I want to become CM of Karnataka, says actor-cum-politician Ambareesh

Mangaluru, Jan 31: Mahesh Vikram Hegde, the co-founder of website 'Postcard News', known for spreading fake news on behalf of Sangh Parivar, was taken aback when he was asked to sing 'Vande Mataram' to prove his patriotism by a group of women activists at Mangaluru International Airport.

The video of the incident which occurred on Friday, days after editor-in-chief and co-founder of Republic TV Arnab Goswami was heckled by comedian Kunal Kamra on a flight, went viral on social media within hours.

Hegde was spotted by social activist Kavitha Reddy, and other young orators – Najma Nazeer and Amulya Leona – at the airport where he was waiting to board a plane to Bengaluru.

In a video, the three women are seen coercing Hegde to sing 'Vande Mataram' and prove his patriotism. In another video being circulated, the women are heard telling the journalist that he is getting an opportunity to become a 'hero' from 'zero' if he sings 'Vande Mataram.' However, he refused to open his mouth.

Reddy is seen asking Hegde whether he knew the time when Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.

Hegde was arrested in 2018 for posting a fake news aimed at creating communal conflict.

When saffron journalist Vikram Hegde refuses to sing 'Vande Mataram' pic.twitter.com/4TZHbpkvtd

— coastaldigest.com (@coastaldigest) February 1, 2020

Lucknow, Feb 4: Even as anti-NRC protests continue to rage across the country, the Lucknow University has queered the pitch by demanding citizenship proof from RTI applicants.

The Lucknow University (LU) refused to provide the information sought by the people who filed the Right to Information (RTI) unless they furnished the proof that they were Indian citizens.

Alok Chantia, one of the RTI applicants who was refused information by the varsity, said that he had lodged a complaint with the vice-chancellor of the varsity but even then he could not get the desired information.

"It is shocking how the university has twisted the RTI law as per its whims and fancy. It does not have any authority to do so," said the RTI applicant.

Chantia, also a faculty member at a degree college here, had sought details of appointment of teachers for self-financed courses and their pay scale.

"It is possible that some applicants who may not be familiar with the provisions of the RTI, may have furnished proof of their citizenship to the varsity to get the information but that cannot become a rule," he pointed out.

When contacted, university officials admitted that such a practice had been going on in the varsity for the past few years.

"This practice started during the tenure of the former vice-chancellor S.P. Singh and still continues," said a senior varsity official.

Bellari, Feb 23: Fringe outfit Sri Ram Sena leader Sanjeev Maradi said on Friday said that organization will reward Rs 10 lakh to the person who will 'eliminate' those who have raised "pro-Pakistan" slogans including Amulya who recently raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan at an anti-CAA protest in Bengaluru.

"We request both state and central government not to release them (Pro-Pakistan sloganeers) on bail. If they will be released Sri Ram Sena will eliminate them or will give a reward of Rupees 10 lakh to those who kill them," said Sanjeev Maradi.

"We condemn such slogans. This is like a virus. First, it happened in Jammu and Kashmir, then in JNU, then Mysore and then a student named Amulya raised pro Pakistan slogan in Bengaluru," he added.

A girl named Amulya raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan on Thursday at an anti-CAA protest where AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was also invited.

Thereafter, a case was registered under Section 124A (Offence of sedition) of the Indian Penal Code against the student.

Meanwhile, Imran Pasha, the organizer of the anti-CAA protest said that Amulya was not invited to the event.

"We were the organizers of the event. At around 6:45 pm on Thursday, when I and Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi were entering the stage area, we did not notice Amulya was present there. I did not invite her," Pasha told media.