BENGALURU, MAY 3 : – Bharatiya Janata Party has petitioned Election Commission of India to initiate stringent
action against the Congress party for giving an open call to Muslims to vote for the party (Congress).
Disclosing this at a Media Conference here today, BJP national spokesperson, Dr. Sambit Patra said – senior
Congress leader, Sri Gulam Nabi Azad in an electioneering meeting at Gulburga couple of days ago, appealed that
“Muslims in Karnataka should vote for Congress en-masse”. Congress Leader in Lok Sabha, Sri Mallikarjun Kharge was
also present in the meeting when Mr. Azad, who is the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, made this communal
overture.
Dr. Patra said – Mr. Azad had got a bit of advice tagged to his call. It was – “For any reason, don’t criticise Hindus.
If done so the BJP will win. Vote Congress en-masse silently”. One should understand the fact that Sri. Azad is close to
Gandhi-Nehru family and he cannot utter a single word without the consent of Congress leaders Smt. Sonia Gandhi and
Sri Rahul Gandhi.
In another incident, Dr. Patra said, a horrendous video of Sri Jameer Ahmed, the Congress candidate for
Chamarajpet segment in Bengaluru I is doing the rounds, in which he said while addressing people from his faith – “Insha
Allah, we should unite and vote for Congress so that Sri Siddramaiah will become Chief Minister and I will become a
Minister. If I won’t become a Minister, Insha Alla see what I will do”.
What kind of threat is this? Is it a civilised language? Isn’t it a communal appeal? Won’t it instigate communal
flare up?. All Congress leaders right from Sri Azad to Sri Jameer Ahmed are talking in communal tone polarising voters on
religious lines.
He said – as usual the grand old party is pursuing “Divide and Rule” policy in Karnataka too. They are dividing
people on the basis of caste, creed and religion. Even after running Government for full 5-year term, the Congress party
wants to win the elections on communal agenda.
On the other hand, Dr. Patra said, BJP is facing elections on the plank of development. When began his rallies in
Karnataka two days ago, Prime Minister, Sri. Narendra Modi set the party’s agenda – “Development, Fast Pace of
Development and All round Development”. It is the difference between Congress and BJP.
Dr. Patra said BJP has also complained about the objectionable actions of Udupi Deputy Commissioner, Priyanka
Francis, who ordered that all Bhagva Zendas (saffron flags) on temples must be removed. Saffron flags don’t belong to
BJP. They belong to beliefs and culture of this land for thousands of years. They have been fluttering on temple for
thousands of years. The officer, who is close to Congress leadership, is doing all this at the behest of her political boss.
Also, the administration has banned playing of “Yakshagaana”, a mythological play which is ingrained in the
culture of coastal Karnataka for thousands of years. It is highly condemnable. BJP wants to ask Sri Rahul Gandhi that
whether his party is fighting elections against “aastha” of people or political opponents.
Referring to Sri. Rahul Gandhi’s tweets and erratic data on different projects of Central Government, Dr. Patra
said in sarcastic tone – the Congress is not able to get data because the UK based Cambridge Analytica, which used to
provide data to Congress party, has been closed. After its data associate (Cambridge Analytica) closed, the Congress is in
dearth of data. Further in a lighter note Dr. Patra said “No Data and ‘Galata’ in Congress (Chaos in Congress).
State BJP spokesperson, Ashwathnarayana, who was present in the press meet, said Sri Siddaramaiah lied that
none of the Congress candidates including Sri Anand Singh and Sri Nagendra did not go to jail. In fact, they were jailed in
illegal mining cases. However, Sri Siddaramaiah is busy citing the prison experience of others, which is ridiculous.
Rajyasabha Member, Rajiv Chandrashekhar; party co-spokespersons Sri. Anwar Manappady, Sri S. Prakash, Kum.
C. Manjula were present
How Diffcult will it be for Siddaramaiah?
Though Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah chose to contest from two seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly poll to ensure his election, the ruling Congress rivals – the BJP and the JD(S) – are leaving no stone unturned to give him some trying moments.
Both the BJP and the JD(S) have generally fielded strong candidates on the two seats where Siddaramaiah is contesting from. The strategy of the two opposition parties is making him feel insecure.
The BJP and the JD(S) hope to tie Siddaramaiah, who is Congress’ star campaigner, as much as possible to his two seats. This would give the Karnataka chief minister less time to campaign for other Congress candidates, helping both the BJP and the JD(S).
Siddaramaiah has filed nominations from Badami and Chamundeshwari.
