After Congress released its first list of candidates for Karnataka elections, a lot of political friction can with witnessed today with disgruntled MLAs meeting former railways minister Mallikarjun Kharge over the issue of denial of tickets.

Congress ticket aspirants Anajanmurthy’s followers went on a rampage after he was denied a ticket. While the protesters burned tyres on the highway near Nelmangala, another aspirant, Kalappa expressed his displeasure on Twitter. Earlier in the day,
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who had earlier announced to contest elections, declared on Monday that his party will not contest the upcoming polls and will extend support of JD(S). He said that both Congress and BJP have failed and hence, he has decided to campaign for H D Deve Gowda’s party. In another development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be paying tribute to 12th century Lingayat philosopher and social reformer Basaveshwara at his statue on the banks of the river Thames during his visit to the United Kingdom this week. The event will be organised by The Basaveshwara Foundation, a non-profit organisation-based in the UK that has installed the statue of Basaveshwara on the bank of river Thames.

The increasing polarisation among media in India — and perhaps across the world — has led to an unprecedented trust deficit in everyday news. What was once regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy today finds itself under the scrutiny of citizens as tainted news published with self-securing motives are an everyday occurence in our times.

The times we live in are extremely challenging for the media. How media outlets have been hand-in-glove with political leaders and parties is no secret today. A journalist now commands far less respect in society than was the case even a decade ago. All of this, along with a host of other compelling factors, have together led to a massive downslide in the media’s place in a liberal democracy. There is the suspicious eye of the audience, who, even while reading or watching what the media reports, refuses to believe. Media is no longer, for most audiences, the honest purveyor of news — difficult to digest but apparently true.

The very purpose of media’s existence is in a crisis — a crisis that could well result in social media taking on the “fourth pillar of democracy” tag. And this could happen far earlier than projected.

This may happen because of a variety of reasons, primarily because the attraction that the social media has for those who were earlier fed by the mainstream media and the increasing affordability of the internet for the less privileged.

From television channels to most leading dailies in India, the reportage on non-sensational news — whether it is cultural or social and clubbed as “soft” news — is fast diminishing. Pages that were earlier dedicated to theatre, music and books are being replaced with “hard” politics — or simply negative and conflict-bearing news — that point to the grim picture of the times we are living in. There is no space to breathe for a particular section of readers that is intellectually inclined. Social media, thus, comes as a natural relief to such audience as just a couple of clicks in the keyboard will lead a visitor to the content that he wants.

Added to this is the challenge posed by the affordability of the internet in India. Telecom operators have already rolled out unlimited monthly internet plans that are, quite shockingly, even cheaper than a monthly subscription of most newspapers. At the same time, there is a significant rise of “social media influencers” across platforms on the internet. Celebrities of the internet in their own right, many social media influencers target niche audiences based on language, geographical location and even religion and caste, in many cases.

But the most significant factor leading to a slide in the traditional media’s position is a result of its own doing. In the race to make the utmost use (and monetary profit) of the internet, media outlets of our times have given it their entire content. The excitement to read the newspaper early in the morning, therefore, is gradually dying, because almost everything that appears in the newspaper is already trending on the social media in advance.

As is widely known, the internet-news concept in India has been plainly borrowed from the West, without an attempt made to either protect the sovereignty of print or to filter the content that goes online. Internet thrives on content — and content of a certain kind that will appeal to the user instantly — clickbaits. So even newspapers that would never publish a certain kind of article in their print editions actually end up having many of those kinds on their websites. What we miss here is the trust deficit that gradually builds in the reader for the entire brand of a given newspaper that publishes such content.

The circulation mafias and selective advertisements have made matters worse for the traditional media.

But the rapidly rising popularity of social media and its increasing user-base cannot alone replace media as the fourth pillar of democracy. After all, media is the trusted voice of the people and, as African-American human rights activist Malcolm X said, media is “the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses”.

Hasn’t social media too come to command a similar, if not more vicious and quicker, authority today?

