Stop spending on festivities; focus on education, healthcare: RSS to temples

Bengaluru, May 26: Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah today held a video conference with Kannadiga businessmen in Saudi Arabia and paid heed to the woes of Saudi Kannadigas amidst covid-19 lockdown.

Sheikh Karnire, Director of Operations Expertise Contracting Co, Mohammad Mansoor, Chairman of Saara Group and President of OIC Bahrain, and Ismaeel, CEO of Realtech Industrial Services among others explained Mr Siddaramaiah the need to operate repatriation flights from Saudi Arabia to Mangaluru and Bengaluru. 

They said among the thousands of stranded Kannadigas in Saudi Arabia there are a large number of pregnant women, elderly people, patients who need immediate medical attention. 

They urged Siddaramaiah to exert pressure on the chief minister of Karnataka B S Yediyurappa and union ministers to arrange repatriation flights in the current schedule of Vande Bharat Mission itself. 

Siddaramaiah assured to take up the issue with the chief minister and other authorities concerned.

Bengaluru, Jan 25: The local police will provide security for Sri Nijagunananda Swami and his Kittur Nishkal Mantapa Mutt following a letter containing a threat to his life that was received on Friday.

The letter, containing the names of 15 liberal thinkers and activists, was circulated widely on social media and shown on some Kannada TV channels. The letter is addressed to the seer, and it condemns his lectures where he speaks in favour of liberal values.

“The decision to eliminate you will be taken on January 21. You will be eliminated, along with 15 of your followers and people who think like you,” the letter said. 

Among those threatened are Nidumamidi Channammalla Swami, Jnyana Prakash Swami, the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, actors Prakash Raj and Chetan Kumar, writer Chandrashekar Patil, Brinda Karat of the CPI(M) and writer K.S. Bhagavan.

It is not the first time that the seer is getting such threats. Two years ago, Belagavi Police had provided security to the seer following threats to his life. Last year, he got a phone call from a person from Shivamogga district. But the seer did not bother to complain.

This time, the district police will seek a written complaint from the seer. “We will assess the threat perception and the security levels. Adequate security will be provided,” the police said.

The seer is now camping in Jewargi in Kalaburagi district. “We have intimated the Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police of the need for immediate security arrangements. We will take steps to provide adequate security to him once he arrives in Belagavi district,” Superintendent of Police Lakshman Nimbaragi said.

Bengaluru, July 13: The Karnataka government today announced the cancellation of I PUC supplementary examinations across the state. 

Primary and Secondary Education minister S Suresh Kumar announced that the government took the decision in the wake of rising cases of Covid-19 and re-introduction of the lockdown. According to sources in the education department, as many as 60,000 students were supposed to appear for the examination.

Previously, the state government had decided to hold these exams at the college level in every district and publish the results by 30 July. However, the government has withdrawn even that arrangement and completely cancelled the exams. 

According to the minister, all the students who failed in the I PUC examination, shall also be promoted to II PUC. "The students who have attended all the subjects but unable to pass the exams will also be promoted to the next class," Suresh Kumar said.

However, those who missed out on the exams due to health reasons or failed in the examinations will be given a small test at the time of commencing classes for II PUC to assess their learning ability at the college level, according to the minister. "Only those students who missed out on the examination due to shortage of attendance will not be promoted to the next class," Suresh Kumar clarified.