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BJP asks Siddaramaiah government to hand over Lottery Scam Case to CBI

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Photo: The New Indian Express

Photo: The New Indian Express

Bengaluru: A day after a senior IPS officer was suspended in connection with an alleged lottery scam, senior BJP leader and Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said the probe should be handed over to CBI as “top officials and some ministers are involved in it”.

“…just because top officials and some of the senior leaders-ministers of the present government are involved in this (single-digit lottery scam) – I think this cannot be investigated by the police of Karnataka. If they are fair enough, they should refer the matter to the CBI so that there could be clean and neat investigation and truth comes out,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.

Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police (West Bengaluru), was yesterday suspended for his alleged involvement in lottery scam.

A government order said yesterday, Mr Kumar had illegal contact with Pari Rajan, said to be the kingpin in the scam, and not only helped him but also interfered in the investigation process. Mr Rajan is already in police custody.

However, Mr Kumar has denied any kind of involvement in the case and demanded a fair investigation.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said the action was taken on the basis of a interim report submitted by the CID. Siddaramaiah who had held a meeting of senior police officials earlier this month, had ordered a CID probe into the alleged scam. He had also said that government would take strict action against those involved in the scam.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Suresh Kumar said it was a case of intelligence failure and questioned the intelligence wing for not keeping Siddaramaiah informed for two years.

“How can Home Minister escape from his responsibility? Why did our state intelligence not keep Chief Minister informed for two years? It is a case of intelligence failure, pure and simple. Here is an example of how to weakly handle Home Ministry,” he said.

Government had earlier suspended Dharanesh, Superintendent of Police (Lottery Squad) in connection with the case.

(PTI)

State law department examining HC judgement on Jayalalithaa : Karnataka CM

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Photo: IE

Photo: IE

Bengaluru: Even as AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa returned to power today, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state law department is examining the judgement of the High Court which acquitted her of all charges and the government would take a decision on filing an appeal in the case after receiving the report.

“Our law department is examining the judgement of Karnataka High Court. After getting the report from law department, we will decide,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

Asked whether he has spoken to AICC in this regard, the chief minister said, “No, the High command is not at all interfering in the state matters”.

Jayalalithaa was disqualified following her conviction in the Rs 66.66 crore disproportionate assets case by a trial court in Bengaluru on September 27. The Karnataka High Court had subsequently acquitted her of the charges on May 11 this year.

She was today sworn in for the fifth time as chief minister, nearly eight months after she was forced to quit over corruption charges.

Siddaramaiah cracks whip on Bengaluru civic officials

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siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday warned officials of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) of stern action if they don’t improve the city’s civic amenities and complete the various infrastructure projects.

“I told the BBMP administration to take up cleaning the filth on a war-footing, clear garbage dumps piling up in almost every ward, fill pot holes, check storm water drainage and repair damaged footpaths to improver the city’s image,” Siddaramaiah told reporters after going through the city and inspecting civic works in progress.

In view of the ensuing monsoon and civic body elections in 198 wards across the extended city in July, as directed by the Supreme Court on May 5, the chief minister has decided to make surprise visits and inspect civic works for their timely execution.

“No official, however big or small, will be spared from action if they neglect duty to maintain the city of 10 million people, affected by civic woes and inadequate infrastructure facilities. They must not keep any project pending for want of clearances or funds, as both are made available,” he said.

The BBMP was expanded in 2007 by including seven city municipal councils and one town municipal council and 111 surrounding villages to increase civic wards to 198 from 100.

The ruling Congress not only superceded the civic body on April 18, four days before its five-year term was to lapse on April 22, but also passed an amendment bill to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 2015 in the state legislative assembly on April 20 to trifurcate the civic behemoth for managing the city.

The bill has been referred to a select committee of the state legislative council.

During his whirlwind tour of the city, Siddaramaiah visited state-run Bowring Hospital in Shivajinagar, inspected road and pavement works on St Mark’s Road in the central business district, Okalipuram area near the main railway station and metro project on Mysuru road in south-west suburb.

