Foreigners ruled India for over 15 centuries; only British destroyed the country: RSS chief

Shivamogga/Hubballi, Feb 10: Chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday reiterated portfolios for all new ministers will be distributed on Monday and the exercise was not completed sooner only because of weekend holidays.

“I had completed all the formalities on the portfolio allocation,” Yediyurappa said, appearing to rubbish rumours that the delay was caused due to a tussle over portfolios. “However, considering it was a weekend, I decided to postpone handing them out. On Monday all portfolios will be announced.”

The CM also promised to induct loyalists into his council of ministers, admitting Umesh Katti, Hukkeri legislator, should not have been left out. Speaking in Shivamogga earlier in the day, Yediyurappa said Katti was scheduled to take oath last week along with the 10 defectors, but the decision was scrapped at the last minute due to “unavoidable reasons”. “But I have discussed the issue with Katti. Considering he is from North Karnataka and that we have worked together for many years, he will be included in the cabinet soon,” Yediyurappa said.

When questioned on more prominent legislators from his home district missing out — especially Thirthalli Arag Jnanendra — he said a “different responsibility” has been given to him and has already explained why he could not be inducted.

Yediyurappa refused to react to comments by former chief ministers Siddaramaiah and HD Kumaraswamy on government’s survival, saying he would rather concentrate on the state’s development. “It is common for the opposition to criticize the government, but I’m busy preparing for the budget, which will be presented on March 5. I am concentrating on my work,” he said.

In Davangere, Yediyurappa said he is committed to increasing internal reservation for the Valmiki community under the ST quota from 3% to 7.5%, apart from considering a separate department for the community to address their issues. Speaking at a Valimik community event, Yediyurappa said Justice Nagamohan Das has been asked to submit his report at the earliest to bring in reservation.

In Mysuru, chief minister Yediyurappa’s son and BJP Yuva Morcha general secretary BY Vijayendra on Sunday said the district will get representation in his father’s cabinet soon, pointing to the six existing vacancies. He said former minister AH Vishwanath will be made a minister as Yediyurappa is known for delivering on his promises. Speaking to reporters, he said his father has expanded his council of ministers, ensuring there were no complaints and he will include more legislators given that there are six more vacancies.

Bengaluru, Mar 18: Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar on Wednesday met the Director-General of Police in Bengaluru and demanded police protection for Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs and the removal of BJP workers from the hotel in Bengaluru, where the legislators are currently lodged.

"The (Madhya Pradesh) legislators have come here and have requested police protection, that is all. Let the police give them protection, our candidate (Digvijaya Singh) has come, let him meet the legislators. Why are BJP workers protecting them? We know that they are under threat and hence we need to vacate them (BJP workers)," Shivakumar told reporters here after the meeting.

"We will give protection to our men and that is why we are telling them they cannot stop us. They should be in a free and fair position. I have communicated to DGP that BJP needs to vacate," he added.

Earlier today, Congress' Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh was placed under preventive arrest after he sat on a dharna near Ramada Hotel here, allegedly for not being allowed by police to meet the 21 Congress rebel MLAs lodged in a hotel.

"I am a Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, voting is scheduled for March 26. My MLAs have been kept here, they want to speak to me, their phones have been snatched, the police is not letting me speak to them saying there is a security threat to MLAs," Singh told reporters.

Singh who sat on the dharna with a face mask on said: "We were expecting them to come back, but when we saw they're being held back, messages came from their families...I personally spoke to five MLAs, they said they're captive, phones snatched away, there is Police in front of every room. They're being followed 24/7," Singh said.

The development comes amid the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh after the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress party.

Scindia's departure was followed by 22 Congress MLAs resigning from the party as well as from the state legislative Assembly.

The resignation of these MLAs has left the Kamal Nath government below the majority mark.

Bengaluru, Apr 14: Bracing for post-lockdown hard times, the Karnataka government on Monday decided to auction about 12,000 BDA sites and regularise unauthorised constructions across the state in a bid to shore up its already-thin finances.

"Some 12,000 corner sites (developed by Bangalore Development Authority, or BDA) are lying idle in Bengaluru. We hope to net about Rs 15,000 crore from the auction of the sites," chief minister BS Yediyurappa said after chairing a meeting with senior ministers and officials to discuss ways to raise funds.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown Karnataka into a deep financial crisis. There's a need for such measures," the chief minister said in defence of the decisions.

The sites – mainly of 40x60ft and 50x80ft dimensions – are in nine layouts. Also, the state government will auction corner and vacant sites in layouts formed by development authorities in other major cities of Karnataka.

Industry experts said that in a tepid market, it wasn’t easy to find buyers for the sites, each of which costs about Rs 1 crore. The CM said, “Since it’s an open auction, I’m confident of a good price since corner sites are always in demand. If we don’t get the expected price, then we will stop the process.”

The meeting decided to fast-track disposal of the cases related to regularisation of unauthorised constructions pending before courts. “If courts decide these cases, then thousands of people will be relieved, besides helping the government in mobilising resources to take up development works,” the CM said.

The government hopes to get about Rs 4,000 crore from the layout-regularisation move.
The government decided to amend the law to allow hundreds of private and cooperative housing societies to allot residential plots.