Karnataka Government Archives - Lokmarg

10 BJP MLAs Suspended After Ruckus In K’taka Assembly Session

By LokMarg 19th July 2023

Karnataka Assembly Speaker UT Khader on Wednesday suspended 10 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs after the Assembly on Wednesday plunged into chaos with unruly scenes following angry BJP lawmakers tore copies of bills and threw them at Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Lamani’s face.

BJP MLAs Ashwathnarayan, Sunil Kumar, R Ashok, Vedavya Kamath, Yashpal Suvarna, Dheeraj Muniraj, Umanath Kotian, Aravind Bellad, Araga Jnanendra and Bharath Shetty are among those suspended from attending session till Friday for allegedly misbehaving in the House.
The BJP MLAs have been suspended for disrupting the proceedings of the Assembly session. The MLAs created a ruckus over the Congress-led state government’s decision to depute IAS officers for Opposition Meeting held in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18.

However, the BJP and JDS have given notice to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker.

BJP MLAs even threw papers on Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Lamani for allowing budget discussion when the House was not in order.

Meanwhile, former Home Minister and BJP leader Araga Jnanaendra said it is a democratic right to protest and added that they will continue the protest.

“It’s a democratic right to protest, we were protesting against deploying IAS officers to welcome some people who came to attend political events, some of them are also on bail after involving in criminal activity. That’s why we are demanding an apology from the Government. The Deputy Speaker was also not respecting our protest. We’ll continue our protest”, Jnanaendra said.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara called the incident unfortunate and said that nobody prevents anyone from protesting but there is some basic discipline that they (BJP MLAs) have to follow.

“…It is unfortunate. We have laid out some guidelines, some rules in the house. House rules are there. Nobody prevents them to go and protest…But there is some basic discipline that they have to follow, attacking the chair is something we don’t see in the Karnataka legislature…And this has happened. It is unfortunate and we also appeal to the speaker to take some action. Otherwise, if it is let go, I don’t think our houses will run properly…”, Parameshwara said. (ANI)

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Don’t Put Words In His Mouth: Kharge On “Nalayak Beta” Remark

By LokMarg 1st May 2023

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday clarified that his son Priyank Kharge never made the “nalayak beta” remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi adding that people were forcibly putting words to his mouth.

Days after Mallikarjun Kharge stoked a controversy with his “poisonous snake” remark on PM Modi, the Congress president’s son Priyank Kharge on Monday outdid his father describing the holder of the country’s highest officer as “nalayak beta” (useless son).
“…When PM Modi had come to Kalaburgi, he said, Aap sab dariye mat, Banjara community ka ek beta Delhi mein baitha hai (do not be scared, a son from the Banjara community is sitting in Delhi). Aisa nalayak beta baithega toh ghar kaise chalega (if the son is useless, how will the house be run)?” Priyank Kharge said.

While talking to the reporters, Kharge said, “He (Priyank Kharge) never said, don’t put these things in his mouth. He attacked the parliament member who abused him. So don’t put in his mouth these words for Modi. Everywhere this is going purposely.”

Amid the high-decibel campaign for the ensuing Karnataka Assembly elections, Mallikarjun Kharge’s “poisonous snake” remark drew a sharp reaction from the BJP, which slammed the “slanderous” statement saying it reflected the “mentality” of the principal Opposition party in the state.

“PM Modi is like a ‘poisonous snake’. You might to check if its poison or not. But if you lick it, you’re dead,” Kharge had said at an election rally.

Kharge, who made the remarks at Kalaburagi, later issued a clarification saying his remark wasn’t directed at Prime Minister Modi but at the BJP and its “divisive” ideology.

The polls for the 224-seat Karnataka Assembly are scheduled to take place on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13. (ANI)

BJP Should Release Report Card Before Manifesto: Siddaramaiah

By LokMarg 1st May 2023

Moments after the BJP released its manifesto for the May 10 Kanataka Assembly elections, Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday hit out at the ruling party claiming it did not fulfill the majority of its promises ahead of the previous elections.