The chief minister’s trip across the city with Home Minister K.J. George and city in-charge minister Ramalinga Reddy with dozen officials in an entourage led to traffic snarls, as their convoy blocked vehicular movement on a working day and caused hardship to thousands of commuters.

Karnataka progressing under Congress rule: Siddaramaiah

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Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Asserting that Karnataka was rated as one of the most progressive states of India, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the ruling Congress gave equal importance to social and economic sectors.

“Karnataka has been appreciated as one of the most progressive states in the country with proactive industrial policy and welfare schemes for the benefit of the people,” Siddaramaiah said at ‘Meet the Press’ event, held to mark the completion of two years of his government.

Claiming that the state remained the most preferred destination for investments, the chief minister said his government had fulfilled 100 of the 160 promises it had made in the party manifesto before May 2013 assembly elections.

“Our pro-poor schemes such as cheaper foodgrain to poor people, free milk supply to students, interest-free loans to farmers and welfare schemes to other sections of society are benefiting the people across the state,” Siddaramaiah said.

Claiming that the Congress would do well in the gram panchayat polls later this month and the Bengaluru civic body elections in July, the chief minister said the people were intelligent and know whom to elect.

“I regret to say the (opposition) BJP and JD-S were more worried about their fate in the ensuing elections and indulging in making baseless allegations against our government and party,” Siddaramaiah said.

The chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, said in the three state budgets he presented so far, he had ensured proportionate allotment of resources to all sectors, especially, agriculture, irrigation, power, roads, education, healthcare and urban infrastructure, including in Bengaluru.

“By adding 3,000 MW over the next three years, the state will have surplus power. We have allotted Rs.13,000 crore in this fiscal budget to execute pending irrigation projects for increasing foodgrains production,” he said.

Defending the amendment bill to split the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and superseding it four days before its five-year term was to end on April 22, Siddaramaiah said as the city’s population exploded to 11 million, it was essential to trifurcate the civic body for administrating the city better and improving the infrastructure, including basic amenities.

“The civic body (BBMP) has been expanded by including seven city municipal councils, one town municipal council and 111 surrounding villages to increase its civic wards to 198 from 100 in 2007 by the then BJP-JD-S government. It has become unwieldy. We need to split it for all-round development of the city,” he added.

(Agencies)

Mekedatu dam row: Siddaramaiah leads all-party delegation to PM

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modi-Siddaramaiah

New Delhi/Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah led an all-party delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the Centre’s “cooperation” for implementing the Mekedatu dam project in his state, which is being opposed by neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

“We sought support from the Government of India to go ahead with the project,” Siddaramaiah told reporters outside Parliament House after meeting Modi.

Terming Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the project as “politically motivated”, he stressed that interests of the neighbouring state would not be affected by this project.

“We are planning to construct a dam across the Cauvery river, which is in our territory. This project will not affect the interest of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu people’s opposition to the project is politically motivated,” he said.

Siddaramaiah said that Karnataka was releasing 192 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu as per the award of the tribunal and asserted that construction of hydro electric project was “within the rights of Karnataka”.

Asked about Modi’s response, Siddaramaiah said, “Prime Minister has not given any assurance. He said that he would examine it.”

The Karnataka chief minister also urged Modi to convene a meeting of chief ministers to discuss about making respective regional languages as medium of instruction in primary schools.

Union Ministers Ananth Kumar and Sadananda Gowda, MPs including senior BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge were also present during the meeting.

The Karnataka all-party delegation’s meeting with Modi comes in the wake of Tamil Nadu chief minister O Pannerselvam and opposition parties from the state calling on the Prime Minister separately over the issue recently.

Siddaramaiah in his budget speech, presented on March 13, has proposed preparing a detailed project report for construction of balancing reservoir on the upstream of Mekedatu across the Cauvery river.

