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.

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.

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,”

Former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and former CM Siddaramaiah protested outside the Vidhana Soudha after Yeddyurappa took an oath as the CM.

Congress and JD(S) allege that the time allotted to the BJP to prove majority will provide enough time to poach MLA’s.

JD(S) Party leader, HD Kumaraswamy alleged that the BJP, claiming that the party was using central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI and Income Tax Department to intimidate and poach MLAs from the Congress and the JD(S).

Kumaraswamy had earlier accused the BJP of offering his party MLAs Rs 100 crore and ministerial berths.

Speaking about Anand Singh, the Congress MLA-elect from Vijayanagara, who had jumped ship from the BJP to Congress in January 2018 and has gone ‘missing’, Kumaraswamy told media persons, “Early morning I have got information about Anand Singh. They (BJP) are using Centre and ED (Enforcement Directorate) to take his support.”

He also went on to allege, “Anand Singh told ‘they are using ED, I had a case in ED and they are going to screw me. I’m sorry I have to protect my interest,’ another Cong MLA who spoke to Singh told me.”

India on Thursday rejected resolutions relating to Jammu and Kashmir adopted in the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in Dhaka earlier this month.

“We observe with utmost regret as well as categorically reject the resolutions adopted by Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir at the 45th CFM session of OIC in Dhaka, Bangladesh held on May 5-6, 2018,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

“We affirm once again that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the OIC has no locus standi in matters strictly internal to India. We advise OIC to refrain from such references,” the statement said.

The OIC CFM declaration said it reaffirmed its “firm solidarity with Azerbaijan, Sudan, Comoros, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Mali, Somalia, Cote d’Ivoire, Central African Republic, Kosovo, Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Cyprus as well as all Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC member states within the established principle of the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the States in which they belong consistent with international law and agreements”.

JD(S) nominee in Gurmitkal constituency Naganagowda Kandakur has put an end to the 51-year rule of the Congress in the constituency by winning in the polls. The Congress has been in power in the constituency from 1967. In the first election held in 1962, Independent candidate Vidyadhar Guruji won the seat against the Congress candidate Mallappa Kollur. But in 1967, it was won by the party candidate N. Yankappa.

Mallikarjun Kharge contested from the constituency in his maiden election in 1972 and won by a margin of 9440 votes, against an Independent candidate. From thereon, Kharge won continuously eight times from 1972 to 2004. He later moved to Chittapur in Kalaburagi district. In his 36 year rule in Gurmitkal, the Congress party developed tremendously and Kharge also emerged as one of the strongest leaders in the party.

After Kharge, Baburao Chinchansur became MLA twice and continued the Congress rule from 2008 to 2018. However, this time voters chose to support the JD(S). Votes from the Kabbaliga, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, who are Congress loyalists, went to the JD(S). Kandakur had evoked sympathy among the people by stating the fact that he had defeated twice in the constituency, especially in 2013 when he lost by a thin margin of 1650 votes. Moreover, there was discontent among the people since Chinchanssur had allegedly neglected the drinking water crisis in the constituency. All these factors worked in favour of Kandakur, granting him success and the end of a half-decade Congress rule in Gurmitkal.

The Congress-JP(S) combine vowed to fight Governor Vajubhai Vala’s decision of inviting the BJP to form the government, with its chief ministerial candidate H D Kumaraswamy terming it as ‘Gujarati Business.’

Kumaraswamy referred to Vala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah -all of Gujarati origin – as ‘Trimurthis’ (trinity). ‘The Trimurthis think they can start their Gujarati business in Karnataka. We will not allow it. The BJP is trying to indulge in horse trading. All they want to do is loot the state like they did M 2008,” Kumaraswamy said in a scathing attack

The Congress-JP(S) alliance staked claim to form a government based on a numerical strength of 117 legislators as against the strength of 104. The magic number to form a government is 111. Kumaraswamy questioned Vala’s decision to give the BJP 15 days to prove majority instead of 3-4 days.

The BJP was building pressure on him (Kumaraswamy) to join hands with the saffron party, he said. “I took a hard decision not to support those who are looting the state. I will face whatever comes next.”

Kumaraswamy accused Modi of ‘uprooting’ democracy. “If there is resort politics today, it’s thanks to Modi. I can’t have my elected representatives sleeping in the streets till then. It is my duty to protect them. The BJP has gained expertise in kidnapping MIAs. Hence, I have to take them somewhere,” he said.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara dubbed Vala’s decision as “absolute dishonour to the Constitution of India.” In a tweet, Parameshwara said: “The JCI(S)+Congress is the largest coalition majority, which is rightfully eligible to form a government. We will not let BJP suppress it”

The Congress national leadership started exploring legal options soon after the Governor’s decision became public late on Wednesday night “KIPP) cannot buy everything with money. We’ll not allow democracy to be crushed;’ Parameshwara added.