In a high public rally yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raked up Siddaramaiahs decision to contest on two seats. Calling it a “2 1 formula”, the PM alleged that the Karnataka CM was afraid of defeat and, therefore, he was changing seats and fighting on two seats.
While the BJP has fielded its heavyweight leader and Bellary Lok Sabha member B Sreeramulu in Badami, the JD(S) has chosen Hanamanth Mavinmarad to give a tough fight to the Karnataka CM. The JD(S) hopes to consolidate the Lingayat votes in Badami through Mavinmarad.
The contest in Chamundeshwari is no less interesting than in Badami.
Siddaramaiah chose Chamundeshwari perhaps because it has a high percentage of Kurubas, an OBC caste. The Karnataka CM is also a Kurubu.
But it also has a considerable population of Vokkaligas who constitute the main voter base of the JD(S).
Hence, the JD(S) has pitted sitting MLA and local heavyweight GT Deve Gowda, a Vokkaliga, against Siddaramaiah.
The BJP, on the other hand, has fielded a comparatively weaker candidate Gopal Rao. This is Rao’s first Assembly election. It has given an impression that the BJP is indirectly supporting the JD(S) in Chamundeshwari in order to give Siddaramaiah a run for his money.
The BJP may not hope to defeat Siddaramaiah in either Badami or Chamundeshwari but it certainly is trying to confine the Karnataka CM to his two seats.
The JD(S) has put strong candidates from both the constituencies.
JD(S) candidate Mavinmarad feels that Siddaramaiah cannot take JD(S) for granted either in Chamundeshwari or Badami.
Siddaramaiah must be finding himself in a non-enviable position. If he devotes more time to his constituencies, the other Congress seats may suffer. If he ignores his seats, he may risk losing both.
Perhaps contesting on two seats has become more problematic for Siddaramaiah than providing any solution. It may have been easier to manage had he contested on just one seat.
A Business Women Travelled Britain To India with her Husband passport
An Indian-origin businesswoman managed to travel from UK’s Manchester city to New Delhi via Dubai on her husband’s passport before the serious lapse was picked up in India, prompting the Emirates Airline to launch an investigation into the incident.
Geeta Modha, who runs Alankar boutique in Rusholme area of Manchester, left for the airport with husband Dilip’s passport by mistake for a business trip on April 23.
The 55-year-old was able to check-in and board the flight and was waved through a stopover at Dubai on to New Delhi before the error was picked up, according to ‘Manchester Evening News’.
As a holder of Overseas Indian Citizenship (OCI), Geeta was expected to produce her passport at Delhi immigration and was denied entry to India at that point.
‘It’s scary and worrying that people aren’t checking properly,’ she told the newspaper.
‘The fact they say they are so strict on security in airports but you can do this in 2018 is terrible. At check-in, the staff member even made me move stuff from one bag to another because it was 2 kg over and yet let me travel with the wrong passport,’ she said.
Indian authorities made Geeta travel back to Dubai to wait for her own passport, which was flown to her by Emirates.
‘Like all airlines, we work closely with our airport handlers to ensure that all regulations relating to passport checks are taken very seriously. In this instance, our usual high standards were not followed and we would like to apologise to Ms Modha,’ a spokesperson of the airline said.
The airline said that airport handlers ensured that ongoing training is provided to all staff so that they are kept updated with all regulations and security procedures.
‘We are currently investigating how this incident occurred and are working closely with them to ensure that all training materials are properly reviewed and full retraining is provided for the staff involved,’ the spokesperson added.
Geeta showed her passport at Manchester Airport during check-in and again before boarding her flight and was able to sail through customs.
During her scheduled stop-over in Dubai, she did not have to show her passport because she had an OCI card.
The error was only picked up as she was filling out her immigration form at Delhi Airport. Manchester Airport said it was the airline’s responsibility to check identification.
Karnataka election to decide future of farmers, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged the people of Karnataka to vote for a change in the Assembly elections, saying their mandate would decide the future of farmers and youths.
“This election is going to decide the future of Karnataka, its farmers and youth. It is about the safety of women. Do not assume that it is only about electing an MLA, it is much beyond that,” Modi told an election rally at Navodaya Vidyalaya Grounds in Kalaburagi, about 630 km northwest of Bengaluru.
Modi, who is campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for a second day, addressed the rally for some 30 minutes in Hindi.
Accusing the state’s Congress government of being indifferent to farmers, Modi said the state failed to ensure that the benefits of central government’s schemes reached the farmers.
