Karnataka CM's 10 day US trip from June 28; 'won't use govt money'

Agencies
June 28, 2019

Bengaluru, Jun 28: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday clarified that his upcoming trip to the United States is unofficial and he will be travelling on personal expenses.

The statement comes amidst criticism the Janata Dal (Secular) leader is facing regarding the alleged expenditure of taxpayers' money for unofficial purposes.

"I am travelling to New Jersey to participate in a foundation laying ceremony of Adichunchanagiri Mutt. It is not an official tour. I am travelling on my personal expenses," Kumaraswamy, who concluded his village outreach programme at Ujalamaba village in Bidar district, told media here.

The Chief Minister said credit for the 'Gram Vastavya' programme goes to the Congress-JD(S) coalition. "The Cabinet ministers from Congress party also participated in the village stay with me. So the credit goes to the government and the officials from all departments," he said.

With regards to the criticism he is facing from the Opposition on his stay at villagers' homes, he said, "In a school in Yadgir, I saw a slogan stating 'silence is the only answer for the meaningless question'. So I choose not to react on this anymore."

Earlier this week, the BJP had reportedly raised questions over Kumaraswamy conducting official meetings at a five-star hotel, which is situated next to his allotted official home in Bengaluru.

Retaliating to his apparent portrayal as a "five-star" chief minister, he had said, "Have I submitted any expenditure bill to the government? It is my personal issue. I am not interested in getting a certificate from friends from BJP. I will work according to my conscience."

In addition, Congress leader M Veerappa Moily had criticised Kumaraswamy over his village stay tour, saying "simply sitting" does not work. "Simply sitting after becoming a chief minister or minister does not work. It is important to concentrate on schemes and their implementation. Chief Ministers or ministers roaming around in villages does not work," Moily had said.

The 'Gram Vastavya' initiative is the resumption of Kumaraswamy's 2006 rural outreach programme during which he stayed at the homes of villagers.

US tour from June 28

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will be leaving here on Friday on a 10 day tour of United States.

According to official sources, during his stay abroad, he will participate in the Ground-breaking ceremony for construction of a Temple in New Jersey by Adi Chunchinagiri Mutt in Karnataka.

 

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News Network
June 16,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 16: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief DK Shivakumar's daughter Aishwarya and Cafe Coffe Day founder late VG Siddhartha's son, Amarthya Hegde got engaged at SM Krishna Residence, Sadashivanagar in Bengaluru on Monday.
Only family members were present in the event. Amarthya Hegde is also the grandson of former Union Minister SM Krishna.
Last year in July, the body of Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) founder Siddhartha was unearthed on the banks of Netravati river.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 22,2020

Mangaluru, May 22: There will be complete lockdown in Dakshina Kananda from 7 p.m. on Saturday (May 23) to 7 a.m. on Monday (May 25). 

Announcing this today, Deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh clarified that there would be no restrictions on sale of newspapers, vegetables, fish, meat, milk and medicine.

Other shops, hotels and bars will remain closed. Movement of private vehicles also banned during this period.

Under lockdown period, people are instructed to stay indoors and all non-essential activities are restricted. 

Under coronavirus lockdown, people can step out only for essential activities like medical supplies, grocery shopping, and hospital appointments.

Wedding with permission

If marriages have been scheduled already on Sunday, they will be considered as a special case. However, prior permission is must for scheduled weddings, said the deputy commissioner.

Marriages can be permitted by ensuring social distancing, capping the number of guests at 50 and strict compliance with all other guidelines.

No AC, no consumption of liquor and paan, no invitation to people aged above 65 and below 10 and also pregnant women are some of the guidelines to be followed for holding marriages or events.

Containment zones 

In the corona containment zones that have been sealed no one can step out, only home delivery of essential services are allowed. Only movement of medical vehicles will be allowed and no one will be allowed to perform any other activity. No one will be allowed to step out of their home even for essential services. The govt may take legal action if anyone is seen out of their home.

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News Network
June 10,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 10: Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said on Tuesday that he filed his nomination for the June 19 Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka in response to a collective call from national leaders to be back in the Parliament.

"Though I was not personally interested to contest, national leaders from Congress President Sonia Gandhi, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, TMC and Left parties want me back in Parliament," he told reporters here.

Gowda, 87, filed his nomination in the Vidhana Soudha, submitting the papers to Assembly Secretary and Returning Officer M.K. Vishalakshi, a party official told IANS.

Gowda''s second son and former minister H.D. Revanna and third son and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy were present on the occasion.

"Our party''s all 34 legislators also urged me to contest as my presence is necessary in Parliament at a time when the country was grappling with multiple crises in the aftermath of coronavirus," said Gowda.

Claiming that there was no pressure from his two sons as they are more concerned with his health, Gowda said he was touched by the requests of the national leaders, especially Gandhi who personally called him and asked him to contest as the country needed his presence in Parliament.

Gowda agreed to contest in the bypoll as his party''s candidate after the Congress state unit assured him of its support with its surplus votes, as the JD-S with 34 legislators is short of 10 votes of the required 44 votes.

It will be second time Gowda will enter the Rajya Sabha, 24 years after he was its member as the Prime Minster from June 1996 to April 1997 of the United Front government.

"Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal informed Kumaraswamy on June 6 that the party was fielding only its senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge from Karnataka and had surplus votes to ensure my victory as our party is 10 votes short of the required 44 votes to win," Gowda said.

Kharge filed his nomination on Monday.

Party''s outgoing member Kupendra Reddy, whose 6-year term ends on June 25, told Gowda that he was not interested for a second term as he did not get enough time in the upper house to raise issues.

"As our party does not have numbers in Parliament to get more time allotted to raise issues and participate in debates, Reddy wanted me to be in the Rajya Sabha in his place so that I could serve the nation better," Gowda said.

Gowda lost in the May 2019 general elections from Tumkur to G.S. Basvaraj of the BJP.

With the term of the four members -- Congress'' B.K. Hariprasad and Rajeev Gowda, BJP''s Prabhakar Kore and JD-S''s Reddy ending on June 25, the Election Commission notified the poll on June 1.

According to the poll panel, the nominations will be scrutinised on Wednesday and last date for withdrawal by candidates is June 12. Polling and vote count is on June 19.

From the ruling BJP, its grassroot cadres Eranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti filed their nominations after Gowda.

By fielding Gowda for the fourth seat, the Congress and JD-S, who had post-poll and pre-poll alliances for the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections in May 2019 and May 2018, queered the pitch for the BJP, denying it the chance to win a third seat.

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