Daring the saffron party to release a “report card” along with its manifesto, Siddaramaiah said the BJP stands for “betrayers”.
“@BJP4Karnataka should release their report card before their new manifesto. BJP leaders have no regards for the promises they make. They have not fulfilled more than 90 per cent of their promises made in the previous elections. BJP means betrayers,” the Congress leader tweeted.

Earlier, on Monday, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party released its manifesto at an event in Bengaluru on Monday, making a host of promises topping which was provision of 3 free cooking gas cylinders to all BPL (Below Poverty Level) families annually.

Free cooking gas cylinders will be provided in three installments of one cylinder each in the months of Yugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Deepavali.

The manifesto or the vision document was released by the BJP’s national president JP Nadda in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor and Lingayat stalwart BS Yediyurappa.

Also, in an announcement similar to the one in the run-up to the Gujarat and Uttarakhand Assembly polls last year, the BJP promised to implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Karnataka on the basis of the recommendations of a high-level committee which is to be constituted for the purpose.

The ruling party, in all, made 16 promises in its vision document which promised to launch the ‘Poshana’ (nutrition) scheme through which every BPL household will be provided with half litre Nandini milk every day and 5 kg Shri Anna-siri dhanya (millets) through monthly ration kits.

“We will introduce the Visvesvaraya Vidya Yojane under which the state government will partner with eminent individuals and institutions for holistic upgradation of government schools to top class standards,” the manifesto said.

The BJP also promised to launch the ‘Samanvaya’ scheme to drive collaboration between SMEs and ITIs and generate a dynamic ecosystem of education and employment for talented young professionals.

“We will provide career support for aspirational youth by providing financial incentives for students to pursue coaching for IAS/KAS/banking/government jobs,” it said.

Underlining its commitment to the healthcare sector, the BJP said it will strengthen the public healthcare infrastructure in the state through ‘Mission Swasthya Karnataka’ by establishing one Namma clinic, equipped with diagnostic facilities, in every ward of municipal corporations.

“Additionally, we will also provide a free annual master health check-up for senior citizens,” the party stated in the vision document.

“We will develop Bengaluru for the next generation by designating it as ‘State Capital Region’, and executing a comprehensive, technology-led city development program – centred around Ease of Life, cohesive transportation networks and enabling ecosystems for making Bengaluru a Global Hub of Digital Innovation,” the manifesto said.

Karnataka will go to Assembly polls on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13. (ANI)

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It Is Not Our Kerala Story: Tharoor

By LokMarg 30th April 2023

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday reacted to the ongoing ‘The Kerala Story’ controversy on Twitter.

Taking to the microblogging site he shared the poster of the film and wrote, “It may be your Kerala story. It is not our Kerala story.”
https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1652675921717997569

‘The Kerala Story’ has become a topic for discussion around the numbers being exaggerated in the trailer of the film.

Helmed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film is all set to hit the theatres on May 5, 2023.

‘The Kerala Story’ stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani and Sonia Balani in the lead roles.

The trailer of Sen’s film ‘The Kerala Story’ came under fire as it claimed that 32,000 girls from the state went missing and later joined the terrorist group, ISIS.

Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly VD Satheesan recently said that the film ‘The Kerala Story’ should not be granted permission for screening.

“The film ‘The Kerala Story’ which falsely claims that 32,000 women in Kerala converted and became members of the Islamic State, should not be granted permission for screening. The trailer clearly shows what the film intends to say”, Satheesan said in a Facebook post.

He also alleged that the film is part of an attempt to implement Sangh Parivar’s agenda and create a social divide by casting a shadow of doubt over the minority groups.

“This is not an issue of freedom of expression but part of an attempt to implement the Sangh Parivar agenda to create a divide in the society by casting a shadow of doubt over the minority groups”, he said. (ANI)

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K’taka: BJP’s Campaign To Turn Aggressive With Modi’s Rallies

By LokMarg 29th April 2023

The campaign of Bharatiya Janata Party for the battle of Karnataka will turn into an aggressive mode with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mega roadshow in Bengaluru and back-to-back three public rallies starting today.

