Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik likens Gauri Lankesh to a dog

TNN
June 18, 2018

New Delhi, Jun 18: A fringe right-wing outfit's chief yesterday likened slain Bengaluru journalist Gauri Lankesh to a dog.

Pramod Muthalik, chief of the right-wing outfit Sri Ram Sene, made this comparison while hitting out at critics who have been asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on Lankesh, who was murdered last September.

"Many wanted PM Modi to react after Gauri Lankesh's death. Why should Modi react if some dog dies in Karnataka?" said Muthalik to raucous cheers of "Jai Shri Ram" from the audience he was addressing, a video showed.

Muthalik later defended his statement, saying he didn't directly compare Lankesh to a dog, and that he was merely pointing out that PM Modi cannot comment on every death in Karnataka.

Congress spokesman Manish Tewari slammed Muthalik for his comments on Lankesh.

"Disgusting, nauseating, revolting...vigilante group Sri Ram Sene's Head Pramod Muthalik compares assassinated journalist Gauri Lankesh to a dog. Mr Prime Minister @narendramodi you did not condemn Gauri Lankesh's murder are you now going to condone this too," tweeted Tewari.

Just two days ago, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lankesh murder case summoned a man called Rakesh Math, the Vijayapura district president of the Sri Ram Sene, for questioning, news agency reported. The decision to question Math was taken by the SIT as the suspected shooter, Parashuram Waghmare, was an active member of the Hindutva organisation that has courted controversy in the past in Karnataka with its "moral policing" activities.

An undated photograph of Muthalik and Waghmare has recently surfaced raising questions of links between the Ram Sene and those involved in the murder of Lankesh.

A senior SIT official said that Waghmare had confessed that he killed the journalist-activist to "save his religion". He was arrested from north Karnataka's Vijayapura district a few days ago.

Lankesh was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants outside her residence in Bengaluru in September 5, 2017.

Comments

Mohan
 - 
Monday, 18 Jun 2018

Stop barking muthaLICK. Dont call your name for others

Hari
 - 
Monday, 18 Jun 2018

unjustifiable offence. He should be punished

Mr Frank
 - 
Monday, 18 Jun 2018

The man with similarity about what he compares is no knowledge of human value,dignity and respect and media should not report this kind of ugly statements just ignoring him is punishment.

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News Network
July 16,2020

Byndoor, Jul 16: Byndoor Police Station in Kundapur taluk of Udupi District, has been sealed for the second time in a month, after three personnel including an ASI were tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

All the three including a lady Home Guard have been admitted to the designated Covid Hospital.

Last month the Station was sealed after staff had tested positive.

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News Network
February 18,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 18: Deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi was elected to the legislative council on Monday and although it was a done deal that he would win, a vote from across the aisle spiced up the election.

Counting was conducted soon after ballots were cast and Savadi polled 113 of the 120 votes cast, including the vote of disgruntled JD(S) legislator GT Devegowda. Seven votes were declared invalid. Members of the two opposition parties — Congress and JD(S) — abstained from voting.

The election was necessitated following the resignation of Rizwan Arshad of the Congress. Rizwan resigned after he was elected to the legislative assembly from the Shivajinagar constituency in the assembly bypolls held for 15 seats in December last year.

BR Anil Kumar, who was initially promised the support of both Congress and JD(S) was supposed to contest as an independent candidate. However, as both parties refused to support him at the last minute, he withdrew, paving the way for Savadi’s victory.

The BJP has 117 members in the 225-member assembly, but N Mahesh of the BSP and two independents, H Nagesh and Sharath Bachchegowda, besides GT Devegowda also voted, taking the total electorate to 120 (including the speaker). BJP’s SA Ramadas did not turn up because of health reasons.

“I would like to thank all those who were responsible for my victory. Special thanks to leaders of my party and chief minister BS Yediyurappa, who gave me the opportunity to be the BJP candidate,” said Savadi.

Winning this council election was crucial for Savadi to retain his ministry as he was not an elected member of either of the houses. Rules mandate that a non-member must get elected either to the assembly or council within six months after taking over as minister. February 20 was the deadline for Savadi, who had lost 2018 assembly polls from Athani, to get elected.

Officials in the assembly secretariat said seven votes were invalid because voters had wrongly marked their choices on ballot paper. According to norms, a voter has to mark numerical one, two and three against the names of the candidates in order of preference. Marking only numerical one is allowed. However, six ballots had a tick mark, while a voter had registered a cross mark. Since it was a secret ballot, it was not known who the MLAs were whose votes were invalid.

“The ballot papers bear serial numbers and they are randomly distributed. It is virtually impossible to say who a voter cast his or her vote for,” said assembly secretary MK Vishalakashi, the retuning officer for the bypoll.

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News Network
August 4,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 4 : Without mentioning any party leader's name, Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar on Monday appealed to Congress workers not to make any "defamatory statement" against any political leader on social media platforms.

Taking to Twitter, Shivakumar wrote, "I appeal to Congress workers not to make defamatory statements against any political leader, on matters of health and other issues on social media platforms. It is not in our culture to wish bad for others. Congress is a party that exemplifies brotherhood and humanity."

His statement comes days after Rajya Sabha MP and AICC in-charge for Gujarat, Rajiv Satav comment where he suggested that introspection in the party should begin from the time of the United Progressive Alliance -II government.

Later, Satav took to Twitter to clarify his remarks at Thursday's meeting of the party's Upper House MPs. Satav, through a series of tweets on Saturday, said he was not comfortable discussing what goes on inside party meetings in forums outside.

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