Never asked votes in the name of Islam in Karnataka; BJP’s allegation is baseless: Azad

Agencies
May 3, 2018

Bengaluru, May 3: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday quashed the allegations made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that he was seeking consolidation of Muslim votes in favour of his party in poll-bound Karnataka.

Talking to media, the Congress leader said, "I didn't hold any public meeting especially for Muslims, it was just a public meeting. I challenge, if anyone meeting the EC officials has video or audio of mine saying 'vote in name of Islam', then I will resign as Parliament member and leader of the opposition. Or those leaders from the BJP, who had approached the EC, should accept my challenge and resign from their respective posts if proved wrong."

"I have asked secular parties to come together. I have not used 'Musalman ikatha ho jao', 'Islam khatre me hai or Islam ke naam pe vote de do' terms during my speech," he added.

Earlier in the day, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Ghulam Nabi Azad, in a public rally, had openly asked Muslims in Karnataka to vote for the Congress party en masse.

"Is this an agenda of development, or is this a communal agenda? It is starkly clear that this is a communal agenda, we have complained to the Election Commission. Law will, of course, take its course but people of this country and people of Karnataka are extremely intelligent to see through this," he said.

A political slugfest has erupted as the Karnataka assembly elections are slated on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 225-member assembly. The results will be out on May 15.

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A Kannadiga
 - 
Friday, 4 May 2018

BJP to its chamcha Sambid Patra appointed as Director in ONGC, whereas he is not well qualified for this post.  Now he want to become Chairman of ONGC.  To be his party happy, he is passing derogatory remarks against BJP's enemy party INC.

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News Network
February 5,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 5: Despite installing a BJP government in Karnataka through disguised operation Kamala, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led union government has continued its step motherly attitude towards this south Indian state.

Under the new formula adopted to share central taxes among states Karnataka will be the worst-affected. Though the 15th Finance Commission has recommended a special grant of Rs 5,495 crore for the state for 2020-21, the Centre appears reluctant to pay up and instead has asked for the proposal to be reviewed.

During the Union budget, the report of the 14th Finance Commission headed by NK Singh for 2020-21 was tabled in Lok Sabha. It shows besides Karnataka, Telangana, Mizoram and Kerala saw their central tax share decrease, while Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra were top gainers.

Karnataka's share has decreased from 4.7% provided by the previous finance commission, to 3.6%. Acknowledging there is a steep decline in Karnataka's share from 2019-20, the finance commission has recommended a special grant of Rs 5,495 crore for the state.

Its share in 2019-20 was Rs 36,675 crore, but under the new formula, Karnataka will get only Rs 31,180 crore in 2020-21 from the divisible pool of Rs 8.5 lakh crore - a decline of 22.5%.

Also, the decrease for Karnataka comes on the back of a shortfall in 2019-20. While the state was entitled to Rs 39,806 crore from the divisible pool, it got only Rs 36,675 crore as the Centre suffered a tax revenue shortfall of Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

What is more disheartening though is the Centre's refusal to pay the special grant. Instead, the Union finance ministry has asked the finance commission to reconsider the recommendation. This has prompted the state to take up the issue with the Centre.

"The decline in central taxes devolution comes at a time when the state is going through a tough financial situation. Steps are being taken to ensure Karnataka gets justice," said chief secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar.

Officials said besides corrective measures for 2020-21, the focus will be on ensuring a fair share in subsequent years. However, Karnataka has little chance of getting its dues as the Centre is known to be prudent when distributing tax proceeds among states.

"The Centre has certain views on devolution. We have done our duty by submitting the interim report. It's up to the states to convince the Centre," said Ravi Kota, joint secretary of 15th Finance Commission.

Under the new formula, the commission changed the weightage for some of the six criteria it considers - population, area, forest cover, income distance, demographic performance and tax effort.

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News Network
February 28,2020

Kozhikode, Feb 28: Nearly 200 Umrah pilgrims from Kerala were deboarded from their flights to Saudi Arabia from Calicut international Airport here on Thursday after the gulf nation enforced a temporary ban on foreigners seeking to visit the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, following coronavirus scare.

Saudi Arabia halted travel to the holiest sites in Islam over fears about a viral epidemic just months ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, a move that came as the Mideast has over 240 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.

According to Airports Authority of India officials, as many as 84 of passengers from the Saudi Airlines and 104 from the Spice Jet Airlines were denied permission to board the flights and travel to Saudi Arabia.

However, other passengers bound to Jeddah were permitted to fly, they said.

A private tour operator here said two batches of 40 pilgrims each were denied permission to travel to Makkah to perform Umrah on February 27.

Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage that can be performed at any time of year.

"The pilgrims were denied entry by the two airlines, Spice Jet scheduled at 05.30 hrs and Saudi Airlines at 1130 hrs," Naiful Akbar, a travel agent said.

The Airport Authority of India sources said, "the passengers were asked to alight by the Spice Jet airline staff following an instruction received by them."

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April 25,2020

New Delhi, Apr 25: Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Saturday said that a journalist from Bangalore Urban, who has tested positive for COVID-19, is one out of 15 new cases reported in the state.

He further said that out of the 15 new coronavirus cases, six each are from Bangalore Urban and Belagavi and one each from Mandya, Chikkaballapura and Dakshin Kannada. The state's tally is now 489.

"#COVID19 Update: From 5 pm, 24th April till 12 noon today. A total of 489 cases, 15 positives, 18 deaths & 183 discharges," Sudhakar tweeted.

India's total number of coronavirus positive cases has climbed to 24,506 including 18,668 active cases, 5,063 cured/discharged/migrated and 775 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today.

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