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I will be a social activist... I prefer to be an MLC: Roshan Baig

News Network
November 20, 2019

Bengaluru, Dec 20: Sidelined by all political parties after his disqualification as Shivajinagar MLA, R Roshan Baig, has decided become a social activist.

Baig, who faced rejection from BJP after being sacked by Congress, justified his decision to not contest as an independent candidate to retain his seat in upcoming bypolls.

“I don’t want to contest just for ego’s sake. I will be a social activist.” Baig, who said he prefers to be an MLC, said the Muslim vote is split, and the constituency could swing any way.

With the BJP ignoring his claim for a ticket and naming former corporator M Saravana, Baig pointed out that the IMA scam was not the reason for it, and that the BJP had fielded Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and Katta Subramanya Naidu, both of whom had been to jail.

Sources indicated that Baig was denied the ticket because BJP state vice-president Nirmal Kumar Surana, who lost to Baig twice, objected to it. In fact, he tried to revive the Rudresh murder case by leading his widowed wife to the party bosses and blaming Baig for it, although the NIA and local Commercial Street police absolved the former MLA of any involvement. Sources also indicated that the standoff between BJP leader BL Santosh and Yediyurappa had cost him the ticket.

Asked why he did not file his papers as an independent, Baig said, “There is a strong anti-Muslim sentiment after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and now the Ayodhya verdict... It is better I don’t contest this time.’’ Asked about son Ruman Baig not being given a BJP ticket, he said, “No comments.’’

Interestingly, the Muslim vote in Shivajinagar constituency, numbering around 60,000 of about 2 lakh voters, appears to be headed for a three-way split: between Rizwan Arshad (Congress), who lost two parliamentary elections back to back, Tanvir Ahmed, the JDS national spokesman, and Abdul Hannan, SDPI general secretary.

The constituency comprises seven wards — Vasanthnagar, Sampangiramnagar, Ulsoor, Jayamahal, Ramaswamipalya, Bharatinagar and Shivajinagar -- with the Big Three evenly poised in the wards. BJP’s Saravana has an edge, considering that Baig is expected to support him secretly, and because bypolls favour the ruling party. Saravana has emerged the favourite of the bookmakers and could be Bengaluru’s first Tamil-speaking MLA.

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News Network
August 9,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 9: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has expressed condolences over the death of nodal officer who died while being on COVID-19 duty and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakhs to the family of the deceased.

The deceased has been identified as H Gangadharaiah. As per reports, he died due to a heart attack while on COVID-19 duty.

A government job and Rs 25 lakhs will be provided to the officer's family, according to Karnataka Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

"Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa expressed his heartfelt condolences over the death of H Gangadharaiah, KAS, who was on COVID-19 duty as nodal officer at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC)," Karnataka CMO tweeted.

"CM announced Rs 25 lakhs ex-gratia from Chief Minister's Relief Fund, a government job for a family member and instructed the last rites of Gangadharaiah to be performed with full state honours," the CMO added.

In the last 24 hours, 7,178 new COVID-19 cases (including 2665 in Bengaluru Urban), 93 deaths and 5,006 discharged cases were reported in Karnataka.

The total number of cases rises to 1,72,102 in the state, including 79,765 active cases, 89,238 discharges and 3,091 deaths, as per the State's Health Department.

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News Network
June 15,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 15: A 69-year-old man was murdered by his two sons at Muggaguthu in Karaya village under the limits of Uppinangady police station in Dakshina Kannada district. 

According to Police, accused Monappa Poojary (34) and Naveen (28) assaulted Dharnappa Poojary with sickle and wooden logs on Sunday night, leading to his on-the-spot death.

A family discord led to the murder, police said, adding that a case has been registered at Uppinangady police station and investigation was in progress.

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News Network
March 19,2020

New Delhi, Mar 19: Senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes on Wednesday extolled the virtues of 'gaumutra' and shared an anecdote about a man claiming to have cured his cancer by drinking cow urine to drive his point home.

Participating in a debate in Rajya Sabha on two bills for setting up national commissions for homoeopathy and Indian systems of medicine, the former Union minister said, "My extreme friend Jairam Ramesh pulls my leg, when I talk of 'gaumutra'."

Sharing an anecdote, Fernandes said once during a visit to an ashram near Meerut he had met a person who claimed to have cured his cancer by drinking 'gaumutra'.

Many BJP leaders have earlier spoken about the healing power of 'gaumutra'. The Congress has reacted sharply to such remarks.

He also praised the virtues of the Indian systems of medicine. He said when he had severe pain in knee joint and doctors had suggested for replacement surgery. However, he refused and started doing 'Vajrasana'.

"I started Vajrasana, practising yoga, and today I am able to do wrestling without any difficulty," the septuagenarian leader said.

"When (former) prime minister (Atal Bihari) Vajypee ji had a knee surgery, I thought if I had known him earlier, I would have definitely gone to him and ask him to follow 'Vajrasan' and it could have been cured," he said.

He also claimed to have met a person in US aged around 104 years and moving swiftly as a young man.

"Yoga is our wealth. If you practise yoga, may be our budget cost of health can be reduced by 50 per cent. It's way of life," he said.

"Our own Indian systems of medicine will provide a lot of reliefs even before going to a doctor," he said.

Though Fernandes supported the bills but raised objection over the exclusion of yoga and naturopathy.

"I would urge the minister either to amend the bill or bring an assurance that it will bring a separate legislation to cover yoga and naturopathy," he said.

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