Bharat bandh evokes good response in Manglauru, Udupi

Davanagere, Jan 9: Residents of SVR colony of Channagiri Taluq here on Thursday built a temple in the memory of a male monkey, who died here 'unexpectedly'.

A group of monkeys entered the SVR colony around three months back. The monkeys have never disturbed anybody in the area and they used to play with children living in the colony.

Locals said that the monkeys are very obedient to them.

Unfortunately, one of the monkeys died suddenly on Wednesday, causing distress among people who were very fond of him.

Showing their love for the deceased monkey, locals performed his final rite according to Hindu tradition.

Later, the residents approached the president of the village Panchayat to allot funds to build a temple in the monkey's memory.

The construction of the temple has already begun in the area at the same place where the monkey's funeral was conducted.

Bengaluru, Feb 17: A combative ruling BJP is bracing to face the onslaught of the opposition Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in the year's first legislature session beginning on Monday.

"We are ready to counter the opposition parties on any issue they want to raise or discuss, keeping in view the spirit of fairness in a democratic set-up, as we have the numbers to provide a stable government," party's state unit spokesman G. Madhusudhana told news agency here.

Ahead of the 3-day session, the BJP's legislature party met here under the leadership of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to chalk out its strategy to address issues, move bills and present the state budget for fiscal 2020-21.

"We hope the Congress and JD-S members will allow Governor Vajubhai Vala to address the joint session of the legislature on Monday and not disrupt his speech or walkout of the House before he concludes to maintain the dignity of his office," Madhusudhana said after the BJP meeting at a private hotel over dinner.

The legislature will resume the month-long budget session on March 2 with a special discussion for two days on the Constitution, markings the 70th year of its adoption and enforcement.

About 100 legislators, including the three Deputy Chief Ministers, the newly sworn-in cabinet ministers, council members and party's state unit members participated in the 2-hour long meeting.

"Yediyurappa, who also holds the Finance portfolio, will present the state budget for fiscal 2020-21 on March 5, which will be the fifth time as the fourth Chief Minister in over a decade," the official said.

Both the Houses will deliberate on the budget proposals and pass it by March 31.

In the 225-member Assembly, including one nominated, the ruling BJP has 117, opposition Congress 68, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) 34, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one, Independents 2 and vacant 2.

Buoyed up by winning 12 of the 15 seats in the December 5 assembly by-elections, the party is confident of passing the finance and other bills, as it has the support of 119 members, including 2 Independents in the lower House.

"There is no threat to our government, which will complete the remaining 3-year term of the Assembly till May 2023. Yediyurappa has already won the majority test on July 29, 2019, three days after he took office for the fourth time," Madhusudhana said.

The Congress, however, asserted that it would raise the alleged misuse of police against the opposition members, anti-CAA protestors and minorities.

"We will question the morality of the government in making a tainted legislator like Anand Singh a forest minister when a dozen illegal mining cases are pending in the courts," a Congress official told news agency.

Mangaluru, Mar 4: Fifteen Iranian fishermen, arrested for illegally entering Indian waters, were shifted from Mangaluru to Central Prison Bengaluru at Parappana Agrahara recently.

 On October 21, coast guard officials intercepted two fishing vessels near Gayathri island, about 168 nautical miles off Mangaluru Coast and took into custody 15 crew members after they failed to produce necessary documents.

While one of the boats capsized after developing a technical snag, the other boat was brought to Mangalore Port.

On the basis of a written complaint lodged by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Deputy Commandant Kuldeep Sharma, Karnataka State Coastal Security Police (KSCP) station in Mangaluru filed case against the 15 Iranian fishermen under Maritime Zone of Indian Act 1981.