Creating jobs, establishing communal amity will be my priority: Mithun Rai

Bengaluru, Apr 14: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday demanded that BS Yediyurappa-led government should cut down on 'unnecessary' expenditures to mobilise funds to fight against coronavirus.

"Yediyurappa government needs to cut down on unwanted expenses which government is spending on several things in order to save the taxpayers money to fight against coronavirus," said Siddaramaiah here in a press conference.

He alleged that the ruling state government is indulged in corruption due to which the government is running bankrupt, adding that instead of mobilising funds, Yediyurappa government is only concentrating on auction of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) sites.
Siddaramaiah claimed that the "BDA was already in loss".

"The present government does not have money due to its involvement in corruption. The Karnataka government must concentrate on cutting expenses and there is no need to waste money on unwanted things including vehicles for board and corporations chiefs," said the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.

"Yediyurappa government has decided to auction more than 12,000 BDA sites to get benefit of Rs 15,000 crore, rather than fullfiling requirements of people of the state at the time of coronavirus crisis," he said.

In Karnataka, 247 people have tested positive for coronavirus, including 59 cured and discharged and 6 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry.

Bengaluru, Jun 29: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah along with Congress leaders on Monday rode a bicycle from his residence to Minsk Square to protest against the hike in fuel prices.

KPCC President DK Shivakumar was also seen riding a bicycle along with other members of the Congress party to Minsk Square where the party staged the protest.

During the protest, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar along with party leaders carried a bike on their shoulders.

"We are carrying out our duty today. At the time of the UPA government's rule, when there was any hike in fuel prices, several BJP leaders had made bold statements. It is ironic that today, at the time of this COVID-19 pandemic, even despite the price of barrels falling, they have increased fuel prices," said Shivakumar.

"In Delhi, diesel prices have exceeded petrol prices. We must protest against this. The DCP can file whatever case he wants to. Despite several cases against us, we have never been shaken up. They are inconveniencing people and causing the people to burn in hell. These people must be protected," he added.

With the hike in fuel prices, the petrol prices stand at Rs 83.04/litre (increase by Rs 0.05), and the diesel prices stand at Rs 76.58/litre (increase by Rs 0.13) in Bengaluru, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.

The Congress has termed the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel as "unjust" and "thoughtless", and urged the Central government to roll back the increase with immediate effect and pass on the benefit of low oil prices directly to the people.

Mangaluru, May 6: A day after a wild bison dies lost its life hours after being tranquilized in Mangaluru, another wild bison appeared in the Ashok Nagar area of the coastal city today.

In fact, two bison were spotted in Mangaluru yesterday. The two were reportedly wandering together early in the morning. Later one was spotted in Mannagudda and the other in Hathill area.

While one of them was tranquillized by an official of a Pilikula Biological Park and captured, another bison had gone missing.

The captured animal, however, died later in the day due to cardiac arrest.

According to official, it is common for herbivores, which are sedated to ensure their safe capture, to suffer cardiac arrest.

Meanwhile, Forest department officials have launched an operation to capture the second bison. It is believed that it is the same bison which went missing yesterday.

Also Read: Wild bison intrudes into Mangaluru city amidst lockdown; captured