Mulbagal: Leaders of a number of Dalit organisations have accused Mulbagal MLA G. Manjunath of producing ‘false’ caste certificate.

The organisations have accused the minister of ‘falsely’ stating that he belongs to the ‘Budaga Jangama’ caste. They have also charged the minister of coercing Mulbagal tahsildar to issue a similar certificate to his brother G. Venkataramana.

They alleged: “The legislator is pressuring the authorities concerned to issue a false caste certificate to his brother even before his (Manjunath’s) issue is settled in court.”

“Some influential sections of society and wealthy people are grabbing the constitutionally guaranteed facilities meant for Scheduled Castes and Tribes by getting false caste certificates,” alleged R. Srinivasan, former president of zilla panchayat.

In his defence, Mr. Manjunath has filed a petition declaring that the said certificate dated 03.04.2012 is valid and legal.

Bengaluru: Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy declared “ample security” to pub assault victim L Vidwath and his family on Friday after visiting injured Vidwath at Mallya Hospital.

Reddy said “I have observed that they are under regular fear. But there is nothing to worry,” He also added that the state government would provide “whatever help is required to Vidwath and his family”.

Vidwath was brutally assaulted by Mohammed Haris Nalapad, the son of Congress official N A Haris, at Farzi Cafe in the City on February 17. He is still in the ICU of Mallya Hospital.

Reddy said security would likewise be given to M S Shyamsundar, the special public prosecutor for the case who has looked for police assurance. Shyamsundar had asserted that he had caught a supporter of Nalapad’s saying he (the legal advisor) would be their “next target”.

Police have additionally acknowledged plea from Vidwath’s family to invoke specific IPC sections for the case, Reddy said. Gotten some information about Nalapad gazing at and examining Shyamsundar in the court on February 21, Reddy said he was absent at the hearing and that he learnt about it just from the media.

(Agencies)

Ghaziabad: First, the Brahmin Mahasabha took objection to Baba Ramdev’s show on Discovery JEET, which it said spoke against the Brahmins, portraying them in poor light. The Mahasabha asked for criminal action against the show “Swami Ramdev: Ek Sangharsh”.

Then the Ghaziabad unit of All India Yadava Mahasabha got into the action and demanded action against the Brahmin Mahasabha for protesting against Ramdev.

Produced by Ajay Devgn FFilms and Watergate Production, the Discovery JEET project is a scripted biopic series tracing Baba Ramdev’s journey from a life of anonymity to a renowned yoga guru and business leader.

K.P. Yadav, Vice President of UP Yadava Mahasabha, said the Brahmins had been “dividing the society since ages” and Ramdev had said the right things about Brahmins’ role.

He praised the yoga guru for having “courage to expose” Brahmins in the show that premiered on February 12.

The All India Yadava Mahasabha has summoned a meeting on February 25, to discuss the issue in detail. The Yadava Mahasabha, in turn, has asked for action against Brahmin Mahasabha.

According to sources, the makers of the show have, meanwhile, asked for the security to be stepped up for them.

(IANS)

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Thursday ruled out banning any organisation such as Popular Front of India in the state.

“The question of banning any organisation (including PFI) doesn’t arise yet,” he told reporters here.

The chief minister was replying to a query whether the government intends to follow the footsteps of BJP-led Jharkhand government which banned PFI for “spreading anarchy” in the state.

The BJP state unit has been demanding a ban on the outfit, blaming it for the killings of Hindu and party activists in the state.

It has also alleged that the Congress was going soft on PFI to “appease” the minorities.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President G Parameshwara had earlier in the day countered BJP saying an organisation cannot be banned on mere demand, but the home minister can decide on it after reviewing the situation.

“Be it a demand of the Congress or BJP, government cannot ban based on a demand. The home minister reviews the situation time to time and will take a call,” he said.

(PTI)

Bengaluru: The Congress on Thursday avoided itself from the whole episode of assault by Shantinagar legislator NA Haris’ son Mohammed Nalapad Haris on a youth.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara said it was wrong to hold the party responsible for acts carried out by individual members.

Speaking to the reporters, G Parameshwar said “The Congress Party is being accused for the act done by a member. How can the party be responsible for all this? It is very embarrassing”

While the Haris episode was raging, a video showing Congress K R Puram block functionary S Narayanaswamy splashing petrol inside a BBMP office and threatening to burn down the office went viral.

Parameshwar also said that Haris’s son has been expelled and Narayanaswamy is suspended from the party. Further, any members indulging in such acts will not be tolerated, he added.

Haris is a second-time MLA from Shantinagar constituency in Bengaluru. The case involving Haris’s son and Haris getting the ticket are two different things. If Haris comes out of consultancy from the observers, he will get a ticket, Parameshwar said.

(Agencies)

Mumbai, New Delhi: The ED today said it has frozen bank deposits and shares worth about Rs 44 crore of the Nirav Modi group and seized a huge collection of imported watches from locations linked to the billionaire diamantaire.

Officials said they have put freeze orders on bank accounts containing Rs 30 crore and shares worth Rs 13.86 crore of the group under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A huge collection of imported watches, 176 steel almirahs, 158 boxes and 60 other containers have been seized during ED searches at multiple locations linked to the billionaire diamond jewelry designer over last week, they said.

Only yesterday, the agency seized deposits, shares and luxury cars worth over Rs 100 crore of the businessman and his group.

Modi, his uncle and Gitanjali Gems promoter Mehul Choksi and others are being investigated by the ED and other probe agencies after it recently came to light, following a complaint by the PNB, that they allegedly cheated the nationalised bank to the tune of Rs 11,400 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each to probe the case. Both Modi and Choski are said to have left the country before criminal cases were lodged against them.

(PTI)

Lucknow: A young Dalit girl was burnt alive in an Uttar Pradesh village in Unnao district late last night, police said.

Eighteen-year-old Moni was cycling to a vegetable market on Thursday when some unidentified persons confronted her. They surrounded her and poured petrol over her. Before she could react, they had set her ablaze.

The girl up in flames ran for some 100 metres to save herself but finally collapsed and died on the spot.

Senior police officers, including IG (Zone) Sujit Kumar Pandey rushed to the crime scene around midnight and spoke to the victims family.

The police is trying to find out whether it was a case of stalking or family enmity. The victim’s family has ruled out any case of enmity.

Officials told IANS that the police has recovered an empty petrol can, a match box and detected tyre marks of a four-wheeler near Tedha Bazaar where the crime took
place.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Pushpanjali along with the Station House Officer (SHO) Uttam Singh Rathore have interrogated several persons in connection with the crime.

A case has been registered against unidentified persons.

(IANS)