PM Modi will be addressing 19 public rallies in different districts besides participating in four roadshows till May 7 as part of the campaign for the elections scheduled to be held on May 10.
BJP, Congress (supported by CPI) and JD(S) are fighting on their own hoping to form a government in the state.

The Prime Minister will enter the campaign in the last leg of the campaigning in which he will conduct a spate of roadshows and rallies in an effort for the BJP to retain power in its “gateway to the South”.

PM Modi will also hold three public rallies in Humnabad at 10 am, Vijayapura at 12 pm, and Kudachi at 3 pm.

His roadshow is scheduled at around 4.30 pm today.

“This roadshow will be of a number of kilometres in length in which three assembly constituencies of Bangalore North will be covered in nearly 45 minutes,” sources had told earlier ANI.

“On April 30, PM Modi will address public meetings organized in Kolar, Channapatna and Mysore districts. After this, on May 2, PM Narendra Modi will campaign in Chitradurga, Vijayanagar, Sindhanur and Kalaburagi. On May 3, he will campaign for BJP candidates in Moodbidire, Karwar and Kittur,” they added.

On the lines of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, the party has also decided to organize a mega roadshow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly aiming to ensure victories of the party candidates.

Besides these roadshows, the BJP is likely to organise two or three additional roadshows in the state.

Training guns on the Congress over its President Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘venomous snake’ barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the party and its leaders have lost their minds.

“PM Modi is welcomed across the world with a lot of respect, he said the Congress cannot instigate people with such statements, because the support for the Prime Minister will increase, as much as they abuse him,” Shah said.

“One hand, there is the Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and on the other, is the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. This (Karnataka Assembly) election is an opportunity for you to decide if you want a double engine sarkar led by PM Modi, which will take Karnataka forward, or the Congress’s reverse gear sarkar, which will take Karnataka backwards,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had the biggest-ever roadshow in Ahmedabad during the Gujarat Assembly elections last year, which covered nearly 50 km spread across 19 assembly constituencies.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s challenge in Karnataka is to retain power, for which party president JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah have already started their election campaigns.

Notably, Karnataka is the only southern state where the BJP is in power.

The BJP is seeking a second term in the state and has exuded confidence in returning to power with a full majority.

The polls for the 224-seat assembly will take place on May 10 and the counting of votes will be held on May 13. (ANI)

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BJP Preparing Young Team To Lead K’taka’s Development Journey: Modi

By LokMarg 27th April 2023

With an aim to give the leadership of the state’s development to the young generation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is preparing a “young team” in Karnataka who will lead the state’s progress journey in the next 25 years contributing to the vision of developed India.

The Prime Minister’s remarks came while interacting with the Karnataka BJP workers virtually.
Notably, the BJP gave chances to over 50 new faces in its list of 224 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls, resulting in the denial of tickets to some senior leaders of the party including Jagadish Shettar, Laxman Savadi and others who ultimately quit the party and joined the Congress to get the ticket.

PM Modi, during his interaction with the BJP workers, highlighted the difference between the BJP and other parties.

“The biggest difference between the BJP and other parties is of approach. The BJP is working on the roadmap of development of India in the next 25 years. Our rivals’ agenda is to grab power, our agenda is to make the country developed in 25 years and make it free from poverty and promote the youth’s capabilities. The BJP is making a young team in Karnataka to give leadership to the development journey of the state in the next 25 years. It is our effort to make numerous global hubs in Karnataka like Bengaluru,” he said.

Responding to a question on the meaning of ‘double-engine government’ by a party worker, the Prime Minister said that it refers to the fast pace of development.

“The meaning of double-engine government is the double speed of development. Where there are BJP’s double-engine governments, it has been an experience that the poor welfare schemes are implemented with pace. There are some states which change the name of the schemes,” he said.

PM Modi said that he will physically visit Karnataka to join the BJP’s election campaign in a few days.

“I will visit Karnataka in a couple of days to receive the blessings of the people of the state. BJP leaders who have campaigned in the state have said that they received a lot of affection from the people there. This shows people’s confidence in BJP,” he said.