Social media and the internet are still new phenomena in India, something that even today’s college-goers have seen evolving before their eyes. Traditional media, on the other hand, has been around for hundreds of years. It is high-time that media entrepreneurs and voices from the fraternity re-evaluate traditional media’s interaction with social media.

If not, social media may well, if not already, replace the traditional media as the fourth estate — and that is a fear more forbidding.

(IANS)

JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday started his three-day decision battle in Chamundeshwari from where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is probably going to challenge as the Congress candidate.

Kumaraswamy, alongside party candidate and sitting MLA G T Devegowda, began the campaign through the villages under the constituency after offering puja at Nanneshwari temple at Hinkal, on the outskirts of Mysuru.

Kumaraswamy took out a roadshow in an special bus intended for the election ‘Vikaasa Vahini’. The bus began it’s voyage from Hinkal and went through Bogadi Ring Road, Datagalli and reached Kotehundi.

Individuals of Kotehundi gave a warm welcome to Kumaraswamy and took him in a parade in the town. Afterward, he headed towards Daripur, where he tended to a social occasion. Ranjitha and Nisarga, occupants of Bardanapur offered ‘aarathi’ to the vehicle in the JD(S) was taking out the roadshow. The villagers invited him by performing ‘Nandidwaja Kunita’.

The residents of Kotehundi forced Kumaraswamy to visit their village and take out a roadshow. Kumaraswamy landed from the bus and took a minivan to movement on the narrow streets of the town.

Speaking to the voters to help the JD(S), Kumaraswamy stated, “G T Devegowda will be made area in-control minister if the JD(S) is voted to power. The JD(S) is resolved to ensure the welfare of the public, including farmers, members of women self-help groups.”

The Bangalore Political Action Committee (B Pac), a group of eminent citizens, on Friday released its ratings for 27 MLAs, including five ministers, with KJ George ranking as best minister, and N A Haris the best MLA.
B Pac vice-president T V Mohandas Pai said: “This is not a value-based judgment, but an academic study based on data available for the eight parameters we have chosen.”

The parameters B Pac had chosen for the ranking are attendance in assembly, starred questions, unstarred questions, percentage of MLALAD fund utilization, perception survey, educational qualification, criminal record and social media.

Of the 27 MLAs (Anekal has been excluded), nine scored more than 75%, 10 scored between 50% and 75% and eight scored less than 50%.
On the issue of Haris’ son being in jail for assaulting a man, Pai said: “People will remember the incident and take a call while voting.” B Pac CEO Revathi Ashok said this certainly is no certificate of integrity or quality of work undertaken.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not got much to worry about in Krishnaraja constituency in this district, which has large Dalit presence. The recent Supreme Court judgement on the Act, protecting them, has not turned many Dalit voters against the party.

The BJP had not done well in the previous polls. But a comparision should not be made because the political situation was completely different then.

Two major factions in the party including the one led by powerful Lingayat leader and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had said good bye to the BJP and put up their own candidates.

Yeddy had formed a new party after separation, Karnataka Janata Party (KJP), which had secured ten per cent of valid votes polled. Now this party has been merged with the BJP and he is fighting elections unitedly with it.

His party had polled 16,000 votes. Even if half of them go in favour of the BJP this time, which is highly likely, the party candidate can reach the new Assembly.

The Congress had won this seat had got only 5,600 votes more than his nearest rival. With support from Yeddyurappa and the other group, which had also separated before the previous polls and has now rejoined the BJP, the party is well placed.

Though the list is yet to be made public, none other than Ramadassa is likely to be fielded from this constituency which has nearly 2.5 lakh voters. Ramadassa is well known in the area as he was a minister in the BJP government in 2008.

“He remained a minister till 2013 and during that period he had launched a number of welfare schemes in the area. Many people have not forgotten them”, claimed Dilip, a close confidante.

The other favourable factor is that Brahmin voters constitute 60 per cent of the total and most of them may vote in support of the BJP. The second position is held by Dalits. Most of them, too, are unlikely to support the Congress.

