Siddaramaiah hands over gifted watch to Assembly Speaker

March 2, 2016

Bengaluru, Mar 2: Mired in a controversy over a luxury watch gifted to him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today handed it over to the Speaker amid uproar in the state Assembly, declaring it a state asset.

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As the Assembly was rocked by the controversy for the second consecutive day, an angry Siddaramaiah gave the watch and a letter to Speaker Kagodu Thimappa as BJP and JDS members continued to stage a dharna in the well of the House.

Siddaramaiah's dramatic gesture came when the House reassembled after two adjournments with BJP and JDS persisting with their demand for a discussion on the issue.

The Chief Minister said in the letter to the Speaker, who read it out, that he had paid "advance tax" for the watch.

"I, being the Chief Minister of Karnataka, by following the precedents set by my predecessors in Office, declare that the gifted watch HUBLOT BIG BANG.301-M as government asset...," Siddaramaiah said.

He requested the Speaker to forward the watch to the Chief Secretary to place it in the Cabinet Hall at Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat, today.

"I, being a law abiding citizen, have paid the tax on the said gifted watch as advance tax on this day of 2nd March 2016," the letter said.

He said the pre-owned "HUBLOT BIG BANG-301-M" wrist watch was presented to him by his Dubai-based NRI friend Dr Girish Chandra Varma in July last at Bengaluru as a personal gift.

Siddaramiah also said Varma has no official dealings with Government of Karnataka or its organisations.

Opposition BJP leader Jagadish Shettar dismissed Siddaramaiah's action as "high drama" and said he was doing so thinking that the controversy would end.

A high-level probe by a central agency should be conducted, he said.

The Chief Minister is in the eye of a storm over the diamond-studded watch.

As controversy erupted, he declared last week that the watch, claimed to be worth Rs 70 lakh, would be declared as state asset and handed over to the government.

As the Assembly met for the day, BJP members entered the well of the House and demanded that a discussion on the issue be allowed and Speaker should reconsider his decision on not allowing an adjournment motion on the issue.

However, Thimmappa, who yesterday rejected BJP's appeal to allow adjournment motion, stuck to his decision.

Following this, BJP continued its protest, stating that affidavit, documents and receipt relating to the watch had to be made public by Verma, who is said to have gifted it.

As both opposition and treasury benches were involved in war of words, the House was adjourned by the Speaker who called the floor leaders for a meeting.

When the House reassembled, opposition members again entered the well and demanded a discussion.

Amidst sloganeering and protest by opposition, the Speaker even allowed introduction and passage of Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pension and Allowances (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, aimed at making provision to provide family pension to family members of the member deceased before December 26, 1978 operative from February 22, 2014.

As the protest continued, the Speaker once gain adjourned the House till afternoon.

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Comments

Rikaz
 - 
Thursday, 3 Mar 2016

He should have kept it with him....who cares....why the hell kumarswami cares...if you go and dig KS home...you will find crores of corrupt money in his home....

suleman
 - 
Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016

If that is the Genuine Hublot Bigbang, I bet that is worth Rs. 30 Lakhs.
Any way for Reddy brothers and Kumaraswamy that is peanut.

Rikaz
 - 
Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016

Why did he give it to State...it was a gift for him...strange...opposition do do not have any other issue to screw him....common guy its a watch...why on the hell you guys stopping proceedings...wasting tax payers money...

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News Network
February 21,2020

Chikkamgaluru, Feb 21: Wazi Noronha, aka, Vojald, the father of Amulya Leona Noronha, who lives in Koppa taluk of Chickmagalur district has said that he was shocked by his daughter’s pro-Pakistan slogans.

“Let her rot in jail. I don’t mind if police break her bones, I don’t support what she said and I will not approach lawyers for her bail. She has committed a grave mistake,” he said.

Amulya, a 19-year-old student activist, was booked for sedition yesterday after she raised ‘Long Live Pakistan’ slogans at a CAA-NRC rally. A visibly embarrassed Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM chief and MP tried to snatch the mic away from her and slammed her. Karnataka Police have registered a case under IPC Section 124A (Offence of sedition) against Amulya.

Mr. Wazi, who owns a two-acre areca plantation and runs a poultry farm, said he would not make any attempts to get her bail. “Let the law take its course. I cannot approve of her statement,” he said.

He said he had cautioned his daughter against getting involved in protests. “I told her to complete studies first and later she could fight for poor people. But what she said yesterday is not acceptable. I don’t know what made her so. I hope a probe would bring out who prompted her to make such statements,” he said.

Mr. Wazi also admitted that he was associated with BJP and had worked for saffronite leaders like Shobha Karandlaje and D N Jeevaraj.

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News Network
April 5,2020

Mangaluru, Apr 5: As the number of Covid 19 cases continue to spike across Karnataka, there are patients who are recovering from this deadly virus as well. The first case of Covid 19 detected in Mangaluru has fully recovered and all set to return home.

The first case of corona infection was reported on March 22 in Dakshina Kannada district. 

A 22-year-old youth hailing from Bhatkal had landed at Mangaluru International Airport on March 19. 

As he was suffering from mild fever and cold, he was quarantined in Mangaluru. He had come from Dubai.

His throat swabs were sent for testing on the same day and on March 22 he was tested positive for coronavirus. 

He has undergone 14-day long treatment at the Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru. 

On April 2 and 3, his throat swabs were sent for testing again. Both times he was tested negative for coronavirus. He is expected to be discharged on April 6.

So far a dozen coronavirus positive cases have been confirmed in Dakshina Kannada. With the recovery of one patient, there are 11 active cases in the district.

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News Network
March 25,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 25: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that strict action will be taken against overpricing and hoarding of essential items during lockdown period in the state.
Speaking to media persons here, he said: "Today 14 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported taking the total number of cases to 105 (excluding four discharged) in the state."
"Out of this, six are from Kasaragod district, two from Kozhikode, eight have returned from Dubai, one each from Qatar and UK; and three have got infected from a mutual contact. One health worker is also suspected to be on the list," he said.
A total of 72,460 people are under observation in the state out of which 71,994 are in isolation in their homes and 466 in hospitals. Today 164 people were hospitalised. 4,516 samples were sent for testing out of which 3,331 have tested negative.
Chief Minister Vijayan said that people should take the lockdown seriously and strictly adhere to government instructions.
"All personal vehicles should strictly be off the road. Taxis and autos can only be used for emergency purposes. People using personal vehicles should give self-declaration giving details about the purpose of the journey. Police action will be taken against those giving false information or found misusing personal vehicles," he said.
The Chief Minister today interacted with the MLAs from Kasargod through audio conferencing and asked them to co-ordinate the activities there along with the Panchayat president.
"Special attention should be given to the elderly, homeless, specially-abled in the state and local self-government institutions should take effort to arrange food and shelter for the needy. Apart from medicines, those in isolation would also be given counselling if required," he said.
He also urged the youth to come forward in volunteering during this difficult time. They can volunteer as bystanders in hospitals and help in other places too.
The Chief Minister also informed that the testing facilities at Central Universities in Kerala, IISER in Trivandrum and MIMS, Kozhikode can be used.
"All MLAs are working in their respective constituencies and they should make the effort to identify places that can be used as regional isolation centres, as and when required," said Vijayan.

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