to hack the EVMs in the recently concluded Assembly polls.

The incident took place at Narasimha Raja (NR) police station on Wednesday late night.

A large number of people gathered in front of the police station at 11 pm.

City Police Commissioner A Rao said that some candidates of NR, Chamaraja and KR Constituencies, who lost the recent polls, alleged that the seven people they handed over to the police had managed to hack EVMs.

The defeated candidates said that the group of seven had approached them prior to the elections offering to hack the EVMs for them. But they had sent the unscrupulous group away without accepting their offer.

The defeated candidates alleged that they had lost solely because this group had hacked EVMs for the contestants who won.

Rao confirmed that the police did not register any case in this connection and no one was taken into custody.

Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar stated that it was not possible to hack the EVMS.

The Story Behind New CM Yeddyurappa’s Green Shawl

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The newly appointed Chief Minister on Thursday took oath in the name of farmers and the almighty.
Despite Congress-JD(S) moving the Supreme Court late last night and protests outside Raj Bhavan on Thursday morning, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yeddyurappa, sporting his green shawl, was sworn in as the Chief Minister for the third time.

With the ongoing farmer crisis in the country and the BJP promising farm loan waiver worth Rs 1 lakh crore in their electoral campaign, BS Yeddyurappa’s green shawl was a reminder of his commitment to farmers’ issue.

The newly appointed Chief Minister on Thursday took oath in the name of farmers and the almighty.

The senior leader is also known for his dressing sense.

He belongs to a minority group of politicians who wears a safari suit, shunning the typical khadi shirt-trouser, kurta-pyjama or jubba-dhoti.

Yeddyurappa used to wear a shirt and trouser when he worked as a lower level employee of social welfare department. Later, when he became a pracharak of RSS, he wore a white shirt and khaki cheddi. As a senior politician, he wore safari suit most of the time. He has been seen in a shirt and trouser too.

When he visited temples, he wore a lungi or dhoti. When he took oath as the Chief Minister for the first time, Yeddyurappa wore his trademark safari suit. When he became CM for the second time, Yeddyurappa wore a safari but wrapped his shoulders with a green shawl.

Yeddyurappa became the only CM in south India to wear a band gala. His counterparts in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala wear a lungi or dhoti with a shirt or jubba. The late Andhra Pradesh CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy was alway seen wearing Andhra panche with a jubba. Kerala’s V S Achutanandan wears a white mundu and jubba. Karunanidhi wears a lungi and shirt.

Yeddyurappa was born to Siddalingappa and Puttatayamma at Bookanakere of Krishnarajpet Taluk in Mandya District on 27 February 1943 in the family of two brothers and two sisters. He completed his B.A. Graduation in Bangalore. He came into the contact of RSS at the age of fifteen.

In 1965, Yeddyurappa went to Shikaripura in Shivamogga district for spreading the work of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He developed a good rapport with the public and people of Shikaripura. Later, he married Maitradevi on 5 March 1967 and has two sons and three daughters. He worked as a Sangha Karyavaha during 1970-72. In 1972, at the age of 29 years he entered public life by becoming the Taluk President of Janasangh in Shikaripura. From 1974 to 1976 he served as the Director of Veerashaiva Cooperative Society.

In 1976, he was elected as Town Municipality Member of Shikaripur. During 1975 emergency period he was imprisoned for forty five days at Shivamogga and Ballari prisons. In 1977, he became Municipality President. He was also elected as the President of Janata Party in the same year.

“For the last 45 years, even today, I’m going to my farm. I have coconut garden and mango garden. We also cultivate paddy and grow vegetables, so many things we do in our farm. Even now whenever I go to my native place, Shikaripura, I go to my fields and I’ll spend hours together there. From last 45 years I’m an agriculturist. Even today my son and I are looking after our fields,” said Yeddyurappa on his official website.

Cauvery: SC reserves order on Centre’s draft scheme

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The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on the Central government’s draft Cauvery management scheme, saying it would pass the order after examining whether the scheme was in consonance with its earlier judgment.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said it would issue the order on Friday at 2 p.m. If not on Friday, the order would be passed on May 22 or 23, it said.

Karnataka had raised objections to the draft scheme, saying it was not in “consonance” with the Supreme Court judgment.

The top court on Wednesday asked the central government to modify its draft scheme for setting up of a Cauvery Management Board (CMB) that will be the sole authority for implementing the Cauvery Water Tribunal Award.

It also sought dropping of the clause which said that in case of a dispute, the matter would be decided by the Centre and it would be final and binding.

The Centre was also asked to drop the clause that said that the Centre would give directions from time to time to the implementing authority — a clause objected to by Tamil Nadu.

The 2007 Cauvery Water Tribunal Award was modified and reaffirmed by the top court by its February 16 verdict.

The court said the Central government would only be issuing administrative directions for implementing the award.

The CMB would be headquartered in Delhi while the office of the regulatory authority would be in Bengaluru.

77 new Karnataka MLAs Declared Criminal cases Against Them

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As many as 77 newly elected MLAs in Karnataka have declared criminal cases against them, with 54 declaring cases of serious crime, said a report prepared by the Karnataka Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
“Out of the 221 MLAs analysed, 77 [35 per cent] have declared criminal cases against them. Out of 218 MLAs analysed during Assembly elections in 2013, 74 [34 per cent] had declared criminal cases against them,” the report added.

“The 54 [24 per cent] MLAs who declared serious criminal cases had cases related to attempt to murder and kidnapping against them. The 2013 figure was 39 [17 per cent] MLAs.”
Four MLAs declared cases related to attempt to murder.
Partywise, 42 [41 per cent] of the 103 MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party, 23 [30 per cent] of 78 Congress MLAs and 11 [30 per cent] of 37 Janata Dal-Secular MLAs declared criminal cases against them in their affidavits.

In the serious criminal cases category, the numbers were 29 [28 per cent] BJP MLAs, 17 [22 per cent] Congress MLAs and eight [22 per cent] JD-S MLAs.
“One BJP MLA, 11 Congress legislators, and three JD-S MLAs and one from Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party declared assets of more than Rs1 billion [Dh54 million].”
Congress MLA from Hosakote (Bengaluru) N. Nagaraju declared the highest assets of over Rs10 billion.
BJP MLA from Krishnaraja (Mysuru) S.A. Ramadas declared the lowest assets, pegged at Rs3.9 million.
As many as 80 MLAs [36 per cent] declared themselves as Class 5 to 12 passouts, while 135 [61 per cent] declared academic qualifications of graduation or above.
“One MLA declared he is just literate while one did not give his educational qualification in his affidavit,”

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