‘FIR on Vishweshwar Bhat amounts to abuse of power, should be withdrawn’: SM Krishna

Agencies
May 29, 2019

Bengaluru, May 29: Condemning the intolerance of the Karnataka government towards the media, BJP leader S.M. Krishna on Wednesday urged Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to withdraw the FIR filed against a Kannada editor over an article criticizing the Chief Minister's son Nikhil.

"The FIR against 'Vishwavani' editor Vishweshwar Bhat should be withdrawn as it amounts to abuse of power and interference in the freedom of press," Krishna said in a statement in Bengaluru.

The FIR was booked on Monday after Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) General Secretary Pradeep Kumar filed a complaint at a police station against Bhat for reporting on May 25 that Nikhil blamed former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda for his defeat in the Lok Sabha election.

"I don't understand the need for a Chief Minister to make his crony file a complaint and order the police to book a case against the editor of a leading Kannada daily instead of refuting the news story and clarifying what actually transpired between his son (Nikhil) and his father (Gowda) on the phone," said Krishna in the statement.

According to the article, which Bhat claimed was based on reliable sources, an inebriated Nikhil had shouted at Gowda senior at the latter's residence for not ensuring his victory from Mandya and failing to prevent Congress leaders from campaigning for the Independent (Sumalatha Ambareesh) and voting in favour of her.

Multilingual South Indian actress Sumalatha won the high-profile Mandya seat by a margin of 1,25,876 votes in the otherwise JD-S bastion, about 100 km southwest of Bengaluru in the old Mysuru region.

Noting that the authoritarian act of the police at the behest of the Chief Minster was a sign of frustration over the ignominious defeat, Krishna said the "undemocratic and dictatorial attitude" was dangerous to the independent functioning of the media.

Krishna, 87, who hails from Maddur in Mandya district, joined the BJP in March 2018 after quitting the Congress in January 2018. He campaigned for Sumalatha.

Nikhil was a joint candidate in Mandya where the politically powerful Vokkaliga community to which the Gowda clan belongs is a dominant force.

Of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, a resurgent BJP won 25 while the JD-S and Congress won only one each to retain Bangalore Rural and Hassan, where Nikhil's cousin brother Prajwal Revanna defeated BJP's A Manju.

Comments

Hasan Zain
 - 
Thursday, 30 May 2019

Why is Mr SM Krishna so uncomfortable. He was a chief minister of the state. If the accused has committed any crime then Law of the land will take its course. If SM krishna think the accused has commited some crime and government wants to pordon him then SM Krishna is encouraging crime which is dengerous for our state. 

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News Network
May 1,2020

Bengaluru, May 1: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on the occasion of International Labour Day has appealed to migrant workers in the state to stay back and co-operate with it in resuming economic activities once the Central government issues further directions.

"It is my sincere request to all the migrant workers to stay back in the state and co-operate with us to resume the economic activities once we receive directions from Union Government," Yediyurappa said in a release issued by the CMO.

"COVID-19 situation in India is much better than other countries because of people's cooperation.

We intend to resume economic activities soon. The government has already held a meeting with representatives of associations of commerce and industry in this regard. The government has also appealed to the employers to protect the interest of their workers and pay salaries," he added.

The ongoing nationwide lockdown, imposed to contain the coronavirus spread, is scheduled to end on May 3.

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News Network
May 6,2020

Bengaluru, May 6: More than a month after international flights have been barred, Karnataka government is preparing to quarantine all 10,823 of the state''s people poised to return home from overseas amid the Covid pandemic, an official said on Tuesday.

"The state has planned to quarantine all 10,823 passengers coming back to Karnataka. The quarantine guidelines framed as below would be applicable," said Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey in a statement.

According to the Government of India, 10,823 Karnataka residents have been stranded abroad by April 30, comprising 4,408 tourists, 3,074 students, 2,784 migrants and professionals and 557 ship crew.

Out of the 10,823 people, the state government is expecting 6,100 to return early as the government has decided to allow Indians stuck abroad to return.

"All the passengers arriving at points of entry (airports and seaports) will be compulsorily screened for symptoms of Covid-19," said Pandey.

Point of entry screening will include self-reporting form verification, thermal screening, pulse oximeter reading, briefing with instructions, categorisation, stamping for some and downloading of Aarogya Setu, Quarantine Watch and Apthamitra apps.

Arriving passengers are also required to declare existing comorbidities such hypertension, diabetes, asthma or any lung disease, organ transplantations, cancer, tuberculosis and other ailments.

Passengers will be categorised into three groups: Category A (symptomatic on arrival), Category B (asymptomatic with co-morbidity or aged above 60 years) and Category C (rest of asymptomatic passengers).

Depending on the category into which the people fall, their quarantine place and time will be determined.

Category A arrivals will be subjected to institutional quarantine for a fortnight, Category B one week quarantine at a hotel or hostel, followed by another week at home, and Category C home quarantine for a fortnight.

Karnataka government is making elaborate arrangements and logistical means, deploying healthcare, police and several other departments into action to handle the huge influx of Kannadigas and state residents.

Pandey has issued a 21-page elaborate standard operating procedure (SOP) guidelines on how to face the international returnees.

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News Network
March 2,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 2: BJP leader and Karnataka cabinet minister BS Sriramulu's daughter Rakshita's wedding will take place with Sanjeev Reddy here on March 5. The nine-day function will cost crores of rupees.

For the wedding, decorations and arrangements are being done at Sriramulu's home here.

The reception will take place in Bengaluru Palace Ground on March 5.

"I couldn't invite you all in person but I tried to welcome you all. Through the media, I am again inviting you all. We are not performing a pretentious wedding. I invite you all on March 5 at Palace Ground," Sriramulu said.

After BJP leader Janardhan Reddy's daughter's marriage in Bengaluru Palace Ground, the marriage of Sriramulu's daughter is being considered one of the costliest marriages in Karnataka's history.

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