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Karnataka passes resolution against NEET exam

Earlier on Tuesday, July 23, the Supreme Court declined to cancel the NEET-UG 2024 exam, realising that giving direction for a fresh NEET-UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences for over 24 lakh students who appeared in this exam…reports Asian Lite News

Raising its strong voice against the all-India medical entrance exam NEET, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government on Thursday passed a resolution in both houses of the state government against the exam and demanded the Centre for allowing the state to revert back to the earlier system of CET for medical admissions in Karnataka.

Pointing out the flaws and the recent irregularities in the NEET exam, the resolution urged the Union Government to exempt the State of Karnataka from this examination and allow it to provide admissions to medical colleges based on the Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by the state government.

While the State Minister of Medical Education and Skill Development, Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, moved the resolution in the legislative assembly, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar presented it in the legislative council.

“The NEET examination system severely affects the medical education opportunities of poor rural students and deprives the rights of the state governments to admit students in the state government medical colleges and considering the repeated irregularities in the NEET examination, the Union Government should make necessary amendments in the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (Central Act 30 of 2019) so that the NEET system is given up at the national level. Also, the Karnataka Legislative Council unanimously urges that the Union government should immediately exempt the state of Karnataka from examination and provide medical admission based on the Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by the state government,” the resolution said.

” Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil has been continuously opposing the NEET exam by highlighting the massive irregularities and how this system was affecting the chances of underprivileged and rural students and their dream of a medical profession,” it added.

On Wednesday, the ruling TMC government in West Bengal moved a resolution in the West Bengal Assembly demanding the scrapping of the NEET and restoration of the previous system of individual state governments conducting such examinations. The resolution was passed in the assembly.

Earlier on Tuesday, July 23, the Supreme Court declined to cancel the NEET-UG 2024 exam, realising that giving direction for a fresh NEET-UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences for over 24 lakh students who appeared in this exam.

The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas seeking direction to recall NEET-UG 2024 results and to conduct the examination afresh, alleging paper leakage and malpractices in the test held. (ANI)

UPSC to overhaul exam system amid Puja Khedkar row

Amidst new revelations in the controversy surrounding Puja Khedkar, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is set to enhance its examination security measures using advanced technologies like Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication, facial recognition systems, and AI-driven CCTV surveillance, according to several media reports.

This overhaul aims to uphold the integrity of UPSC exams following widespread allegations of cheating in the NEET medical entrance exams. The UPSC conducts 14 examinations annually, including the prestigious Civil Services Examination (CSE), and various recruitment tests and interviews for Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ posts within the Government of India. In 2023, over 1.01 million people applied for the CSE, with approximately 590,000 candidates appearing for the exam. The CSE recommends candidates for esteemed services such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS).

The move comes in light of several lapses reported during the NEET 2024 exams and follows a controversy involving trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, alleged to have forged documents to appear for the CSE 12 times, exceeding the allowed number of attempts. The UPSC has filed a criminal case against Khedkar.

On June 20, the UPSC issued a tender seeking bids from public sector undertakings (PSUs) to revamp its examination process. The Commission aims to utilize the latest digital technology to match and cross-check candidates’ biometric details and monitor activities during the exams to prevent cheating, fraud, and impersonation.

Changes to the UPSC exams will include using data and images submitted during online registration for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and facial recognition to verify candidates on exam day. Fingerprint scanners and facial recognition devices will be deployed at examination centers to ensure accurate identity verification. The UPSC also proposes a real-time attendance monitoring system with GPS coordinates to confirm enrollment within the designated shift. The QR code on the Admit Card, containing the candidate’s roll number, will be scanned to retrieve information from the Application Database. If the QR code cannot be scanned, the roll number will be entered manually from the Admit Card.

The UPSC plans to implement CCTV/video surveillance with recording and live broadcast capabilities to monitor candidates and exam personnel nationwide. The service provider will be required to install an adequate number of CCTV cameras in every classroom, ensuring at least one camera for every 24 candidates. Cameras will also be placed at entry and exit gates and control rooms where sensitive pre- and post-examination materials are handled. Additionally, remote live viewing of CCTV footage will be arranged at the UPSC’s control room, ensuring real-time monitoring and enhancing overall security during the examinations.

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K’taka job bill on ice after uproar

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee gracing the function to commemorate the serving of 2 billion meals of the Akshaya Patra Foundation, at Bangalore, in Karnataka on August 27, 2016. The Governor of Karnataka, Shri Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah and the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar are also seen.

Bengaluru is a magnet for skilled workers, especially in the IT and service sectors, while other districts in the state take in a large number of unskilled workers…reports Asian Lite News

The Karnataka government on Wednesday cleared a draft bill to reserve 50 to 100 per cent of private-sector jobs for Kannadigas, but had to “temporarily” put it on hold within hours following an uproar from industry leaders and the nation’s apex tech body.

Karnataka houses the country’s tech capital, Bengaluru, and attracts lakhs of job-seekers from Bengal and other parts of the country every year.

The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill that the cabinet cleared earlier in the day reserved 50 per cent of managerial jobs, 75 per cent of non-management jobs and 100 per cent of unskilled jobs for Kannadigas.

As much as 50 per cent of all managerial and other higher position slots were proposed to be set aside for Kannadigas. The draft bill also reserved 75 per cent of jobs in the information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITeS) sectors for Kannadigas. The same quota was to apply to clerical jobs and contract and casual workers, while 100 per cent of unskilled jobs were to be set aside for Kannadigas.

The bill defined a Kannadiga as someone who is born in Karnataka, or has lived in the state for at least 15 years and can speak, read and write Kannada and qualifies a yet-to-be-announced eligibility test to be conducted by a nodal agency to be formed once the bill is enacted.

Violations of the quota were to attract penalties ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹25,000.

Soon, Nasscom, the country’s apex tech industries’ body, warned the Karnataka government that investors would have to move to other states if the proposed legislation was enacted. Industrialists called the move retrograde.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah announced in the evening that the Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill was being “temporarily put on hold”.

“The bill approved by the cabinet to provide reservation for Kannadigas in private sector organisations, industries and enterprises has been temporarily put on hold. This will be revisited and decided in the coming days,” he commented on X late on Wednesday.

An aide to Siddaramaiah told The Telegraph that the “government will take up the issue at next week’s cabinet meeting”.

Other than the warnings from industry leaders and Nasscom, neighbouring states Andhra Pradesh and Kerala — the latter already having a vibrant startup ecosystem — wasted no time in inviting investors to their states promising that only merit, and not domicile, would matter.

Nara Lokesh, human resources minister of Andhra Pradesh, invited tech players by tagging his X message to Nasscom.

“Dear @NASSCOM members, we understand your disappointment. We welcome you to expand or relocate your businesses to our IT, IT services, AI and data centre cluster at Vizag,” Lokesh stated.

“We will offer you best-in-class facilities, uninterrupted power, infrastructure and the most suitable skilled talent for your IT enterprise with no restrictions from the Government. Andhra Pradesh is ready to welcome you. Please get in touch!”

The Left government in Kerala, desperately trying to shed its anti-investor image, tried to cash in on the Karnataka conundrum. “Invest in Kerala. Employee talent and merit are the only criteria for recruitment,” its industries minister P. Rajeev posted on X.

One of the biggest job markets in the country, Karnataka attracts lakhs of skilled and unskilled workers from other states. Bengaluru is a magnet for skilled workers, especially in the IT and service sectors, while other districts in the state take in a large number of unskilled workers.

Bengaluru-based entrepreneurs expressed concern at the bill and warned of losing out on talent. “As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy,” Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, executive chairperson of Biocon Limited, commented on X.

T.V. Mohandas Pai, former CEO of Infosys, called for trashing the bill.

“This bill should be junked. It is discriminatory, regressive and against the constitution @Jairam_Ramesh is govt to certify who we are? This is a fascist bill as in Animal Farm, unbelievable that @INCIndia can come up with a bill like this — a govt officer will sit on recruitment committees of private sector? People have to take a language test?” Pai commented on X.

Nasscom warned Karnataka: “Restrictions could force companies to relocate as local skilled talent becomes scarce.”

“The technology sector contributes almost 25 per cent of the state GDP and has played a key role in enabling higher growth for the state, higher per capita income than the national average. With over a quarter of India’s digital talent, the state houses over 30 per cent of the total GCCs (global capability centres) and around 11,000 start-ups,” a Nasscom statement noted.

“The bill’s provisions threaten to reverse this progress, drive away companies, and stifle startups, especially when more global firms are looking to invest in the state. At the same time, the restrictions could force companies to relocate as local skilled talent becomes scarce,” Nasscom, which sought an urgent meeting of industry representatives with the state government, added.

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Cong fact-finding panel to review Karnataka election results

He further informed that the district in-charge ministers have been instructed to hold meetings with office bearers every 15 days in district headquarters and once every month in Bengaluru…reports Asian Lite News

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President DK Shivakumar on Monday said that a fact-finding committee would be formed to analyse the loss in the recently concluded Parliamentary elections.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with party office bearers in the KPCC office, he said, “Our performance in the Parliamentary elections has not been up to our expectations except in the Kalyana Karnataka region. We expected more than 15 seats, but it hasn’t happened. The fact-finding committee will find out what went wrong. The committee will analyse each assembly constituency and submit a report.”

“Media had said that Congress would win only 2 seats but we have managed to win 9 seats. But this result has not given us satisfaction, we could have won 4-5 more seats. Four meetings will also be held under the leadership of CM and DCM to review the performance. The AICC fact finding committee will visit all states and the report of the fact-finding committee will be submitted to the AICC committee,” he said.

He further said that there have been stock market scams, NEET scams and NET scams after BJP took power for the third term. “We adopted a censure motion to condemn these scams,” he added. Shivakumar further said that three teams will be formed to oversee preparations for the by-elections.

“The team has already submitted a report on the Shiggavi constituency. The Sandur constituency report will be submitted by July 3. Minister Chaluvarayaswamy will submit a report on the Channapatna constituency,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said, “The party meetings can’t be held in the homes of any MLAs, action would be taken if any such meetings are held. This decision has been taken as only MLAs participate in the meetings but office bearers don’t. All party meetings will have to be held in party offices or wedding halls. Instructions have been given to replace such office bearers who have completed 5 years in office or those who are inactive.”

“New wings will be started in the party for transport, slums, cooperation and apartment welfare association. These wings will work with smaller segments of voters. These wings will have chairmen and office bearers at district and bloc levels,” he said.

He further asserted that Discipline is important in the party. No one should talk about violating the party’s instructions.

“Action will be taken against office bearers who have not been holding meetings for three consecutive times. New office bearers will be appointed in their place. There have been some ad hoc appointments to guarantee implementation committees at the time of elections. I have given clear instructions with regards to accommodating scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities,” he added.

He further informed that the district in-charge ministers have been instructed to hold meetings with office bearers every 15 days in district headquarters and once every month in Bengaluru.

“Arrangements will be made for meeting two ministers in the party office. This programme will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister soon,” he noted.

Asked if action would be taken against those party men who are issuing public statements in internal matters of the party, he said, “I do not support public discussions on party internal matters. Action will be taken against those who violate party guidelines.” (ANI)

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Karnataka CM submits letter to PM over key demands for state

CM requested the PM to grant funds to the state government and NHAI through Central Budget for the construction of a tunnel which will further help in decongesting the Bangalore city…reports Asian Lite News

After meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi where key issues concerning Karnataka’s development and progress were discussed, Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah on Saturday submitted a detailed letter to Prime Minister Modi highlighting key demands and priorities for Karnataka’s development.

The CM of Karnataka informed this through a social media post on X and wrote, “Chief Minister Shri @siddaramaiah submitted a detailed letter to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi highlighting key demands and priorities for Karnataka’s development. Anticipating constructive collaboration for the progress of our state. The Chief Minister @siddaramaiah met the Prime Minister @narendramodi.”

Informing about the meeting, the CM of Karnataka wrote on X, “Chief Minister Shri @siddaramaiah had a constructive meeting with Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in Delhi today. Key issues concerning Karnataka’s development and progress were discussed. Committed to working together for the state’s growth and prosperity.”

In the meeting, the Karnataka CM requested approval of important projects of the states which includes Mekedatu Dam Project, Bhadra Upper Bank Project, Kalasa Banduri Drinking Water Project, etc.

In a post, the Karnataka CM wrote, “The Chief Minister @siddaramaiah met the Prime Minister @narendramodi today and requested approval of important projects of the state. The approval of the Rs 9,000 crore Mekedatu Dam Project, which will provide drinking water to Bangalore city and generate 400 MW of electricity, is pending from the Central Water Commission, and the Prime Minister was requested to take personal interest in the said project.”

“It was requested to direct the officials of the Ministry of Water Power and the Ministry of Environment and Forests to release Rs 5,300 crore for the Bhadra Upper Bank Project as announced in the Central Government Budget 2023-2024 and for quick settlement of the Kalasa Banduri Drinking Water Project. The problem of drinking water will be solved due to Mahadai Yojana, a long-time dream project of the people of Kittoor Karnataka region.”

Furthermore, the CM requested the PM to grant funds to the state government and NHAI through Central Budget for the construction of a tunnel which will further help in decongesting the Bangalore city.

The CM of Karnataka handle wrote on X, “3,000 crore for the 60 km tunnel to decongest Bangalore city, the project has several benefits. This tunnel connecting National Highway 7 to National Highway 4 could be carried out by the Government of Karnataka in collaboration with the Central National Highway Authority, and a request was made to grant funds to the State Government and NHAI through the Central Budget.”

“To increase the demand for public transport, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation has submitted a DPR of Rs. 15,611 crore for the construction of 44.65 km of Metro 3rd phase to the Central Government, pending the approval of the Union Cabinet. Requested for approval as soon as possible. The state government has approved the construction of 73.04 km long Ashtapatha Peripheral Ring Road under private public partnership. The Chief Minister @siddaramaiah requested the Prime Minister @narendramodi to earmark the necessary funds in the Union Budget.”

Also, a request was made by CM Siddaramaiah to release a special grant of Rs 6,000 crore recommended by the 15th Finance Commission for the period 2021-26 for development of lakes and peripheral ring road.

The state government has earmarked a grant of Rs 3,000 crore in the budget for the development of seven districts of Kalyan Karnataka, and the central government has been requested to provide a corresponding grant in its budget for 2024-25 and to increase the grant provided under the development aspiring district program of the central government and to facilitate inclusion of new programs in the scheme. (ANI)

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K’taka sets up SIT to probe ‘obscene videos’ involving Revanna

Bengaluru: A file photo of JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna. The Karnataka High Court declares the election of Prajwal Revanna from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency as null and void, in Bengaluru on Friday, September 1, 2023. (Photo: IANS)

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the women’s commission has written to the Chief Minister as well as the Home Minister in this regard…reports Asian Lite News

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah informed that the state government has decided to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with Prajwal Revanna’s alleged obscene video case in Hassan district.

“The government has decided to form a special investigation team in connection with Prajwal Revanna’s obscene video case. Obscene video clips are circulating in Hassan district, where it appears that women have been sexually assaulted,” Siddaramaiah posted on X on Saturday.

The Chief Minister said that the decision to conduct an SIT investigation has been taken in response to the request of the Women’s Commission.

“In this background, the Chairperson of the Women’s Commission had written a letter to the government to conduct an SIT investigation. This decision has been taken in response to their request,” he wrote on X.

Earlier on April 25, the Women’s Commission Chairperson requested Siddaramaiah to initiate an SIT probe after objectionable videos began circulating on social media.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the women’s commission has written to the Chief Minister as well as the Home Minister in this regard.

“The allegations of sexual assault are not just on some random Hassan leader. The Prime minister, Vijayendra, Shobakka, Ashok, Kumaranna, and Ashwath Narayan must answer to the people. I read reports of them saying that the Women’s Commission is trying to tarnish their image. The Commission has written a letter to the CM and the Home Minister. The media has to throw light on this and tell the people what is happening in Hassan without keeping mum on it,” Shivakumar said while addressing a press conference at the KPCC office in Bengaluru earlier today.

The Deputy CM further said that the government will “look at next steps.”

“Let the media throw light on the issue. Women’s Commission will do its job. The government will look at the next steps,” he said.

On Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy’s indirect accusation of his involvement in the case, Shivakumar said, “Let him bring up my name. I will expose him. Is he justifying sexual assault against women by talking like this?”

“I did not know what was there in the pen drive displayed by Kumaraswamy then. I now know what is in that. Now it is clear. Media should ask Kumaraswamy what is there in the pen drive now that there are allegations of sexual assault on Hassan leaders,” he added.

Meanwhile, Revanna was booked in a sexual harassment case on Sunday following complaints by his former house help.

FIR has been filed against Prajwal Revanna and his father and JD(S) leader HD Revanna in connection with the case.

The case has been registered under sections 354A, 354D, 506, and 509 of the IPC on charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and outraging the dignity of a woman.

As per the complaint, the victim has claimed that both HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna sexually assaulted her. The complainant further claimed that when Revanna’s wife was not home, he touched her inappropriately and used to sexually assault her.

The complainant also claimed that Prajwal Revanna behaved rudely to her and also misbehaved with her daughter over a video call. “My daughter blocked his number after repeated calls,” the complainant said.

She further mentioned in the complaint that she was “worried” and decided to complain after the alleged obscene video controversy. (ANI)

BJP distances itself from alleged sex tapes  

The BJP on Sunday distanced itself from sitting Janata Dal (Secular) MP from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, Prajwal Revanna, amid the controversy around his purported sleaze tapes.

While the BJP is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the state in alliance with the JD(S), Revanna is seeking a fresh term in the Lower House from Hassan and is pitted against the Congress’ Shreyas Patel.

Weighing in on the row over the alleged sleaze tapes, a day after the Congress government announced the formation of an SIT to probe the matter, S Prakash, the chief spokesperson of BJP’s state unit, said, “We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos and neither do we have any comments to make on the SIT probe announced by the state government into the alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna.”

Dr Narendra Rangappa, another spokesperson for the BJP’s state unit, simply said, “No comments”, when asked for his take on the purported sleaze videos allegedly involving the JD(S) legislator.

According to sources in the BJP, the party has chosen not to react officially to the alleged sleaze tape case as several of its senior leaders in the state are tight-lipped in the matter.

A BJP leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the party has nothing to do with the alleged sex tape and will not react at this time, as it has chosen to keep its distance from a matter that has come as an ’embarrassment’ for the sitting NDA MP from Hassan.

Earlier, on Saturday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah informed that his government has decided to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the sleaze tapes allegedly involving Revanna.

“The government has decided to form a special investigation team in connection with Prajwal Revanna’s obscene video case. Obscene video clips are circulating in Hassan district, where it appears that women have been sexually assaulted,” CM Siddaramaiah posted from his X handle on Saturday.

He added that the decision to conduct an SIT probe was taken in response to a request from the State Women’s Commission.

Earlier, on April 25, the chairperson of the state women’s panel requested CM Siddaramaiah to order an SIT probe into the obscene clips, allegedly involving the JD(S) MP, circulating on social media. (ANI)

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Bengaluru Rural Set for Fierce Electoral Showdown

The Bengaluru Rural constituency is considered as a fortress of the D.K. Shivakumar’s family…reports Asian Lite News

The Bengaluru Rural constituency is likely to witness a high-voltage contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as Deputy Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and family members of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda have taken it as a matter of prestige to ensure victory for their respective sides.

The seat is considered as a fortress of the Shivakumar family.

Shivakumar’s brother, D.K. Suresh, has represented the seat since 2013.

Former Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy registered victory in the seat in the 2009 general elections.

After his resignation, D.K. Suresh grabbed it from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in 2013 by-polls by defeating H.D. Kumaraswamy’s wife, Anita Kumaraswamy.

In 2014, and also in 2019, Suresh registered thumping victories.

Now, with the BJP and the JD-S deciding to field Dr. C.N. Manjunath, son-in-law of former PM Deve Gowda, as NDA candidate from the BJP, the seat is all set to witness an intense contest.

D.K. Suresh on Thursday told JD-S workers that they should take a call now as Deve Gowda’s son-in-law himself is not contesting for the JD-S but as a BJP candidate.

“Son-in-law has decided that JD-S led by Deve Gowda and his son, former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy is not good. JD-S workers will have to think on these lines. The intelligent son-in-law has chosen to contest for a different party. Their party workers will decide on the rest,” Suresh said.

Meanwhile, Congress’ Karnataka unit president D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said that he respects C.N. Manjunath.

“Politics is different. It is shocking to see a family member of Deve Gowda contesting on a BJP ticket,” he said.

Former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy, reacting to statements of D.K. Suresh, said the services of C.N. Manjunath have been appreciated at the national level.

“But, this person (Suresh) has been bad-mouthing about him. He is nothing when compared to Manjunath,” he stated.

“I am pained to see the comments made against him. There is no question of tolerating if comments are made against Manjunath,” Kumaraswamy added.

Shivakumar Warns Pro-Kannada Activists

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday warned pro-Kannada activists that they should not take the law into their own hands for implementing the 60:40 rule for the use of Kannada on signboards.

“60:40 signboards are mandatory. The government is committed to implementing it,” Shivakumar told reporters here.

” We allowed time because the manufacturing of the signboards was taking a lot of time. But I don’t want pro-Kannada activists to take the law into their own hands on this issue,” he added.

The deadline for complying with the rule ended on Wednesday. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has said that the rule has already seen 98% implementation.

Earlier, Shivakumar orally announced the extension by two weeks of the previous deadline of February 28. His announcement came after BBMP started to shut down shops for non-compliance.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike spearheaded the campaign for Kannada signboards in December 2023, which degenerated into vandalism on December 27 in the city.

The Commercial Street Shop Owners’ Association said that in Commercial Street, about 90% of shopkeepers have complied with the law. However, they expressed apprehension in forced implementation of the rule.

Meanwhile the Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar assured Bengaluru’s citizens that there was no water crisis in the city as the government had made alternate arrangements.

“As far as Bengaluru is concerned, there is no water crisis. We have made alternative arrangements. BJP is saying that we are releasing water to Tamil Nadu. This is absolutely false. I appeal to the PM and BJP MPs that we get permission for the Mekadattu dam” DK Shivakumar said.

Earlier the BJP had accused the state Congress Government of knowing well in advance about the looming water crisis in Bengaluru but acting against the interests of the people by releasing water to Tamil Nadu only to please its alliance partner. (ANI)

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Karnataka BJP May Field Two Ex-CMs

BJP Flag.

Two former Chief Ministers, Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar, both from the influential Lingayat community, are being considered as potential candidates….reports Asian Lite News

In preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, the BJP is strategically positioning itself for significant victories. Two former Chief Ministers, Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar, both from the influential Lingayat community, are being considered as potential candidates, crucial to the party’s core vote-base.

B.S. Yediyurappa, a veteran leader, hinted at these developments, mentioning discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP’s national president J.P. Nadda regarding candidates for all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state. However, final decisions remain pending.

There’s speculation that Bommai, currently an MLA from Shiggaon, may contest from Haveri, while Shettar could vie for Belgaum (Belagavi). Their Lingayat background aligns with BJP’s voter base, pivotal for electoral success.

Shettar’s return to BJP in January after a brief stint with Congress underscores the party’s strategic realignment. Both candidates hold promise in retaining key seats for the party.

The alliance with JD(S) adds another layer to the electoral calculus. Yediyurappa suggested that BJP might allocate two to three seats to JD(S), a decision ultimately resting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

JD(S) is eyeing key constituencies like Mandya, Hassan, and Kolar. The possibility of JD(S) candidates contesting on BJP symbols adds further intrigue to the dynamics.

The BJP’s aim is to replicate or exceed its 2019 performance, where it secured 25 out of 28 seats, bolstering its dominance in the region. However, the political landscape has shifted since then, with Congress emerging victorious in recent Assembly elections, signaling a renewed challenge.

For JD(S), joining the BJP-led NDA marked a strategic move, showcasing its continued relevance, especially in South Karnataka.

As the electoral landscape evolves, the BJP’s focus remains on consolidating its stronghold while navigating shifting alliances and voter sentiments, setting the stage for a fiercely contested Lok Sabha battle in Karnataka.

Congress hints at fielding ministers

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress state President D.K. Shivakumar said that a meeting of the party’s Election Committee is slated for Thursday evening and discussions on 50 per cent of candidates for Lok Sabha constituencies from the state would be held.

Jagadish Shettar

Speaking to reporters here, Shivakumar stated that it is not possible to release the names of candidates of all 28 Lok Sabha seats in one list.

“We will announce the list in two phases,” he said.

Asked about fielding cabinet ministers and those who joined the party recently, Shivakumar said that in politics, all is possible.

To a question whether the Congress will announce the list once the BJP list is out, he asserted that there is a difference in the politics carried out by the BJP and the Congress.

“In our Congress, there is no emphasis on the individual. We carry out politics on our guarantees and the party. If they (the BJP) play with their calculations, we will have our own calculations,” he said.

Asked why Congress could not select the candidates much earlier, Shivakumar maintained that the discussion in this regard was held only a month ago and subtle communication has been made to the probables.

Asked about whether the notices to him stopped after the apex court quashed the ED case against him, Shivakumar stated the notices are still issued to him. “The media has worked day and night following leads on me. I know my pains. The people of the state had launched a struggle for me. They are happy now, that is enough for me,” he said.

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It’s back to temple politics in K’taka

The CM further said in his post that there has always been a mandate to create a common pool since the enactment of the Act in 1997…reports Asian Lite News

As the Lok Sabha elections draw closer, temple politics has reared its head again in the Southern state of Karnataka. The latest controversy is over the alleged amendments to the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Bill.

The Bill mandates the state to collect 10% tax from temples generating revenue exceeding Rs 1 crore and 5% from shrines with revenue of between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore.

The BJP has taken up the issue to stir the amendment into a political issue.

Taking on detractors, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the allegations regarding the Karnataka government’s amendments to the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Bill “appear to be misrepresented”, “aiming only at misleading the public” and “polarizing people along communal lines for political leverage.”

Accusing the BJP of misleading the public, Karnataka CM said in a series of long tweets, “The allegations regarding the Karnataka government’s amendments to the Hindu Religious appear to be misrepresented for political gain”.

The CM further said in his post that there has always been a mandate to create a common pool since the enactment of the Act in 1997.

“After the amendment, the contributions to the fund will come from (i) ten percent of the net income of institutions whose gross annual income exceeds one crore rupees; (ii) five percent of the net income of institutions whose gross annual income exceeds ten lakhs rupees but does not exceed one crore rupees; and (iii) grants received from the State Government. The recent amendment was made solely to enhance the amount of the common pool,” Karnataka CM added in his post.

He alleged that the BJP leaders want the youth of the country to abandon their jobs and fight an imaginary war, solely to benefit the BJP politically.

“The baseless allegations by BJP leaders are aimed only at misleading the public and polarizing people along communal lines for political leverage. BJP leaders should be ashamed of their unethical practices. Their disservice to the people of Karnataka will never be forgiven. By misleading the public, BJP leaders want the youth of the country to abandon their jobs and fight an imaginary war, solely to benefit the BJP politically,” aleged Karnataka CM.

BJP cries foul

Hitting back at the state BJP unit chief, BY Vijayendra, for dubbing the Karnataka government as being “anti-Hindu” for implementing such policies, Karnataka CM said, “It is clear that the @BJP4Karnatakahas reserved their State President post for those who are inclined to lie. @BYVijayendra seems to be a good fit for the post, or perhaps he is competing with other BJP leaders to retain it. Shame on Vijayendra! His credibility as a leader is plummeting, much like the Indian Rupee under Narendra Modi”.

Weighing in on the draft legislation on Thursday, Chandrasekhar said that the Bill was brought to fill the ‘ATM’ of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar.

The BJP leader said, “While Rahul Gandhi is holding a Bharat Jodo Yatra in the country, the Congress government in Karnataka has brought the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the assembly to fund the ATM of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. This marks a new low of appeasement politics. We will oppose this Bill.”

BJP deploys Union minister

Meanwhile, coming down heavily on the Bill, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the draft resolution marked a ‘new low’ in ‘appeasement politics’.

In a personalised video message on Thursday, the BJP leader said, “While Rahul Gandhi is holding a Bharat Jodo Yatra in the country, the Congress government in Karnataka has brought the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the assembly to fund the ATM of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. This marks a new low of appeasement politics. We will oppose this Bill.”

What is the bill?

There are around 35,000 temples under the Muzrai Department, of which 205 whose income exceeds Rs 25 lakh per year are categorised as Group A, 193 with incomes between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 25 lakh are Group B and around 34,000 temples with incomes below 5 lakh are Group C.

Till date, Group A temples contributed 10% of the revenue generated from collection boxes to a Central Fund and Group B contributed 5%. There were no contributions from Group C temples.

As per the amendment, temples with incomes above Rs 1 crore will have to contribute 10% to the Common Pool Fund, and temples generating Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore revenue should chip in 5% to the fund. Temples with incomes below Rs 10 lakh will not have to contribute at all, according to the Muzrai minister.

The funds will be under Rajya Dharmika Parishat and will be used to grant aid primarily to Category C temples apart from providing welfare measures to families of archaks and other employees at these temples, he said.

The state high-level committee and district high-level committees were also formed to review and submit proposals for amenities at Group A temples. The Bill was passed without much Opposition in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

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Tata Group Bets Big on Karnataka

Tata Advanced Systems, which makes doors for European giant Airbus’s A320neo planes, will set up manufacturing and research & development facilities in the state…reports Asian Lite News

Tata Group companies Air India and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) are planning to invest Rs 2,300 crore in Karnataka in projects that are expected to create employment for 1,650 people, the state government announced on Monday.

According to the MoU that has been signed, Air India will set up a facility to carry out maintenance, repairs, and overhaul of planes at the Bengaluru airport. The project entails an investment of around Rs 1,300 crore that will generate employment for 1,200 people.

Tata Advanced Systems, which makes doors for European giant Airbus’s A320neo planes, will set up manufacturing and research & development facilities in the state. The company will invest in three projects near Bengaluru Airport and in Kolar with a total investment of Rs 1,030 crore. These include a passenger to freighter aircraft conversion facility (Rs 420 crore), gun manufacturing facility (Rs 310 crore) and aerospace & defence research and development in Karnataka (Rs 300 crore). These projects are expected to generate direct employment for 450 people.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil were among those present at the MoU signing ceremony in this regard here.

Saying such projects require streamlined support from the government in terms of clearances, approvals and interventions, Patil assured support in resolving any challenges pertaining to the grounding of the projects.

S. Selvakumar, Principal Secretary, Karnataka Industries Department and Nipun Agrawal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India and Sukaran Singh, CEO of TASL exchanged the MoU.

Chief Secretary to Karnataka Government, Rajneesh Goyal; Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister L.K. Atiq; Commissioner of Industries Department Gunjan Krishna; Air India top officials Manan Chauhan, Karthikeya Bhat, Atul Shukla, TASL top officials Guru Dattatreya, Arjun Maine, Bangalore International Airport Managing Director Hari Marar, COO Satyaki Raghunath, and CFO Bhaskar Ravindra were present on the occasion.

The Tata’s plan for Karnataka comes close on the heels of the group’s announcement of a Rs 15,000 crore investment in Telangana. The Tata Group has also drawn up plans to set up a semiconductor fabrication plant in Gujarat.

Investments flowing into states are on the rise under the Atmanirbhar policy of the Modi government which has increased emphasis on self-reliance under which more collaborations between Indian companies and high-tech foreign firms are taking place. This has also led to more FDI flows into the country.

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Karnataka Showcases Business Opportunities at Davos

He said that the delegation’s aim is to attract more investment and to achieve collaborations with other business partners…reports Asian Lite News

A high-level delegation led by Heavy and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil will leave on January 14 to attend the World Economic Forum-2024 annual meet which will be held in Davos, Switzerland from January 15 to 19.

Patil said that during the meeting, the delegation will draw the attention of businessmen over to the Karnataka government’s business-friendly policies, evolved ecosystem, potential areas for investment, availability of human resources, priority to imbibe skills among students, and efficient single window system.

He said that the delegation will hold all the meetings in Davos under the ‘Innovation Will Impact’ theme.

“Our government aims to develop Karnataka as the leading manufacturing hub of Asia. We are also focusing on areas such as semiconductor, electric automotive, space and defense, clean energy, research and development and artificial intelligence,” the minister said.

He said that the delegation’s aim is to attract more investment and to achieve collaborations with other business partners

The delegation includes L.K. Athiq Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Ekarup Kaur, Secretary, ITBT, S. Selvakumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industry, Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner of Commerce and Industries, and Mahesh, CEO, Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) among others.

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