Another factor which may go against the Congress is that Srinivas Prasad who belongs to the Dalit community and who was with the Congress has shifted to the BJP. Before switching over to the Congress he was with the JDS which has many pockets of influence.

The party, however, does not enjoy the same kind of support in other two urban constituencies in Mysuru district — Chamraja and Narsimharaja.

The police turned to lathi charge to control the violence that was erupted when Molakalmuru MLA S Thippeswamy’s supporters heaved stones and footwears at MP B Sriramulu’s car on Friday morning at Nayakanahatti.

A few BJP workers who had accumulated at Thipperudraswamy temple to get the MP fled to security. For some time, the temple premises transformed into a virtual combat area. In the midst of tight security, Ramulu entered the sanctuary and offered puja.

In the mean time, the State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa in Hubli addressed journalists concerning the occurrence that Sriramulu was equipped for dealing with the circumstance.

“He would accept a call and handle the circumstance,” Yeddyurappa said.

The voice of contradiction has increased as far back as the BJP chose to handle the MP from Molakalmuru Assembly portion dismissing the ticket to S Thippeswamy, the sitting MLA.

A day after the BJP reported its first list, the MLA had marched to Ballari alongside his supporters to look for an answer from Sriramulu. They had even wanted to lay an attack to the MP’s living

India Today-Karvy opinion poll has predicted that incumbent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the top choice for the CM’s post. 33% of the respondents have rated Siddaramaiah as their top choice, while BJP’s Yeddyurappa is at second place with 26% respondents voting for him. The JD (S)’s HD Kumaraswamy has emerged third best choice for CM with 21% respondents voting for him.

As per the opinion poll, several factors are in favour of Siddaramaiah, who is fighting anti-incumbency in a state that has not given any government a second term in a long time. Supreme Court’s recent verdict in the Cauvery river sharing matter was in favour of Karnataka. The recent ruling reduced the amount of water that Karnataka used to to released for Tamil Nadu. 49 % of the respondents have said that the SC verdict would benefit the Congress, while 34% have said to no to it. 17 % have also opted for ‘don’t know’ or can’t say.
Every time Congress president Rahul Gandhi visits Karnataka he visits temples. 42 % of the respondents feel that this has benefitted the Congress while 35% have said no to it.

The recently launched advanced clinic for Urology in Davangere, Karnataka by Fortis Hospitals Bangalore has successfully performed a laser surgery for large stone in both kidneys. The clinic was launched with an objective to provide accessibility to patients who otherwise have to travel to Bangalore for all kinds of kidney problems.

The surgery which is the first of its kind in Davangere was led by Dr Mohan Keshavamurthy, Director- Urology, Uro oncology, Andrology, Transplant & Robotic surgery, Dr Shakir Tabrez, Consultant, Urology ,Uro oncology ,Transplant & Robotic Surgery and Dr Allamprabhu, Consultant, Urology ,Uro oncology ,Transplant & Robotic Surgery, Davangere conducted a 45 min laser surgery that helped the patient recover in the shortest time.

Renal stone disease happens to be one of the major causes of chronic kidney disease. Kidney stones are formed when the solid waste particles are not properly filtered and the urine is not dissolving them. These solid particles tend to crystallize and eventually develop as stones. If the size of the stone formed is small it can pass without causing symptoms. If it is greater than 5mm it will cause blockage of the ureter resulting in severe pain in the lower back or abdomen. In this patient’s case, the stone was of 20mm.

Lasers are more effective in dealing with renal stones that have become stuck in the ureter than conventional treatment as it helps in better breaking and clearance of stone. This is a faster surgical procedure as compared to conventional ones, and helps in early recovery of the patient.

Dr Mohan Keshavamurthy, Director- Urology, Uro oncology, Andrology,Transplant & Robotic surgery said, “Unlike conventional method of kidney stone removal, the usage of laser is easier, safer and blood loss is minimal. In this case, we had to perform bilateral renal stone removal, thus usage of laser was more convenient and preferable. We perform renal stone surgery using laser commonly at Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore, and this case was the first of its kind at Davanagere.”

