No govt money being used for river poojas, says M B Patil

June 3, 2017

Bengaluru, Jun 3: Water Resources Minister M B Patil said the expenses for the pooja that he performed at the birth place of River Krishna on Friday, was borne by him and his friend.MBPatil

There were reports that the government would spend Rs 10 lakh to conduct Parjanya Homa at Bhagamandala, near the birth place of River Cauvery in Kodagu on Sunday, to invoke the blessings of the Rain God.

On Friday, Patil and his wife visited Mahabaleshwar, 130 km from Pune, where River Krishna takes birth and offered special pooja. Around 8 to 10 officials of his department too are said to have accompanied the minister.

Patil, in a media statement, said, “The criticism has hurt me. My friend and I will bear the expenses of the poojas at both places. Not a single rupee of the government would be spent.” However, he did not mention the friend's name or the cost. Sources in the government said the travel expenses of officers to Pune was borne by the government.

Patil said both Rivers Krishna and Cauvery are the lifelines of six crore people of Karnataka. The rivers are considered “mothers”, he said. “Conducting rituals is part of our tradition, culture and dharma. The Cauvery Neeravari Nigam had made a provision for spending Rs 10 lakh for the poojas. But the intention has been misunderstood. Hence, the government's money would not be used.”

The minister said the rituals would be conducted at Bhagamandala on Sunday. Elected representatives and Sri Niramalanandanatha Swamiji would be present, he added.

Shettar chides CM

Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar on Friday chided the chief minister over government organising 'Parjanya Homa' praying for rain.

“The irrigation corporation is spending Rs 20 lakh on the homa. We have no objection if Water Resources Minister M B Patil conducts the ritual at his own expense. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who wants to bring an anti-superstition law, should stop the homa, if he has courage,” Shettar told reporters in Hubballi. He said that the state had been reeling under drought for the past four years. All the tanks in Vijayapura (home district of Patil) have dried up. Instead of addressing water scarcity, it is shameful that the minister is planning to conduct a homa, Shettar added.

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News Network
February 22,2020

Kalaburagi, Feb 22: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Waris Pathan was booked for his alleged remark against the Hindu community in his speech during an anti-CAA rally held here recently, police sources said on Saturday.

According to police sources, the FIR was registered against the AIMIM leader, following a complaint lodged by a woman advocate on Friday evening.

Taking strongly about the incident, the Karnataka Home minister Basavaraj Bommai had directed the Kalaburagi city police commissioner to submit a report on the incident.

It may be recalled that the AIMIM leader, in his speech at a rally held in the city on February 15 had said that if all the 15 crore minority populations in the country stand united they could take on 100 crore Hindu population.

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News Network
July 9,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 9: Bringing to the fore the dangers frontline workers face in combating the deadly coronavirus, 395 policemen have tested positive for the infection since the outbreak of the pandemic in Bengaluru. This includes five deaths, Inspector General of Police and Additional Commissioner of Police (Administration) Hemant Nimbalkar told media persons.

He said as of Thursday, 190 have been cured while 200 are under treatment. Twenty police stations have been sealed, he added.

He claimed the Bengaluru police has suffered the most compared to any department, organisation or institution because the force is deployed in the field and dealing with the situation.

The infection among police is highest despite training being given to them on how to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

According to him, every morning duty charter is given to the police personnel where they are told how to avoid getting the infection and handle the situation if they find symptoms of coronavirus.

"Despite taking all the precautions, infection in our department is high because we are the ones who are on the road.

We are meeting hundreds of people whom we don't know, whether they are Covid infected or not," Nimbalkar said.

Along with the policemen, their families too are at risk of contracting the virus.

An assistant sub-inspector at VV Puram police station was the first casualty in the Bengaluru police on June 13.

A heart patient, who was on leave due to ill health, he collapsed at home and died.

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News Network
June 23,2020

Bengaluru, June 23: Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar has urged his party colleagues to be active on social media to counter the propaganda of Bharatiya Janata Party.

Speaking to media persons, the KPCC president said that no more than 20 out of the 68 Congress MLAs are active on social media.

“All those MLAs who are doing well need to be projected. We want leaders, not mere followers. They all should be the face of Congress in Karnataka. Party should not depend on just my face or Siddaramaiah’s,” he said.

Shivakumar’s diktat has resulted in the party’s social media unit scrambling to get leaders to create their accounts.

“We’re pressuring all the party MLAs and leaders. We’re asking their personal assistants or gunmen to operate their accounts if they are not savvy with social media,” KPCC social media chief A N Nataraj Gowda said.

He pointed out that the 20 MLAs who are active on social media include U T Khader, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Priyank Kharge, Krishna Byre Gowda among others.

“We’re also trying to get the accounts verified of those who are beginning to get active. For example, it was only recently that we got the accounts of S R Patil and Vijay Singh verified,” Gowda said.

Tapping the full potential of social media is crucial for the Congress because the BJP has found much success in reaching out to voters through various online platforms.

In fact, ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections, the Congress found that there were 10 ministers and some 40 MLAs who had turned a blind eye towards social media.

Shivakumar said he was also working on putting in place a system in the party under which all developments related to the state and country will be communicated to all party leaders at 10 am every day.

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