BJP plans nationwide protest against CPI(M)'s reign of terror' in Kannur

Bengaluru, Feb 28: “Those who struggle to come up can understand people’s problems better. Yediyurappa is one such leader who has reached this position after a struggle,’’ said former chief minister Siddaramaiah, in praise of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who celebrated his 78th birthday on Thursday in Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah was the only non-BJP leader on the dais, who not only attended the event, but was present throughout. He released a coffee table book, ‘A Leader who Saw Tomorrow’, on Yediyurappa’s life and achievements, compiled by The New Indian Express.

Dwelling on the political spectrum and human relationships, Siddaramaiah said, “Our ideologies are different, but that is limited to politics. Politics should not come between personal relationships.’’ Recalling his association with Yediyurappa, Siddaramaiah said that in 1983, he and Yediyurappa had entered the Assembly for the first time.

“Yediyurappa did not become chief minister just like that. It took years of struggle and hard work. We both have many similarities — neither of us came from political backgrounds. We came up through struggle and those who come from such backgrounds understand people,’’ he said.

Siddaramaiah said that it was Yediyurappa who first became chief minister, and he had reached the post only five years later. “I am five years younger than him, maybe that is the reason,’’ he said on a lighter note. Yediyurappa has become chief minister four times, but I have been chief minister only once, he added. He also spoke about how Yediyurappa had played an important role in bringing the BJP to power in the state, the party’s first government in South India. “Very few leaders know the pulse of the state and Yediyurappa is one among them,’’ he said.

Bengaluru, Jun 17: The Opposition leader in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah on Wednesday strongly urged Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to desist from invoking amendment to the Land Reforms Act, saying it would make buying land easier for the corporate companies and the rich.

In a hard-hitting letter to the Chief Minister, a copy of which was released to the media, the Congress leader had urged to rescind the decision from amending to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act and also Agriculture Produces Marketing Committee Act.

Asserting that the state government's move was only intending to help to the land grabbers, Siddaramaiah, also the former chief minister, said easing of restrictions to buy land to the tune of over 216 acres per individual would sound a death knell to the farm sector.

Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh), May 19: Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has issued a fatwa asking Muslims to offer their Eid prayers this time at home, instead of congregating at mosques.

The directive comes amid a nationwide lockdown to slow down the spread of coronavirus.

Despite the relaxations announced in the lockdown, religious and other large gatherings are still banned.

The fatwa was issued in response to a query put to the seminary, its spokesman Ashraf Usmani said.

The fatwa said the Eid namaz can be offered in the same manner that the Friday prayers are now being read at home.

It said not holding the namaz in the usual manner is pardonable in circumstances such as these.