“Kalaburagi is known for dal (pulses) cultivation. Our farmers are working hard here but the Karnataka government is insensitive towards their condition,” Modi said.
He said the BJP’s Chief Ministerial face, B.S. Yeddyurappa, was a farmer’s son who understood the concerns of the farmers.
“In Yeddyurappa, we have a leader who is devoted to the welfare of the farmers. For him, their (farmers’) welfare is top priority.”
Modi will later address rallies in the mining district of Ballari and in Bengaluru.
PM supports media freedom for stronger democracy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed unwavering support to media freedom, saying a free press makes a stronger democracy and makes the society more vibrant.
“A free press makes a stronger democracy. Today, on World Press Freedom Day, let us reaffirm our commitment towards steadfastly supporting a free press. It is the multiplicity of ideas and human expression that makes us more vibrant as a society,” Modi tweeted.
“I applaud all those who have been working tirelessly to uphold freedom of the press. It is due to these countless women and men that the spirit of a free press is significantly enhanced.”
Modi also appreciated the role of people on social media towards safeguarding the freedom of press and expression.
The UN General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press.
Protest against J&K govt for ‘its amnesty scheme to stone pelters’
Condemning the BJP-PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir for ‘its amnesty scheme to stone pelters’, JKNPP supporters held a massive protest in Exhibition Ground, Jammu on Thursday (May 03).
They torched the effigy of the state government amidst slogans seeking dismissal of the ‘dirty combine of opportunist parties’ in the state.
Expressing concern over the deteriorating situation of law and order in the valley, they said that Kashmir had witnessed glorification of secessionists, pro-Pak slogans and unfurling of Pak, ISIS flags during congregations, frequent terror attacks on defence camps, assault on pilgrims, civil unrest, clashes, lynching and killings of security personnel, torching of police stations and mob attacks on security forces.
They said that the pardon to 9,730 stone pelters by BJP-PDP govt had further emboldened the subversive elements in the valley which could be gauged by the horrifying incident on Wednesday.
Two children were injured when their school bus carrying more than 50 children came under attack by stone-pelters in Shopian triggering widespread condemnation.
There is complete madness how they are targeting school children, agitated protestors remarked.
In March this year, recovery of dozens of mobile phones, SIM cards, pen drives, I-pads, digital cards, Hizbul posters, Pak flags, Jihadi literature and Hard disks from Central Jail Srinagar by the NIA teams during their raid had made a sensational expose of the involvement of administrative authorities in the govt, without whom the proliferation of ‘pro-jehadi’ material would have not been possible, they said.
“There seems to be a larger conspiracy to communalize the situation. The CB has been influenced by the sinister alliance and the policy of public suppression and harassment adopted by the JnK Police in Kathua case narrated the saga of corrupt rule in the State,” JKNPP leader Harsh said.
Hindusthan Samachar/Ranjit/Balwan/Shri Ram\
No deal with BJP, says H.D. K
A word of praise from your electoral rival can become an albatross around your neck. The Janata Dal (Secular) is finding that out to its cost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi discovering virtues in his predecessor in the job, Deve Gowda.
JD(S) chief ministerial candidate H.D. Kumaraswamy vehemently denied that Mr. Modi’s praise for his father indicated any deal between his party and the BJP for a post-poll tie-up in case of a hung Assembly.
“The reason Prime Minister Modi praised my father was simply because, having been in the same seat now, he realises what my father went through and what all he did for the country, always putting the country’s interests first and never giving into partisan politics while he occupied the Prime Minister’s chair,” Mr. Kumaraswamy told The Hindu. “He now has correct information about my father’s term, and he has also realised how cabals can demolish a reputation.”
“All this does not have anything to do with any electoral alliance or anything. We are going to form the government on our own, without either the Congress or the BJP,” he said.
According to him, his party has been the victim of a sustained campaign by the Congress and even the BJP to imply that there was a secret understanding between it and the BJP, in order to damage the minority support that the JD(S) enjoys in parts of the State.
“On the one hand the Congress says that there is a solid minority consolidation behind them, on the other hand Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gets Congress president Rahul Gandhi to say that we are the ‘B’ team of the BJP. This clearly demonstrates that the Congress is rattled by the support we command. Otherwise what is the need to make such statements,” he said.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said that there was widespread unhappiness about Mr. Siddaramaiah’s government not just among the powerful Vokkaligas, particularly dominant in the Old Mysuru belt where the Janata Dal (S) is strong but also among other communities. “Of course Vokkaligas have suffered as have other communities,” he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah’s decision to fight a second seat of Badami in Bagalkot is being seen by the Opposition as a way to offset the risk of fighting from Chamundeswari, where a strong Vokkaliga consolidation behind the Janata Dal (S) has made intelligence agencies dub the seat as “risky.” Mr. Kumaraswamy certainly thinks so and has campaigned extensively there to build the contest between Mr. Siddaramaiah and G.T. Deve Gowda of the JD(S) as the “grudge match” of the polls.
