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Amid voices of dissent, Council okays anti-superstition bill

DHNS
November 23, 2017

Belagavi, Nov 23: Ostracizing women during pregnancy will be included as a prohibited practice under the Anti-Superstition Bill, which was passed in the Legislative Council after a three-hour-long debate on Wednesday.

The Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017, seeks to ban 16 practices including human torture in the guise of religious rituals and creating pranic by threatening to invoke ghosts.

"Keeping women out of villages during pregnancy will be added," Law Minister T B Jayachandra said.

While several members welcomed the Bill, they raised concerns on differentiating between belief and superstition.

Leader of the Opposition K S Eshwarappa opposed the Bill saying it was impractical.  "How can you put an end to practices that have existed for years and that have been followed without any force," he asked, citing the examples of Mudradharane among Madhwa Brahmins, Sunat in Islam, piercing of cheeks and tongue among Lingayats and Kavadi or Harohara among Tamils. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal (Ind) opposed it, calling the Bill anti-Hindu.

However, BJP's D S Veeraiah supported the long-pending Bill. "It became a reality only because Siddaramaiah is the chief minister. Maybe J H Patel, too, would have brought a Bill like this," he said.

Veeraiah, Ivan D'Souza (Cong), Puttanna, Basavaraj Horatti and T A Saravana (all JD-S) demanded inclusion of televised astrology in the list of practices prohibited under the Bill. "After the 2008 polls, when I contested from Mangaluru, I was told by a Kerala astrologer that I'd win if I performed some rituals. I ended up spending Rs 1.5 lakh and I lost," D'Souza said.

Don't force me to visit temple: CM

During the debate Eshwarappa said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah did not visit the Sri Krishna temple while he was in Udupi recently because he was not invited.

Siddaramaiah said: "I was asked if I had been invited to the temple, I told reporters that no one called me. Is it a must to visit the Sri Krishna temple every time I visit Udupi? I'll go to a temple when I feel like going. No one can force me," he said. "I started going to temples only after becoming a legislator. Still, I don't believe Gods reside in temples."

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News Network
January 6,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 6: JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said he would not get involved in any 'wicked act' of bringing down the B S Yediyurappa-led government in Karnataka, amid claims that 15 to 20 BJP MLAs were ready to come out.

Clarifying that he would not disturb the government, the former Chief Minister said for him, the development of the state was important. "With great difficulty, you (Yediyurappa) have become Chief Minister for the fourth time, (I am) happy, I have nowhere said that I will disturb your government. Even now some people come and ask why I'm sitting silent when 15-20 people are ready to come out of BJP and why don't I make an attempt (to poach them), Kumaraswamy said. Speaking to reporters in Hassan, he sought to know why he should get entangled in that 'sludge' and he was not in a hurry.

"I will not get involved in a wicked act of removing a responsible government like Yediyurappa did. For me the development of the state is important," he said.

Though Kumaraswamy had raised questions about the longevity of the BJP government ahead of the December 5 bypolls, he had even then given clear indications that he would not attempt to pull down the administration as it would affect the development of the state.

The ruling BJP had swept the by-elections by winning 12 of the total 15 seats, helping the Yediyurappa government retain the majority in the Assembly.

With BJP winning 12 of the 15 assembly constituencies, it's numbers went up from 105 (including an independent) to 117, which is well ahead of the halfway mark of 111 in a 223-member Assembly (two seats-- Maski and R R Nagar-- are vacant due to pending litigation in the High Court).

The BJP came to power after the Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) coalition government collapsed as 17 MLAs had rebelled against the alliance leadership and resigned as legislators, to later favour the saffron party.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 30,2020

Mandya, July 30: BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Wednesday said Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has done a commendable job in tackling the Covid-19 situation and floods and that the question of changing the leadership does not arise.

Karnataka on Wednesday reported 5,503 new cases of Covid-19 and 92 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 1,12,504 and the death toll to 2,147.

Speaking to reporters here, Kateel said, "Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi has gone to Delhi to discuss the projects sanctioned to state with the central minister. There is no need to read too much into it."

Replying to a query on graft charges against the BSY government by the Congress, Kateel said, "Congress national president, state unit president are out on bail in graft cases . Why did a Congress leader who calls himself a bande (rock) has approached court seeking stay on CBI probe? Before making any allegations against the government, they should think about 'irregularities' in Indira Canteen and housing schemes," he charged.

Instead of instilling confidence and hope among the people in these testing times, the Congress is unnecessarily creating fear with petty politics, he told reporters in Shravanabelagola, Hassan district.

"The Yediyurappa-led BJP government is working day and night to tackle the Covid-19. Similarly, several non-governmental organisations have joined hands with the government in the fight against the virus. But, the Congress is only creating confusion by issuing baseless statements," Kateel said.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 9: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner has lodged a complaint with the Police alleging that his signature was forged in a holiday circular for schools and colleges in the district during National General Strike called by Trade Unions.

It may be recalled that the district administration had declared a holiday for all educational institutions on December 20 and 21 in the backdrop of the December 19 violence.

A few miscreants had forged this order and circulated it on social media stating that a holiday had been declared for schools and colleges in the district on January 8.

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