Dr Shakir Tabrez, Consultant Urology, Uro oncology, Andrology,Transplant & Robotic surgery, said, “Renal stone surgery is a very common procedure and can be undoubtedly very painful. Getting them operated with regular methods take time to cure and slow down recovery. With the use of laser, the risks involved are minor and patient recovers quickly. The whole procedure is risk-free and takes just 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size and the position of the stone. In this case, the surgery took 45 minutes and the patient was discharged on the first day”

In line with this, the patient, Revan Siddeshwara said, “ I am glad that Fortis Hospitals has started their urology facility at Davangere. The new clinic helped me get access to quality treatment at my native place without travelling to bigger cities like Bangalore. I was suffering from kidney stone from a long time, doctor recommended me to go for laser surgery as it would less painful and faster recovery. I would like to thank the team of doctors for successful surgery and recovery.

Bilateral renal stone is one of its kind and has so far given best results in patients.

About Fortis Healthcare Limited:

Fortis Healthcare Limited is a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. The healthcare verticals of the company primarily comprise hospitals, diagnostics and day care specialty facilities. Currently, the company operates its healthcare delivery services in India, Dubai, Mauritius and Sri Lanka with 45 healthcare facilities (including projects under development), approximately 10,000 potential beds and 368 diagnostic centres

Popular Front of India (P FI) is an organization of citizens of India. Members of PFI are
guaranteed their right to freedom of expression and association under constitution of India. PFI has units in all states. The state and central governments have the responsibility to protect their rights and respond to their demands, rather than silencing their voices. Unfortunately, in a complete abdication of its duty to protect and uphold fundamental rights of all citizens, Jharkhand state government has banned P FI, alleging some of its members influenced by ISIS. It is an unfortunate development and unconstitutional action, and there is no evidence suggesting that PFI itself identifies with or con dones the activities of ISIS in any manner whatsoever. PUCL Karna taka condemns banning state Jharkhand PFI unit.

The state should have identified such members associated with ISIS and initiated legal action against them, instead of banning P FI as an organization. It is evident that the banning of the organization is entirely communally and politically motivated and biased. PFI has been a large organization with thousands of members from minorities and other weaker sections of the society. They have been engaged in mobilizing and educating communities on their rights and entitlements, promoting literacy, education and demanding their share of resources in health services, education, employment, welfare and social security as a matter of right guaranteed by the constitution of India.

PFI has in recent times been particularly active in seeking justice for communal atrocities through legal interventions. This begs the question of whether there is anything wrong with highlighting lynchings that took place in Jamt ara, Latehar, Ramgarh and Seraikela. What is wrong in filing case against police atrocities? What is wrong in demanding justice and compensation to the victim families? The impunity of the majority community in cases of lynching is supported by the police, and P FI has been working tirelessly to expose this nexus. P FI has been raising such issues as a human rights violation and demanding action through rallies and protests without any violence. Any action against PFI reeks of state high ‐handedness, and its tacit support for perpetrators of communal violence. Hence, the ban on Jharkhand d PFI is illegal, unconstitutional, and constitutes the violation of freedom of expression and freedom of association. It is an organized attempt by the ruling BJP government to misuse the constitutional systems and structures.

Therefore, it is time for Governor as constitutional head of the state of Jharkhand to protect the fundamental rights and democratic rights of minorities living in the state. Thus PUCL – Karnataka urges the Honorable Governor of the Jharkhand to revoke the ban on PFI in the state.

Election officials team, led by Returning Officer of Bhadravathi M Dase Gowda, seized household merchandise, including cookers and hot boxes worth Rs 6 lakh at Baranduru check post in the taluk on Wednesday.

As per Dase Gowda, the officials halted a mini lorry and checked the products. At the point when the driver neglected to produce records and give a fitting reaction to their inquiries, they grabbed the vehicle alongside products. The enquiry is in progress.