Bengaluru: 6 killed as 3-storey building collapses after gas cylinder blast

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.

Bengaluru, May 22: Karnataka Congress delegation met Chief Election Commissioner, Dr B Basavaraju in Bengaluru, urging him to guide Karnataka Government to conduct local body elections and not to allow State government to nominate their party men to the local bodies.

The delegation was led by Congress leader Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar.

"They (State government) wants to postpone the election, they have a lot of other provisions. We are demanding to protect the law, the government doesn't have the power to interfere in the system. We will not allow the state government to nominate their party men.

The CM and his entire team is responsible for this, they are killing the democracy and Panchayati Raj system of the State," said Shivakumar while speaking to the reporters.

The local body elections were scheduled to take place in the month of March or April, which were postponed in view of the COVID-19 crisis.

However, the date for conducting the local body elections has not been decided yet.

Bengaluru, Apr 29: Indian women have always been the epitome of beauty, strength, and intelligence. Today, the success of Indian women across various walks of life has proven that they have earned this reputation.

One such dedicated social worker is Dr Sunitha Manjunath, the Founder of 'Sumanaa Foundation' of Sanjay Nagar in Bengaluru.

Sumanaa Foundation, based out of Sanjay Nagar in Bengaluru has been on the forefront to support people in distress due to COVID-19. 

The foundation under the leadership of its founder Dr Sunitha Manjunath procured a total of 20000 kgs of farm-fresh produce in four phases from farmers who are unable to sell it due to the COVID Lockdown and have distributed it across 6000 families across Bengaluru city.

"We have procured these vegetables after identifying farmers who are unable to sell their produce due to the challenges of lockdown.

This initiative not only supports the farmers by helping them get the right price for their produce, but also gives us an opportunity to get vegetables at a reasonable price by escaping all middlemen and commissions. We have identified 6000 poor families mainly around Bengaluru city who have not been able to earn their daily wages and given them coupons.

The foundation members identify genuine cases and give them coupons which can be redeemed in exchange of an essential vegetables kit," said Dr Sunitha Manjunath, the founder of Sumanaa Foundation.

These vegetables have been procured from Chikkaballapura, Doddaballapura, and surrounding villages and included vegetables like onions, tomatoes, capsicum, green chillies, beans, carrots, brinjal, potatoes, beetroots etc. These farmers got a fair price for their produce and were overjoyed to know that their harvest is being distributed free of cost to needy and deserving families.

Sumanaa Foundation has been actively supporting the city administration in fighting COVID-19 pandemic. In the recent weeks the foundation has distributed sanitisers and masks to BBMP Pourakarmikas.

The foundation also cooked food for over 400 people each day. This food was handed over to the city administration, which further distributed this to the police department and other staff working across government departments during these testing times.

Dr Sunitha, an engineer by qualification, had enjoyed a high-flying corporate career with BOSCH. She was offered a global role, which she turned down to setup her NGO, 'Sumanaa Foundation' and to serve the needy in and around her locality. Over the past seven years, the NGO with 70 members has done a wide range of activities to support the poor and needy in Bengaluru.

The core team of Sumanaa Foundation works under the leadership of its president Dr Sunitha Manjunath and includes young and energetic individuals like Manjunath K, Prakash K, Vidya Prakash, Sindu Gowda, Byregowda, Nishita Arjun, Arjun Varadaraj and Manoj Kumar
'Meal of Humanity' is a notable initiative of Dr Sunitha Manjunath and her team. Under this program, over 300 poor people are served mid-day meals every day. 

This is currently a self-sustained program with no external funding. Dr Sunitha Manjunath, her family members, and friends contribute their hard-earned money to bring smiles to hundreds of migrant workers and daily wage laborers.

'Wall of Humanity' is another unique concept implemented by Sumanaa Foundation. People can leave used or unnecessary daily use products like clothes, toys, groceries, etc at a designated area. This can be picked by anyone in need of these items. This self-helping model has touched the lives of hundreds of people in and around the area of Sanjay Nagar.

Regular blood donation camps, eye checkups, scholarship for students, tailoring machine distribution, environmental initiatives, Swacch Bharath programs, wall painting across the roadside are just a few among the hundreds of activities undertaken by Sumanaa Foundation regularly under the leadership of Dr Sunitha Manjunath and her team of friends.

"A life without an aim is worthless and so is a death without achievement. The aim of my life is to touch the lives of the hundreds of people who are not as privileged as you and me. I'd like to thank my husband Manjunath, my In-Laws and my friends from Sumanaa Foundation who work tirelessly alongside me across all our initiatives," said an elated Dr Sunitha Manjuanth on receiving the 'ET Power Icons' award for Excellence in Social Service and Public Initiatives.

Dr Sunitha Manjunath has also been awarded the prestigious 'Kempegowda Award' and many more such awards for her contribution to the society.