State govt employees demand hike in salaries

Bengaluru, Jan 8: The Karnataka high court on Tuesday directed the government to submit steps taken in respect of the order of Lokyukta in relation to the Kethaganahalli landgrab case involving former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, his relatives and former minister DC Thammanna.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka gave the direction on a PIL filed by Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), an NGO. The petitioner said despite an order from the Lokayukta on August 5, 2014, to take action within 15 days, no action has been initiated till date in respect of encroachment of a huge tract of land in Kethaganahalli along Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.

SPS says the land was purchased in 1979 contrary to norms of Karnataka Land Revenue Act. It claims Kumaraswamy and others paid only Rs 5,000 per acre, although the prevailing market rate was Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that the resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly is against the "unconstitutional Act passed by the Centre".

"The resolution passed by Kerala Assembly is against the unconstitutional Act passed by the Centre. It has been noticed by the whole country," Vijayan said.

The Kerala Assembly had on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Before the resolution was passed against the Act, Vijayan in a special Assembly session targeted RSS and said that citizenship law is part of an agenda.

"The CAA is part of an agenda. Muslims are being considered as internal enemies by RSS, who is controlling the ruling dispensation at the Centre," he alleged.

The new law grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday while talking about women safety, the Chief Minister said, "Those women, who are traveling face many problems, particularly regarding accommodation. To address this, government will start accommodation facilities in all towns. This project will be implemented with the help of local bodies."

Reacting to the development in the Kerala Assembly, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that Assembly has insulted the Constitution and parliament by passing a resolution seeking withdrawal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

"The Constitution has delineated clearly the roles of parliament and state legislatures. When people who have taken an oath of the constitution, destroy it, it is a most irresponsible act. Both the houses of parliament have passed CAA and if a state assembly tries to hijack the Act it is an insult not only of the constitution but the parliament as well," Naqvi told news agency.

Marriages will have to shed decadence as the state government, in an advisory, has restricted the number of guests to 50 and barred consumption of liquor at such events. 

The advisory was issued in anticipation that the COVID-19 lockdown will be eased in a phased manner. 

The advisory, issued by the Department of Health & Family Welfare, states that events can be held in a “suitable public place with good natural ventilation (no air condition).”

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All guests must have the Arogya Setu app on their phones and the contact details all marriage attendees should be maintained. 

No person from a containment zone will be allowed to attend the event, and persons aged above 65 years, pregnant women and children below 10 years are not permitted. 

Sanitizers are to be provided at the entry and at “appropriate” places. Thermal screening is a must at the entry point of the venue. The scanner should be held 3-15 cm away from a person’s forehead. “Anyone found having a fever (37.5 degree centigrade or 99.5 farenheit), cold, cough, difficulty in breathing shall not be permitted to attend the event and immediately referred to seek medical advice,” the advisory said. 

Besides prohibition on consumption of alcohol, the advisory said paan, gutka and tobacco will not be allowed. 

Face masks are compulsory and all persons should maintain a physical distance of more than one metre. The venue shall be clean and hygienic, with a prohibition on spitting in public places.

A nodal person should be identified to oversee the arrangements, the advisory said.