(Agencies)

CM slams TV channels for promoting superstitions and blind beliefs

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Photo: The New Indian Express

Photo: The New Indian Express

Hassan: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed concern over the telecast of programmes in many TV channels that promote superstitions and blind beliefs in people.

Speaking at the 32nd State conference of the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) here, he suggested presspersons to spread awareness about scientific reasoning among the public.

“Do you believe in the existence of ghosts even in the 21st century?,” he asked the presspersons and said the role of the media was to promote scientific reasoning among people. “If you provide undue importance to soothsayers, how can you bring about a change in society,” he asked.

In recent years, the media had been giving more space for imaginative reporting. “You are more interested in imagining what might have happened than what has actually happened. This is a bad trend and it affects both the media and the society. This cannot serve the media for long. People gradually lose confidence in media houses that attach undue importance to illusions and imagination,” he said.

In the pre-Independence era, newspapers used to focus on Freedom Movement. They played a major role in prompting the people to join the national movement. In the first two-three decades of post-Independence India, newspapers provided the much needed push for development programmes. “In recent years, however, corporate companies have taken over several media houses. Big companies hire journalists on a contract basis. In small organisations, journalists face many problems and hence they need job security,” he said and added that his government would soon launch a health insurance scheme for journalists and their family members.

A.S. Kiran Kumar, ISRO chairman, said that it was essential for journalists to keep updating themselves with the ever-expanding technology. “Nowadays, people access news through their mobile phones. This has become possible only because of the advancement being witnessed in communication technology. Media people should get used to the advanced technology to remain in the field,” he said. Veteran journalists and former presidents of the union H.S. Doreswamy, N. Arjun Dev, G.K. Sathya, Venkatesh and Gangadhar Mudaliar were felicitated. Information Minister R .Roshan Baig, Minister for Public Works H.C. Mahadevappa, Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader, Vijaya Karnataka Editor Thimmappa Bhat, KUWJ psresident N. Raju, Indian Federation of Working Journalists president K.Vikram Rao, Hassan Daistrict Working Journalists’ Association president Ravi Nakalgudu and others were present.

Hassan district Association of Working Journalists had organised an exhibition of photographs and cartoons. Photo journalists Ateek Ur Rahman, Janekere Paramesh, B.M. Ravish and Srinivas exhibited the photos taken by them. Noted cartoonist M.V. Shivaram displayed cartoons.

(Agencies)

Special package for rain-hit areas announced by Siddaramaiah government

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Photo: IE

Photo: IE

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Monday announced a special package for farmers affected by untimely rain and hailstorm in north Karnataka. In a prolonged debate in the Legislative Council on the issue of crop loss suffered by farmers of eight districts due to unseasonal rain and hailstorm, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he will shortly announce the package details.

“The crop loss this time is unprecedented and severe. I am waiting for the joint survey report from the agriculture, horticulture and revenue departments to announce the package,” he said.

Revenue Minister V. Srinivas Prasad said the State will also be presenting a memorandum to the Centre urging for a special package for the losses suffered by the farmers, apart from that which is given under the National Disaster Relief Fund and the State Disaster Relief Fund.

He said preliminary reports suggested as many as 14 persons, 90 cattle heads, 774 homes, 55,405.88 hectares of agriculture land and 1,433.85 hectares of horticulture crops have been destroyed. The value of damaged agriculture land, due to heavy rain, is estimated to be Rs. 350 crore. Similarly, the value of horticulture crops lost due to the same rain is Rs. 15 crore.

The combined Opposition of the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party, however, staged a walkout for not waiving loans of farmers who have lost their crops in the heavy rain and hailstorm. However, Mr. Siddaramaiah said it was impossible to waive the loans.

(Agencies)

No plans to ban beef in state: Siddaramaiah

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Photo: The New Indian Express

Photo: The New Indian Express

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has made it clear that there will not be any ban on beef in the state.

