Watch row: Cong high command not happy with CM's explanation

February 28, 2016

New Delhi: Feb 28: Although Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave his version of the row over the “gift” of a luxury watch sported by him, the Congress high command is not fully satisfied that he will be able to weather the political storm generated by the episode.

watchWith new angles being added to the row by the Opposition leaders, the high command was mulling ways to contain the damage to the Congress' prospects in the remaining two years of its rule in the State.

Party sources said the high command was not happy over such rows coming to light when Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhhi had himself led a strong campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “suit-boot” government. It was pointed out to the chief minister that if the controversy was not contained immediately, it could tell upon

Congress' campaign against the BJP in several states and at the Centre, on corruption.

The Congress high command is also unhappy that the State government's popularity was not showing an upward trend as reflected in the Zilla and Taluk panchayats polls.

Though the chief minister, during his meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday, defended the watch issue saying it was gifted by his friend, it was learnt that the high command wanted him to act further to prevent recurrence of such controversies.

Karnataka Congress president G Parameshwara, who had met Rahul Gandhi a couple of days before the chief minister's Delhi visit, is understood to have conveyed that the watch controversy was one of the main reasons for the party's average performance in the recently held elections.

Despite the chief minister claiming that he had delivered a good administration in the past three years, many state leaders had told the high command that the latest controversy had only sullied the State government's image.

A section of party leaders who are upset with the chief minister, are of the view that, as part of damage-controlling measures, “urgent corrective steps” are reuqired to be taken. But the party high command is not clear as yet as to what steps should be taken, sources said.

Not Cong culture'

Senior party leader B K Hari Prasad on Friday also criticised the chief minister over the watch row and said wearing luxury watches is not Congress culture. Attacking Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for poor performance in the recently held Assembly by-poll and zilla and taluk panchayats polls, the party national general secretary also said it was a strategic blunder committed by the chief minister.

Criticising the chief minister's style of functioning, Hari Prasad said, “The chief minister has not adapted to Congress culture. He should not ignore old Congress leaders.”

Comments

Mani
 - 
Sunday, 28 Feb 2016

Congress is not happy because ...Siddu is different than the rest . as he delivered Good governance ...

Congress will be happy if Babies killed in Muzaffarnagar...is happy if Muslim called anti national....is happy when Afzal guru hanged ...is happy when introducing UAPA which is almost used against Muslims

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News Network
June 23,2020

Bengaluru, June 23: A frustrated chartered accountant has committed suicide after killing his wife and mother-in-law in two different cities of India.

The murder-murder-suicide came amid acrimonious divorce proceedings that might have also involved a property dispute, police said.

Amit flew to Bengaluru last weekend to kill his estranged wife at her Whitefield residence before returning to Kolkata, where he shot dead his mother-in-law and then killed himself at an upscale residential complex in North Kolkata on Monday evening.

Amit and his wife Shilpi Agarwal, who is also a CA, had been living separately since last the two years after their marriage turned sour.

Amit took his 10-year-old son from Bengaluru with him on Monday and dropped him at his uncle’s house before heading to his in-laws’ place Phoolbagan, police said.

Neighbours told cops they heard arguments “appeared to be” over some property documents that Amit wanted his in-laws — 70-year-old Subhas and 62-year-old Lalita Dhandhania — to sign.

The first gunshot was heard a little before 6.30pm, following which Subhas ran out of his flat, bolted the door from outside and took refuge inside his next-door neighbour’s apartment. Police arrived a few minutes later to find Amit and his mother-in-law dead. Police found a suicide note from the flat.

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coastaldigest.com news network
March 23,2020

Mangaluru/Udupi, Mar 23: The coastal district of Dakshina Kannada including the city of Mangaluru today refused to return to normalcy from yesterday’s Janata Curfew, as the government imposed lockdown in the district till the month end to contain the Covid-19 caused by the deadly novel coronavirus.

The lockdown coupled with the prohibitory orders under Section 144 has forced all the commercial establishments barring few to remain closed in the district.

The police started issuing stern warning to the people through loudspeakers against venturing out of their homes unnecessarily. People are allowed to move only in case of any emergency or basic needs.

The police warning came after a few people started ignoring the lockdown and ban orders. A few private buses also were seen plying on the roads in the morning.

Under the proibitory orders, the district administration banned from venturing out of their homes except in case of emergency or extreme necessity. All public programmes including religious ceremonies, cultural programmes also are banned. All shops, commercial establishments, workshops and godowns with other unessential goods are supposed to remain closed. Bus service, both government and private, are to suspended. Mass prayers and religious ceremonies are not allowed in temples, mosques and churches. Beaches and other tourist spots are closed.

Udupi

The lockdown in 9 districts of Karnataka has forced many private buses in Udupi to stay off the roads for second day on Monday. Some buses plying between Udupi to Kundapur have resumed service a day after Janata Curfew, with very minimum occupancy.

Due to lockdown in Dakshina Kannada, all services operating from Mangaluru to Udupi, Manipal, and Kundapur have been suspended till the month end. Buses on Karkala-Udupi route have also stopped their operations.

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coastaldigest.com web desk
June 17,2020

Remember social media memes of Chinese companies exporting #BoycottChina hats and t-shirts to India? This time India’s sensational and saffronite TV anchor Arnab Goswami vindicated those memes by hosting an anti-China debate show which was sponsored by Chinese companies!

While the last night's debate was all about boycotting Chinese products in the wake of massacre of over 20 Indian soldiers by their Chinese counterparts in eastern Ladakh, the show was brazenly promoting Chinese products through advertisement placements. 

During the debate, amongst the flashy headlines, there were two brand sponsorships that appeared: VIVO and Xiaomi. Both companies are giant Chinese multinational corporations. 

Twitter user Nirmala Tai, who was among those who spotted this irony, highlighted two instances during the debate where the logo of one of the brands popped up, and one where Xiaomi was found promoting the Mi 10. 

Many Twitterati used Goswami’s some of the favourite words such as ‘hypocrite’ and ‘anti-national’ to target him. They hit out at his channel for accepting sponsorship deals from Chinese brands at a time when anti-China sentiment is strong in the country.

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