Mr. Kumaraswamy also said that too much was being made about his father, H.D. Deve Gowda’s statement that he would disown Mr. Kumaraswamy if he went into a post-poll tie-up with the BJP.
“That will never happen, because the question will never arise. We are forming the government on our own. The people of Karnataka have seen the BJP and Congress governments and aspire for a government that will truly serve them, which is the Janata Dal (S) government,” he said.
* Election Android App and Election Information Dashboard *
The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer’s office has been developed under the ‘Electoral’ name, which has various information related to the election. This app is available to citizens of the Google Play Store from today. The app has been developed based on factors in the KAP survey.
In KAP survey If 25 per cent do not vote because they do not have information about where the polling place is, then the urban area will be around 10 per cent. 17.5 percent said they would not vote because they did not stand in long queues. Similarly, 7.5% of the urban voters said they would not be able to vote because they did not know about their candidate and their constituency.
‘Election’ Android Apps will get solutions to all these problems. Citizens can now obtain many information related to the election at a fingerprint with one click.
This app is useful for accessing polling routes through easy and low traffic congestion routes. Many information, including the constituency, the polling station and the candidate’s details are available here. Here are the information you need to choose who will be right for your service for the next five years.
Highlights: –
• The geographical information system of the entire state can be viewed.
• 56696 Vote Centers and Their Map (Map).
• Entering the information on the Epic Card will inform you about the way you reach your polling station.
• Get information on traffic and queue line information.
• Information from various officials of bosses is available.
• Allow Wheelchair to be reserved for Senior Citizens and Specialists.
• Your nearest police and health center information.
• Assembly election schedule in your constituency.
The app can be used in other cases as well as election. New voters can be included in the voter’s list or in emergency situations to reach nearby police station or health centers. It is possible to effectively conduct elections and enforce the Model Code of Conduct as it is possible to connect with the authorities directly through this app.
Dashboard: – The Karnataka Election Information System is a GIS (Geographic Information System) web portal. All information related to elections in Karnataka will be available in this regard. The website also details information available on polls, including polling and polling and its coverage information. Several descriptive and comparative information, including demographic detail, voting details, past election statistics, details of candidates, and the winning margin of the election. In general, there are information that citizens need to understand democracy.
Storm, lightning kill 45 in Uttar Pradesh
As many as 45 people have been killed in a dust storm that hit many parts of Uttar Pradesh overnight, a government spokesman said on Thursday. Of these, 36 died in Agra alone.
More than three dozen persons have also been injured in the storm and the lightning that struck the state on Wednesday night.
A total of 156 cattle died in different districts.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is campaigning for the BJP in Karnataka, has directed officials to ensure rescue and relief operations in the storm hit districts of Agra, Bijnore, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Rae Bareli and Unnao.
SC asks and warned Karnataka to release 2 tmc of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Karnataka to release at least 2 tmc of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and warned it of “serious consequences” if it fails to release the water.
The apex court posted Tamil Nadu’s petition for framing of scheme for release of Cauvery water as per the February 16 judgment for hearing on Tuesday. It also asked the Centre to file an affidavit by Tuesday stating the steps taken to frame the scheme.
Attorney general K K Venugopal told the court that the scheme has to be approved by the Cabinet which could not meet because of non-availability of PM, who after coming from foreign visit has gone to Karnataka for election campaign.
AG requested the court to postpone the hearing on this issue to after May 12, the date for Karnataka assembly elections.
TN counsel Shekhar Naphade accused Centre of playing politics over Cauvery water and said such attitude towards TN would amount to end of federalism in the country as well as rule of law.
The counsel said that apart from the summer temperature, the temperature over Cauvery water is rising in TN.
Naphade asked the SC what do we tell people of TN as no scheme is framed even two months of SC judgment on Cauvery water sharing?
Last month, the apex court had asked the Centre to frame a draft scheme by May 3 for the implementation of the judgment on the distribution of Cauvery water between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.
During the hearing, the top court had repeatedly told Tamil Nadu that it agrees with its grievances and criticised the Centre for not acting swiftly to frame a scheme.
“You have to frame the scheme and there is no escaping this task,” the top court said to the Centre.