When he was asked a question by scribes on the beef ban in light of a protest held in Bengaluru on Thursday April 9 against the beef ban in Maharashtra, Siddaramaiah said “Let the people decide what they want to eat. We do not have the right to question their choices”

“Pork, chicken, mutton and let them eat what they want. Who am I to tell them? “Siddaramaiah added.

The protestors on Thursday at town hall premises had cooked beef biryani on the spot and had eaten it in public to register their opposition to the ban in Maharashtra.

Some prominent faces were also seen in the protest including writers Girish Karnad and K Marulusiddappa. The protest was organized by the activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

BJP unhappy

Meanwhile BJP has strongly criticized the participation of Girish Karnad and K Marulusiddappa in the protest by terming the act as ‘A shameful act which a civilised society cannot accept.’

Leader of the opposition in the legislative council K S Eshwarappa has demanded apologies from both the writers for participating in the protest.

“I know they are famous. Whatever they say will get some publicity. But they should have used their popularity for good causes. They should not use their talents for anti social propaganda. If they do not know to promote good causes, they should shut up. Hindus have been watching them patiently. But nobody knows when their anger will explode.” Eshwarappa said.

No knowledge of law?

Veteran freedom fighter H S Doreswamy has said that Girish Karnad and K Marulusiddappa should have had the basic knowledge of prevailing laws which prohibit the slaughter of cows.

He said that even Jammu and Kashmir where the Muslims are in majority has some laws against the killing of cows. He asked not to compare cow to other animals.

Girish Karnad had said during the protest, “The act of banning beef eating is provocative. I may or may not eat beef but I will stand by the right of others for whom the meat is a crucial source of affordable nutrition. It is about people’s right to food and their right to life.”

(Agencies)

Cabinet expansion after talks with Sonia, says Siddaramaiah

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Photo: IE

Photo: IE

Bengaluru: The Congress government, headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which would complete two years in office next month, is expected to expand the Cabinet after consultations with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, who was in Delhi to attend a conference of Chief Ministers of States and Chief Justices of High Courts on Sunday, told presspersons that the decision on the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle would be taken after consultations with Ms. Gandhi.

The Chief Minister is expected to meet her on Monday. However, he declined to fix deadlines on the Cabinet expansion or reshuffle.

Decision on Western Ghats

Dismissing the allegations that the Karnataka government was opposing the Kasturirangan committee report on Western Ghats under the pressure from the mining lobby, Siddaramaiah said that his government would not take any decision in a hurry.

“The State government will not take any decision, which harms the ecology of the State. The environmentalists need not worry about it”, he told reporters.

Siddaramaiah said his government was not under the pressure from sand mafia or quarrying lobby to oppose the report. Before finalising the state response, the government would keep in mind the suggestions made by environmentalists, he said.

The Kasturirangan Panel had recommended a ban on development activities in 60,000 sq km ecologically-sensitive area spread over six states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The report declared 1,580 villages in and around Western Ghats in Karnataka as ecologically sensitive areas, but the State Cabinet has decided to include only 850 villages by dropping rest.

Environmentalists have alleged that the government was dropping a number of villages under the pressure from the mining lobby. Instead of explaining about the benefits of the report, the State government was planning to drop many villages from the category of sensitive areas they alleged.

On setting up IIT in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said that soon the State government would recommend some of the possible places to the Ministry of Human Resources Development and set up the institute in consultation with the Centre.

(Agencies)

Siddaramaiah rated fourth most popular Chief Minister in the country

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Siddharamaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has now been found to be the fourth most popular Chief Minister in the country.

A survey conducted by India Today group and Cicero has revealed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, with 38 per cent, is the fourth most popular Chief Minister in the country. His predecessor, S.M. Krishna, was ranked No. 1 among all the Chief Ministers in the country during his tenure.

The survey conducted on 12,621 samples at 519 places in the country covering 260 constituencies in 19 States reveals that Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik with 69 per cent is the most popular CM in the country followed by Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and Delhi CM Aravind Kejriwal with 55 per cent each sharing the second and third slot.

(Agencies)

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