The Congress on Thursday complained to the Election Commission against the BJP’s Karnataka unit for “getting published false and misleading advertisements” in newspapers to malign the public image of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The Congress said it was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct as the print advertisements were published with an intent to malign their leaders’ images by “levelling false and unverified allegations and distortions against them”.

The party urged the EC to enquire into and take strict and prompt action against the state BJP leadership. It also said this is “clearly a sign of BJP’s frustration”.

Congress leaders, including Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Rajeev Shukla and Pramod Tiwari, submitted a memorandum to Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat.

“We bring to your kind notice the blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct by the Karnataka BJP in the ensuing Assembly elections.

“Your kind attention is drawn to specific incidents of publishing false and misleading advertisements in various newspapers on Thursday across the state with the object of securing votes by casting undue influence on unsuspecting voters,” said the memorandum.

“The Karnataka BJP has made false, baseless, unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations using cutouts, shadow images and likeness of Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah being fully aware that the Model Code was in force,” it added.

Singhvi later told reporters: “We told the EC about the highly objectionable advertisements being released in Karnataka. They are highly objectionable not only because they are a direct violation of the MCC but also of the criminal law.

“The Indian Penal Code and Representation of the People Act have been quoted… there are provisions to prevent inflammatory, provocative, divisive and personal enmity between groups.”

Singhvi claimed that attempts to gain electorally were happening in a brazen manner.

“We have demanded and immediate stop on these. Also, we are advising our Karnataka leaders to take action, including filing of an FIR and following it up.”

(IANS)

Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from the Jayanagar assembly segment, B.N. Vijaya Kumar, died here early on Friday, a party official said. He was 60.

The two-time lawmaker was in the fray from the same constituency for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections.

“Vijaya Kumar was admitted into a nearby hospital after he collapsed on Thursday evening following a cardiac arrest while campaigning in his constituency,” the official told IANS.

He died at the state-run hospital after efforts to revive him failed, a doctor said.

The party’s state unit chief B.S. Yeddyurappa mourned the death. “I am deeply pained at the untimely demise of my friend and party stalwart Vijaya Kumar…,” Yeddyurappa tweeted.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also expressed his condolences over Kumar’s demise. “..I express my condolences to his family and loved ones. Vijaya Kumar was a sincere and hard working political leader,” he tweeted.

The Election Commission was likely to countermand the poll in Jayanagar Assembly seat on account of Kumar’s death as a candidate in the fray.

The CBI has filed a case against Air One Aviation Pvt Ltd, its Chief Security Officer Prasun Roy and journalist Upendra Rai for obtaining access to highly sensitive areas of national importance, an official said on Thursday.

The agency on Thursday also searched eight places in Delhi, Noida, Lucknow and Mumbai in connection with the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also named some unidentified public servants and others in its FIR.

Prasun Roy and Upendra Rai, owner of Printlines Media Group and formerly employed with Tehelka, along with some public servants and other private persons were being questioned by the CBI at its headquarters here, the official said.

The CBI is also probing allegations of “dubious financial transactions” against them.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development will hold National Conferenceof 244 Districts under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) in New Delhi on Friday (May 04).

The Nodal Officers of 244 Districts, State Nodal Officers and Senior officers will be present in the day-long Conference. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi would be the Chief Guest and the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Dr.Virendra Kumar would be the Guest of Honour.

WCD Secretary Rakesh Srivastava will share the journey so far under BBBP. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development will share experiences from their sectoral interventions on improving the Sex Ratio at Birth and initiatives to encourage girl child education.

In an interactive session, theDistrict Collectors of select BBBP districts from different parts of the country would share the innovative interventions undertaken in the past three years. Haryana will share State Level experience. Representative civil society partners would also participate in the Conference.

The Conference will provide an opportunity for experience sharing and will motivate the new districts to plan and execute the programme successfully. The participants in the Conference will include Principal Secretaries, Departments of WCD/Social Welfare, Education and Health from various states/UTs, and Deputy Commissioners/Collectors and District Magistrates from 244 districts.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the All India expansion of BBBP scheme in 640 districts across thecountry (as per Census 2011) on 8th March, 2018 at Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. The new 244 Districts from across the country will be covered under Multi-Sectoral Intervention. This is in addition to the already covered 161 Districts. Remaining 235 Districts will be covered through Media campaign and advocacy outreach.

Hindusthan Samachar/Shri Ram Shaw

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\

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.

The Congress on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is constantly thinking about how to criticise their chief Rahul Gandhi and abuse the party.

“I can see a big change has come in him (Modi). I do not know if anyone is noticing or not. From morning till evening, be it the Prime Minister or leaders of BJP, whole day day they are thinking about Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.

“Be it when they are sleeping, waking up, eating, walking, reading..all the time, Rahul Gandhi and Congress party. Maybe in his dream too. He is always thinking how to criticise Rahul Gandhi and to abuse the Congress party,” said Congress spokesperson Rajeev Shukla.

Launching his election campaign in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of being obsessed with “politics of dynasty” and dared Gandhi to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of the Siddaramaiah government without a piece of paper.

Congress party, taking note of the political overtones Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s claim that Congress had insulted former Prime Minister, Deve Gowda, has been acquiring, is into damage control mode now. The party has clarified that its national president, Rahul Gandhi, had never made such disparaging statement about Deve Gowda as claimed. It also asked Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to tender apologies to the general public for lying to them.

Congress party also said that during the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Narendra Modi had said that Deve Gowda would be assigned to the home for the aged in Gujarat. It asked Modi to apologize for this statement.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday May 2 at Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office here, former union minister, Anand Sharma, asserted that Congress never supports or promotes the culture of insulting senior persons. He said that when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi had, on several occasions, behaved in a way that was insulting to the then Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh. He also asked Modi to offer unconditional apology for this behaviour. “We know how BJP’s own leaders including L K Advani are being treated in that party,” he commented.

“Deve Gowda is a former Prime Minister of India, and Congress had supported his elevation to that post. Rahul Gandhi never spoke about him disrespectfully. Narendra Modi has made it a habit to spread malaise and falsehood. Because of these qualities, the people of the country have become disillusioned with him. With the defeat of BJP in the assembly election here, its funeral procession will begin and it will culminate with the party’s debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha election,” he stated.