Will unhappy Congress leaders of Uttara Kannada help hardliner Anant Kumar Hegde?

coastaldigest.com web desk
April 22, 2019

Karwar, Apr 22: The decision of several local Congress stalwarts in BJP bastion Uttara Kannada to refrain from campaigning for Janata Dal (Secular) candidate in the constituency has given rise to speculations among people.

In spite of the lack of developmental works in the constituency, political pundits believe that the continued Modi wave and local Congress leaders’ reluctance to back JDS candidate Anand Asnotikar may ultimately help the five-time BJP MP and union minister Anant Kumar Hegde.

Over the last three decades, the constituency had witnessed a straight fight between the Congress and the Janata Dal. Many Congress leaders believe that if JD(S) wins the seat, it may harm the future of Congress in the region.

Anant Kumar Hegde, who is known for his provocative remarks, won the seat for the first time in 1996 elections. He was re-elected in 1998, but lost to Margaret Alva in 1999. Hegde wrested the seat from the Congress in 2004. He retained the seat in 2009 and in 2014. Hegde edged out Prashant Deshpande of Congress in the last election.

This time around, the grand old party is not in the picture. As per the seat-sharing agreement, the Congress has ceded its once-bastion to its alliance partner the JD(S). Senior Congress leaders from the district R V Deshpande and Margaret Alva were not amused with the party leadership to concede the constituency to the JD(S).

“Margaret Alva and I wanted Uttara Kannada seat for Congress as the party has a solid base here. But the party leadership ceded the seat to the JD(S). Disappointed, but we have to obey the decision. Congress leaders and workers in the district are working for the victory of Anand,” said Revenue Minister R V Deshpande.

But the Congress leaders, including former MLA Satish Sail, did not show any interest in campaigning for Asnotikar.

Deshpande and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy attended road shows and election rallies in the last few days of public campaigning, seeking votes for coalition candidate Asnotikar.

Anand Asnotikar comes from a political family. He made a successful debut in the electoral politics in 2009 Assembly elections from Karwar on Congress ticket. He lost the next two Assembly elections - on BJP ticket (2013) and as a JD(S) candidate in 2018. He is banking on the poor report card of incumbent MP.

On the other hand 51-year-old Hegde has strong links with the RSS which helped him in securing a berth in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers couple of years ago.

Cases of rioting, unlawful assembly and promoting enmity among groups were lodged against him in 1993 for being a part of the mob during riots in the communally-sensitive coastal town of Bhatkal. In 1994, he dodged prohibitory orders in Hubballi and reached the disputed Idgah Maidan with two others to the hoist the national flag on August 15. In last few years he faced several cases for physically assaulting people on different occasions and delivering provocative speeches.

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News Network
July 16,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 16: Amid difficulties being faced by COVID-19 patients in getting beds, the Karnataka government on Wednesday made bed allocation display board mandatory in all hospitals registered under Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME).

"It is made mandatory that all hospitals registered under KPME in Karnataka State should display at the reception counter, a bed allocation display board," a notification issued by the state government read.

"It should display the name of the hospital, the total number of beds (as per of KPME registration) and the total number of beds allocated for COVID-19 patients referred by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)," it said.

The notification further stressed that the data must corroborate with the data of the central bed allocation system of BBMP. The display board should be arranged by July 16.

Non-compliance to the order issued by the state government will attract punishment under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act 2005 and Indian Penal Code, the order read.

The state government on June 23 issued a notification making it mandatory to reserve 50 per cent of the beds in private hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients referred by public health authorities.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 9: Some BJP workers created a ruckus on Wednesday at a college here while seeking support for the amended Citizenship Act by raising slogans like 'Go back to Pakistan' outside the campus on Wednesday, as girl students opposed a pro-CAA banner on the wall of their institution.

A video of the incident went viral on social media.

A group of BJP workers, supporters of local party leader M M Govindaraj, had put up a poster "India Supports CAA" on the wall of Jyothi Nivas College near Koramangala.

This was opposed by girl students, who said they would not allow any such poster to be put up on the college property.

The BJP workers then tried to shout down the students.

"You are not concerned about citizenship, you are concerned about yourself. You should be concerned about India first. You are not an Indian then," a BJP worker is heard screaming at the girls in the video.

They also questioned the students if they had valid reasons to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act and sought to know whether they wanted an argument or a debate.

The BJP workers purportedly told the girls that they were only the students of the college and not the owner.

"What's your problem madam with the CAA? Are you the owner of the college?" they asked.

Amid the heated argument, the BJP workers resorted to sloganeering like 'We want CAA' and "Go back to Pakistan', as seen in another video shot by the students.

BTM Layout Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy visited the college on Thursday after learning about the incident and spoke to its management.

Later, he told reporters that the campus should not be allowed for any political activities.

"Any signature campaign whether in favor or against it (CAA) should be done outside the campus," Reddy said.

He cautioned the pro-CAA protesters he will not let any violent incidents like the one at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi happen at the city college.

Reddy's daughter Sowmya Reddy, who is the Jayanagar MLA, tweeted, "A few videos & photos of outside #JyotiNivascollege are being circulated on social media."

"MLA Ramalinga Reddy & I have spoken to cops and the Prinicipal about this incident. Spoke to DCP South East Bengaluru and she said that Koramangala cops went there immediately & they are picketing even now," she added.

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News Network
April 8,2020

Davanagere, Apr 8: BJP MLA from Honnali constituency, MP Renukacharya, said that the government should not ignore those who attended Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi and are escaping detection, and it is not wrong if the person is shot.

"Anyone who attended Tablighi meet, is not coming out for medical checkups and is escaping detection. The government should not ignore them. Even if he is shot, it is not wrong. Otherwise, the virus will spread throughout the entire country. In China it started with one person," Renukacharya said on Tuesday.

"We are suffering because someone is not coming for check-up. I request them to come voluntarily to the doctors and District Magistrates. Not all minorities are terrorists and not all of them are anti-nationals," he added.

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction for the government to impose a complete ban on all activities of the Tablighi Jamaat with immediate effect.

Over 1,000 coronavirus cases in India are linked to Tablighi Jamaat gathering. Hundreds of people who are related to Tablighi Jamaat have been quarantined.

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