Congress flounders again as 7 MLAs stay away from CLP meet

TNN
May 31, 2019

Bengaluru, May 31: The Congress appears in deep trouble as seven MLAs, including two associate members, skipped the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting that extended well past midnight on Wednesday-Thursday. Significant among the absentees were former ministers R Roshan Baig and Ramesh Jarkiholi, who continued to adopt a tough posture against the party leadership.

While Ramesh has absented himself from party meetings ever since he resigned as minister, Baig, whose anger has been simmering, recently unleashed an outburst against the party leadership. He accused state leaders of overlooking Muslims and senior leaders of the community.

However, there was some relief for the ruling dispensation as other disgruntled MLAs, including K Sudhakar, Mahesh Kumathalli, B Nagendra and BC Patil were present. Kampli MLA JN Ganesh, who was accused of assaulting fellow legislator Anand Singh during a brawl at a resort last year, also attended the meeting after his suspension was revoked to keep Congress numbers intact.

Briefing reporters at the end of the meeting, CLP leader Siddaramaiah said 72 of 79 MLAs attended. Five MLAs had sought leave of absence, but there was no communication from either Baig or Jarkiholi.

Of the other five who stayed away, former minister R Ramalinga Reddy is on a foreign tour, Byrathi Basavaraj cited ill-health, while Rahim Khan, Subba Reddy and Rajashekhar Patil cited urban local body polls as reason for their absence. Siddaramaiah, however, exuded confidence that Baig and Jarkiholi will not leave the party.

Baig told reporters that that he stayed away since he has been critical of senior leaders including AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, KC Venugopal and he had “no face” to attend. However, he dismissed reports that he was in talks with senior BJP leaders and was intending to jump ship, saying, “I am a disciplined soldier of the Congress.”

The CLP meeting was convened by Venugopal, who arrived from New Delhi on Wednesday to execute damage control measures in the wake of the BJP’s efforts to topple the government.

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News Network
April 24,2020

Udupi, Apr 24: While several state governments and NGOs are actively working to provide essentials to the needy amid the COVID-19 lockdown, a fisherwoman in Karnataka's Udupi has proved that even a small gesture of help for others can make a huge difference in the society.
A fisherwoman, Sharadakka, distributed rice to 140 needy families in her neighbourhood during the ongoing lockdown. The contribution was made by spending all her life savings amounting to Rs 30,000. The amount was saved by her over a period of time in an effort to build a house for herself.
On Thursday Udupi Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesh visited her and ensured help to build her house.
"Spending her meagre earnings, Sharadakka generously filled many empty stomachs amid the nation-wide lockdown, which is a matter of pride," said the Deputy Commissioner.

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News Network
March 23,2020

Mangaluru, Mar 23: The magisterial enquiry into the police firing during the anti-CAA protest on December 19 in Mangaluru, has been postponed following the lockdown of Dakshina Kannada district, Udupi DC G Jagadeesh announced on Monday.

The inquiry by Udupi DC G Jagadeesh was scheduled on Monday. Already, City Police Commissioner Dr P S Harsha and others have deposed before the magistrate. The Deputy Commissioner and the Assistant Commissioner were supposed to appear before the magistrate.

Following the December 19 violence and the death of  Nausheen and Jaleel due to alleged police firing, the state government had commissioned two probes-- one magisterial and the other, a CID inquiry.

 As per the government order, a report on the inquiry was to be submitted before March 23. On the request by the magistrate for more time since the documents and videos had to be examined, the government had asked him to submit the report by April 23.  
 

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 24,2020

Udupi, Jun 24: Nearly four years after he was arrested in the murder case of NRI entrepreneur Bhaskar Shetty, the District Sessions court has granted conditional interim bail to Niranjan Bhat, one of the three prime accused in the case.

The development comes two days after the death of Niranjan’s father Srinivas Bhat(65). Though Srinivas and his driver Raghavendra were also arrested in the case on the accusation of destruction of evidence, they were released within a month.

Through his lawyer Niranjan had appealed to the court seeking bail to perform his father’s post-death rituals. 

After hearing the arguments, the court granted conditional interim bail till July 7 on furnishing a bond of Rs 5 lakh. The judge directed the accused to report to the court on or before July 7 to be taken into judicial custody.

Bhaskar Shetty, who owned a chain of supermarkets in Saudi Arabia, went missing from his house in Udupi on 28 July 2016. His mother Gulabi Shetty lodged a missing person complaint on July 29. The police arrested his wife Rajeshwari, her son Navaneeth and astrologer Niranjan Bhat on the charge of murdering Bhaskar Shetty and destroying the evidence, in Udupi on August 7, 2016. Rajeshwari is already out on bail. Navneet is still in prison.

Shetty was murdered at his house in Indrali and later his body was taken to Belman. It is alleged Niranjan Bhat had put the body of deceased Bhaskar Shetty in the pit used for Homa rituals and burnt it.

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