BS Yeddyurappa had been sworn in as chief minister of a minority government and has 15 days to close the gap between 104 and 112 – the halfway mark.
The Congress has decided to move its lawmakers out of Karnataka. Reports suggest they will be flown to Cochin in Kerala.

The Janata Dal-Secular has reportedly also decided to fly out its legislators.

BS Yeddyurappa had been sworn in as chief minister of a minority government and has 15 days to close the gap between 104 and 112 – the halfway mark.

The Congress and the JDS, who had also staked claim to power declaring a combined strength of 116, are preparing to “protect” their flock for two weeks.

The Congress alleges that one of its lawmakers, Anand Singh, has already been threatened and is under pressure to defect.

“All MLAs are here except Anand Singh,” confirmed DK Singh, a Congress MP, at the state assembly Vidhan Souda, where the party’s legislators had gathered for a protest.
eagleton golf resort
On Wednesday, Karnataka Congress MLAs were taken to Eagleton Resorts near Bengaluru

JDS Leader HD Kumaraswamy said Anand Singh had been threatened with action by the Enforcement Directorate in an illegal mining case.

“Our plan is to safeguard MLAs. The BJP and their ministers are working to purchase MLAs, people should know about the attitude of the central government,” said Mr Kumaraswamy, who had asked Governor Vajubhai Vala to invite him to form government in alliance with the Congress.

Last evening, a busload of Congress legislators was moved around, first to the Governor’s house for a possible show of strength, then to the Eagleton Resorts near Bengaluru, a private property that has become a go-to destination for “resort politics”.

The lawmakers were constantly on the move as news emerged that the governor had decided to invite BS Yeddyurappa and given him two weeks to prove his majority.

Last year, the Congress had kept its Gujarat legislators in the same resort ahead of the Rajya Sabha election, when its candidate Ahmed Patel was facing a BJP rival and every vote became crucial.

The JDS lawmakers spent the night at the Shangrila hotel in Bengaluru.

Despite strong determination by JD(S) to ensure defeat of Zameer Ahmed Khan (Congress) in Chamrajpet, Zameer emerged victorious, that too effortlessly by a margin of 33,137 votes, against B K Altaf Khan (JD-S). Zameer had turned hostile to JD(S) after he cross voted against a party candidate in the 2016 Rajya Sabha polls. Since then, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda was waiting to teach Zameer a lesson and had vowed to defeat him. But his strategies fell flat with Zameer winning by a margin of 33,137 votes and Altaf Khan coming third.

Various factors worked in favour of Zameer and it appears that he was largely benefited by the consolidation of Muslim votes and the large vote base the Congress enjoys in the segment. Zameer was deeply entrenched in the constituency, with a strong influence over people of different communities in many slum pockets of Chamarajpet. This turned out be a major challenge for his opponents to divide votes. Also, the attitude of JD(S) to just see his defeat and the lack of aggression to ensure its candidate’s victory turned into an advantage for him.

Both JD(S) and BJP did not field a strong candidate who could stop Khan from winning for the fourth time. Zameer’s popularity with grass-root level workers ensured his victory, despite defecting JD(S) and contesting on Congress ticket. JD(S) and the BJP did not execute effective campaigns while Zameer went for door-to-door campaigning.

Police had to lathi charge a group of Janata Dal Secular workers this afternoon as the bus carrying party workers was stopped due to maintenance of zero traffic following the exit of new chief minister BS Yeddyurappa from Vidhana Soudha.
The chief minister was on his way to the party office after addressing a press conference at Vidhana Soudha and later spending some time in his office meeting state government officials.
The Janata Dal Secular legislators under the leadership of HD Kumaraswamy,former chief minister and state president were on their way back to Shangrila multi star hotel after protesting before the huge Mahatma Gandhi statue in between Vidhana Soudha and Vikas Soudha.
The Janata Dal Secular workers tried to manhandle the policemen on duty since the bus carrying the JDS legislators and their leader HD Kumaraswamy was stopped midway just to make way for the chief minister’s convoy.
The cops were forced to use force in order to disperse the unruly crowd while some of them were taken into preventive custody.The bus with JDS legislators later returned to the private hotel.
Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti