After violence Bengaluru limping back to normalcy; Central forces deployed

April 20, 2016

Bengaluru, Apr 20: Caught off guard by sudden eruption of violence during the garment workers' protest over the Provident Fund issue, authorities have deployed central forces in the city and clamped prohibitory orders.

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Rapid Action Force personnel today staged a flag march along the Jalahalli Cross stretch, one of the worst-hit by the violence yesterday, even as police arrested about 50 persons in connection with the untoward incidents.

Along the stretch from Madiwala to Bengaluru's IT corridor Electronics City which saw widespread protest and violence, 15 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), three platoons of Central Reserve Police Force and RAF and six to seven City Armed Reserve (CAR) platoons have been deployed, a top police official said.

"We have registered around 18 cases, yesterday nine and day before nine; and about 50 persons have been arrested so far," Additional Commissioner of Police (East-Bengaluru City) Harishekaran said.

He said photographs and footage of those involved in stone pelting, assault on police and torching of vehicles are available with police and they would be arrested.

In a spurt of violence, protesting garment workers set several vehicles ablaze and attacked a police station here yesterday forcing the government to revoke the amendment to Provident Fund rules that caused the unexpected spontaneous unrest.

Protesters had gone on the rampage pelting stones at Hebbagodi police station and torching seized vehicles there.

The agitation which began on Monday, spun out of control yesterday in which several people, including 25 policemen, were injured and traffic was thrown out of gear as thousands of workers took to the streets at different places.

City Police Commissioner has promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC in the limits of Bengaluru city till the midnight of April 22.

Harishekharan said police are also visiting garment factories and informing workers about the government's stand.

"There is no protest or procession today...in spite of this our bandobast will continue," he added.

Workers opposing amendment to Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act have expressed fear that the new rule would take away their right over the employer's contribution of Provident Fund till they attain 58 years.

Buckling under protests, government revoked the order tightening rules for withdrawal of Provident Fund money, hours after deciding to keep it in abeyance for three more months.

Meanwhile, a few media representatives today petitioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking action against police officials who were allegedly involved in violence against scribes who had gone to cover the protest by garment workers.

Both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara assured action after inquiry.

"...lathicharge on journalists is wrong, we will inquire in to it and take action. I have already spoken to the Commissioner," Siddaramaiah said.

Also Read: Violence rocks Bengaluru for 2nd day; buses set on fire, police station attacked

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@ Kumar

Siddu decided on withdrawal of PF, So he is respnosible.. yeah right!
Hindu Mahasabha says MoNa (Modi) irresponsible decision on PF withdrawal was the reason for the riots! Anti-Nationals!?

Confused bhakt!

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Ramadan begins in Mangaluru, Udupi; no taraveeh in mosques

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April 23,2020

Mangaluru, Apr 23: Muslims in coastal Karnataka will fast tomorrow (April 24) along with Middle Eastern Muslims as the Khazis in the region have confirmed the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan tonight.

Religious authorities in Saudi Arabia and a few Middle Eastern countries have already declared that Friday will be the start of the month of fasting.

In Kerala and twin districts of coastal Karnataka - Dakshina Kannada and Udupi- the announcement was made following maghrib praers as the cresent moon was sighted in a few places in Kerala.

The Thakbeer was pronounced from the minarets of the mosques across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi after Maghrib Namaz as the religious heads confirmed the moon sighting.

However, the religious heads including Mangaluru Khazi Twaqa Ahmed Musliar and Udupi Khazi Ibrahim Musliyar Bekal, have urged the Muslims to offer all the prayers including Taraveeh at homes along with family members due to the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

There will be no congregational taraveeh prayers in mosques and Muslims should follow the covid-19 guidelines of the government, they stated.

Ramadan begins around 11 days earlier each year. Its start is calculated based on the sighting of the new moon, which marks the beginning of the Muslim lunar month that varies between 29 or 30 days.

During the month, Muslims are expected to abstain during daylight hours from food, drink, smoking and sex to focus on spirituality.

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How it is possible that only Kerala people can witness the moon?

Can they come forward in Media and give Shahaadah, why the other parts of India will not follow.

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Hotels in Karnataka capital likely to reopen in June

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May 29,2020

Bengaluru, May 29: The hotel industry is one of the worst-hit industries due to lockdown, along with the tourism industry. Bengaluru's hotel industry has incurred a loss of around Rs 1200 crore during the lockdown period however, the hotels here are likely to open in June if the State government issues guidelines for the resumption of their services.

Speaking to media, PC Rao, President, Bangalore Hotelier's Association said, "It's not only the loss of business, but we have lost the customer base as well.
We don't expect any good future for the next six months. There will be a slow down in the business even after opening."

"We have requested our CM to give first preference to the hotels. We are going to restart our business in June if granted permission. Around 10 per cent of the hotels cannot open at all. They are in the stage of merging or closing down position. Few hotels may open after five or six months," he added.

He continued saying that many hotels are for sale but there are no buyers. There are around 21,000 restaurants in Bangalore, 3500 hotels with rooms and restaurant which has an average turnover of Rs 20 crores per day, Rao informed.

"We expect losses of around Rs 1200 crores in these two months. We are giving special online training to all the hoteliers and to our managers particularly to deal with the COVID-19 situation, including how to deal with the guests, employees, how to start the hotel services.

Each and every manager has already been trained and we are still continuing it. We will conduct face to face meeting as well and brief the managers," said Rao.

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Yediyurappa consolidates to stay the course in Karnataka amid covid crisis

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August 2,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 2: Within a year of returning to power for the fourth time as Chief Minister in Karnataka, septuagenarian B.S. Yediyurappa has consolidated his position in the ruling BJP to stay the course till the next Assembly elections in mid-2023.

"A combination of factors helped Yediyurappa to consolidate and stay the course for the remaining term of his office to ensure the saffron party retains power in the state though he is unlikely to stake claim for the chief minister's post again as he would be 80 years old by 2023," a party source told news agency here.

Since the 77-year-old seasoned politician assumed office on July 26, 2019, the first year has been tumultuous for him, as he had go through a "trial by fire" what with the party's mighty high command and detractors testing his patience in the face of natural calamities like drought, floods and the Covid pandemic.

The first 7-8 months of the term were spent in tackling drought and floods, winning 12 of the 15 by-elections in December to secure a majority for the ruling party in the lower house and expanding the cabinet in February.

Even as Yediyurappa was settling down to seriously govern after presenting the state budget for fiscal 2020-21 in early March, the coronavirus outbreak overwhelmed him, as the pandemic spread and wreaked havoc, disrupting life, livelihood, economic growth and development.

"While the emphatic victory in the by-elections ensured the government's stability till the assembly term up to mid-2023, the second cabinet expansion on February 6 posed a challenge to Yediyurappa, as he could induct only 10 of the 12 MLAs who defected from the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and won the by-elections, triggering a revolt in the party by the loyalists left out of the ministry," the source recalled.

Though Yeddiyurappa has been leading the battle against the virus from day 1 and initially succeeded in controlling it from spreading during the extended lockdown till May 31, reopening the state under Unlock since June has undone the gains, as positive cases shot up to 1,29,287 so far, including 73,219 in Bengaluru after 53,648 recovered from across the state till date, while 2,412 succumbed to the deadly disease since March 9.

"For a state of 7 crore population, the data reveals that the pandemic has been fought on war-footing to contain it from spreading in all the 30 districts, although there are no signs of it going away till a vaccine is found. The chief minister has been trying to balance unlocking the state and containing the infection," a member of the health task force told IANS.

With six cabinet posts in the 34-member ministry being vacant, filling them will be a daunting task for Yediyurappa, as at least 20 legislators, including 5-6 newly elected turncoats and party's veterans are lobbying to become ministers at any cost.

By appointing 20 party legislators as heads of state-run board and corporations, nominating 5 as members of the state legislative council, including JD-S defector A.H. Vishwanath in July and getting 2 Congress defectors R. Shankar and M.T.B. Nagaraj elected as MLCs in June with 2 others, Yediyurappa ensured that these lawmakers would not be in the reckoning for the 6 cabinet posts, as dozen MLAs are already pitching for them.

Nagaraj and Vishwanath lost in the December 5 by-elections, while Shankar was not given a ticket to contest in the by-poll but was assured of making him an MLC with another disgruntled member C.P. Yogeshwar, who lost in the 2018 May assembly polls to JD-S leader and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the 14-month-old JD-S and Congress coalition government from May 23, 2018 to July 23, 2019.

Resignations of 17 rebels, including 14 from the Congress and 3 from the JD-S led to the fall of the coalition government, as Kumaraswamy lost the majority in the 225-member assembly on July 23, 2019 in their absence.

Though Yediyurappa led the party to win 105 seats in the 2018 assembly elections and formed a government on May 17, 2018, he resigned 3 days later on May 19, 2018, as he fell 8-9 seats short of the halfway mark (113) for a simple majority in the lower house.

In a post-poll alliance, the JD-S and the Congress formed the coalition government to keep the BJP out of power in May 2018, after the assembly elections gave split verdict and the Congress lost power then.

"The record victory of the ruling party in the May 2019 general elections, when 25 of its 27 contestants won out of 28 Lok Sabha seats from the state, reinforced the popular belief that Yediyurappa is the party's mascot in winning elections and an unquestionable leader of the politically dominant Lingayats in the state," the source pointed out.

When Yediyurappa left the BJP and floated a regional outfit (Karnataka Janata Party) in January 2013, he delivered a body blow to the BJP in the May 2013 state assembly polls, as the votes got split and was defeated by then Congress.

"Besides the party's high command, everyone in the party's state unit, including leaders and cadres are aware of Yediyurappa's popularity across the state, as has the wherewithal to connect with masses and win elections," the source added.

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