Karnataka is slated to go to Assembly polls on May 10, and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. (ANI)

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Karnataka Congress chief Scrapping Of Muslims Quota

K’taka Cong Chief Promises To Cancel Scrapping Of Muslims Quota If Voted To Power

By LokMarg 7th April 2023

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Friday said that if the grand old party came to power in the assembly elections, it would cancel the scrapping of 4 percent Muslim quota by the ruling government.

In March, the Karnataka government decided to scrap the four per cent quota for minorities and add it to the existing quota of two dominant communities of the poll-bound state.
The 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims under 2B classification of the OBC category will now be divided into two equal parts and added to the existing quota of Vokkaligas and Lingayats for whom two new reservation categories of 2C and 2D were created during the Belagavi Assembly Session last year.

While talking to ANI, Shivakumar said, “Without any complications, we raised our two lists. BJP could not raise its list yet…More lists will come…As soon as our government comes, we will cancel the reservation issue and will protect the minority interest.”

On Thursday, Congress released the second list of 41 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Election 2023 and also marked a seat for the regional outfit Sarvodaya Karnataka Party. The announcement was made following the meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Parliamentary Board would finalise and release the list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state on April 8.

The Chief Minister added that the selection of the candidates has been done based on winnability.

The Congress had on March 25 announced its first list of 124 candidates, which included names of former CM Siddaramaiah and State Party chief DK Shivakumar.

The Assembly election in Karnataka is scheduled to be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. (ANI)

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Karnataka Elections To Be Held On May 10, Counting On May 13

By LokMarg 29th March 2023

The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Karnataka Assembly elections. The polling would take place in a single phase on May 10, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Wednesday.

The counting of votes will be done on May 13, the CEC said in a press conference here.
Detailing the data of the electors, the CEC said that there are a total of 5.21 crores in the state and the number of 100 plus voters is 16,976.

He informed that over 58,000 polling stations would be set up across the state.

“There are 224 Assembly constituencies of which 36 are reserved for the SCs and 15 for the STs. The total electorates in the state are 5,21,73,579 crores of which males are 2.62 crores and females are 2.59 crores. The total number of 80 plus electors is 12.15 lakhs. It is an increase of 32 percent from 2018. It also includes 16,976 proud electors who are 100 plus. The number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) has increased to 5.55 lakhs. This is an increase of close to 150 percent,” Kumar said.

He said that the first-time voters have increased from 2018-19 by 9.17 lakhs in Karnataka.

“All young voters who are turning 18 years of age by April 1, will be able to vote in the Karnataka Assembly elections,” he said.

The CEC also laid down the security measures for the identified sensitive booths in the state.

“There are 58,282 polling stations in Karnataka of which 20,866 are urban. The average number of electors per polling station comes to 883. On all the sensitive booths which have been identified, we take four to five measures. Either there would be CAPF, web-casting, or a micro-observer. With the combination of all of these, we tend to put more vigour and vigil on the sensitive booths,” he informed.

“There would be 240 model polling stations which will be made eco-friendly and green booths. 100 booths would be managed purely by persons with disability,” Kumar added explaining the measures taken by the ECI for attracting the youth to vote.

Meanwhile, Karnataka, which has 224 seats in the Assembly currently has 119 MLAs of the ruling BJP, while Congress has 75 and its ally JD(S) has 28 seats.

With months to go for the Assembly elections, the political parties including the ruling BJP, Congress and ally JD(S) began the spate of allegations and counter-allegations, with the latter attempting to corner the government over the issue of corruption.

The BJP government, being led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is also putting in efforts to return to power and stressing the Kannadigas issue, reservation to the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities by scrapping a religion-based reservation for the Muslim community, a decision which the state government took recently.

The government, last year, had proposed that the companies that do not give first preference to Kannadigas will not be eligible for incentives. The government’s move came in the latter part of last year in a bid to promote Kannada. It was included in the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill. (ANI)

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‘Not An Inch’ Will Be Ceded: Bommai On Border Row

By LokMarg 27th December 2022

Amid the ongoing Karnataka-Maharashtra border row, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that not an inch of land will be ceded to Maharashtra.

Bommai said Karnataka is confident of getting justice as the States have been organised on the basis of the States Reorganisation Act 1956.
“Not an inch of Karnataka will be ceded to Maharashtra at any cost. The Karnataka government is fully committed to protecting every bit of land. States have been organised on basis of the States Reorganisation Act 1956. Maharashtra politicians are doing such things as their case pending before Supreme Court is very weak,” CM Bommai told reporters here.

Bommai’s remarks came against the backdrop of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passing the resolution on the state’s dispute with Karnataka over border areas.

Karnataka CM said the resolution of the Maharashtra Assembly did not have any value and they are doing such things since their case pending before the Supreme Court is very weak.

“The resolution of the Karnataka Assembly is very clear and the State is clear in its stand which is constitutionally and legally valid. The people of both States are living cordially. The Maharashtra politicians are known for such tricks as they know well that their case is very weak. The Karnataka government is committed to Kannadigas living in the neighbouring state. We are right constitutionally and legally,” Bommai added.

Maharashtra Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday tabled a resolution in the state Assembly on the state’s dispute with Karnataka over border areas.

The state assembly unanimously passed the resolution which says that Maharashtra will fight the pending case in the Supreme Court with full strength for the inclusion of each and every inch of 865 villages including Belgavi, Karwar, Nipani, Bidar Bhalki in Maharashtra.

The resolution also condemned the Karnataka administration for its anti-Marathi stand in the border area.

According to the resolution the Maharashtra government will stand behind the Marathi people in border areas and will go for a legal fight in the Supreme Court to ensure that these areas become a part of Maharashtra.

The Central Government should urge the Karnataka Government to implement the decision taken in the meeting with the Union Home Minister and the government should be given the understanding to guarantee the safety of the Marathi people in the border areas, the resolution read.

Shiv Sena (UBT) president and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday demanded that the disputed areas be declared as Union Territory.

Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Thackeray said, “We supported today’s resolution. Whatever happens in favour of Maharashtra, we will support it. But there are some questions. For over two years, people (living in border areas) have been demanding to include them in Maharashtra. What are we doing about that?”

Thackeray stated that the Opposition stands in support of the resolution.

“Today government replied that the disputed area cannot be declared as a Union Territory as said by Supreme Court in 2008. However, the situation is not the same now. The Karnataka government is not following it. They are doing an Assembly session there and renamed Belagavi. So we should go to Supreme Court and ask SC to declare it as UT,” added Thackeray.

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar condemned the Maharashtra Assembly resolution and called it a political gimmick.

“There is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in both States and in the Centre. There was no need to pass the resolution. It is done because of elections. We know how to protect our people. They might speak Marathi but live in Karnataka. We condemn this resolution,” Shivakumar told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka legislature said that the state’s stand over the border issue is a settled one and not an inch of land will be given to the neighbouring state.

Notably, the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka dates back to the implementation of the State Reorganization Act, of 1956. The then Maharashtra government had demanded the readjustment of its border with Karnataka.

Following this, a four-member committee was formed by both states. The Maharashtra government had expressed willingness to transfer 260 predominantly Kannada-speaking villages, but the proposal was turned down by Karnataka. Both governments later approached the Supreme Court to expedite the matter. (ANI)

K’taka: Masks Compulsory In Restaurants, Pubs, Theatre, Schools

By LokMarg 26th December 2022

In the wake of a surge in Covid cases in several countries, wearing masks has been made compulsory inside restaurants, pubs, theatre halls, schools, and colleges in Karnataka.

Health Minister of Karnataka K. Sudhakar said to ANI, “There’s no need to panic. But we have to take precautions from now on.”
Ahead of New Year celebrations, there will be a huge crowd in pubs and restaurants. Therefore the Covid protocols have to be followed strictly, said the minister.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a virtual meeting with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) at 4 pm today on Covid-19 preparedness, situation, and awareness, IMA informed ANI.

Recently, IMA also issued an advisory and appealed to the public to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour with immediate effect.

“As per the available reports, nearly 5.37 lakh new cases have been reported in last 24 hours from major countries like USA, Japan, South Korea, France, and Brazil,” read the statement of IMA. (ANI)