Cong-JD(S) won by distributing liquor and money: BSY over BJP’s bypoll debacle

Bengaluru, Feb 17: A combative ruling BJP is bracing to face the onslaught of the opposition Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in the year's first legislature session beginning on Monday.

"We are ready to counter the opposition parties on any issue they want to raise or discuss, keeping in view the spirit of fairness in a democratic set-up, as we have the numbers to provide a stable government," party's state unit spokesman G. Madhusudhana told news agency here.

Ahead of the 3-day session, the BJP's legislature party met here under the leadership of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to chalk out its strategy to address issues, move bills and present the state budget for fiscal 2020-21.

"We hope the Congress and JD-S members will allow Governor Vajubhai Vala to address the joint session of the legislature on Monday and not disrupt his speech or walkout of the House before he concludes to maintain the dignity of his office," Madhusudhana said after the BJP meeting at a private hotel over dinner.

The legislature will resume the month-long budget session on March 2 with a special discussion for two days on the Constitution, markings the 70th year of its adoption and enforcement.

About 100 legislators, including the three Deputy Chief Ministers, the newly sworn-in cabinet ministers, council members and party's state unit members participated in the 2-hour long meeting.

"Yediyurappa, who also holds the Finance portfolio, will present the state budget for fiscal 2020-21 on March 5, which will be the fifth time as the fourth Chief Minister in over a decade," the official said.

Both the Houses will deliberate on the budget proposals and pass it by March 31.

In the 225-member Assembly, including one nominated, the ruling BJP has 117, opposition Congress 68, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) 34, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one, Independents 2 and vacant 2.

Buoyed up by winning 12 of the 15 seats in the December 5 assembly by-elections, the party is confident of passing the finance and other bills, as it has the support of 119 members, including 2 Independents in the lower House.

"There is no threat to our government, which will complete the remaining 3-year term of the Assembly till May 2023. Yediyurappa has already won the majority test on July 29, 2019, three days after he took office for the fourth time," Madhusudhana said.

The Congress, however, asserted that it would raise the alleged misuse of police against the opposition members, anti-CAA protestors and minorities.

"We will question the morality of the government in making a tainted legislator like Anand Singh a forest minister when a dozen illegal mining cases are pending in the courts," a Congress official told news agency.

Bengaluru, Apr 16: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday inaugurated a mobile Covid-19 testing booth in Bengaluru.

These mobile booths will be used in all wards of Bengaluru to collect samples of those suspected to be infected.

According to information available on the website of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as of Thursday, 4:00 PM, 279 coronavirus cases have been reported from the state, with 80 cured/discharged/migrated and 12 deaths.

India's coronavirus tally is at 12,380 cases, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

Mangaluru, Jan 2: Seven achievers from various fields including Kannada writer and thinker Boluvaru Muhammad Kunhi have been chose for ‘Sandesha’ Awards for the year 2020.

Announcing this at a press meet in the presence of Sandesha director Fr Francis Assisi Almeida, writer Na D’Souza said that the award ceremony will be held on 9 February 2020 at 5:30 pm at the Sandesha Premises.

Bishop of Ballari Diocese and president of Sandesha Foundation, Dr Henry D’Souza will preside over. President of Karnataka Sahitya Academy Dr B V Vasanth Kumar will be the chief guest. Bishop of Mangaluru Diocese Dr Peter Paul Saldanha and Bishop of Udupi Diocese Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo will be the guests. MLA of Mangaluru South Constituency Vedvyas Kamath and Film Music Director Cajetan Dais will be the guests of honour”.

Awards and Awardees

1. Sandesha Literature Award (Kannada)- Mr. Boluvaru Muhammad Kunhi

He was born in 1951at Puttur. He has secured gold medal in Kannada Post Graduation from Mysore University. At present he is retired and settled at Bangalore after serving 40 years in Syndicate Bank as an officer.

He is the only Indian writer conferred with Central Sahitya Academy twice (2010 & 2016) for creative prose. He is also the first ever Kannada writer conferred with `BalaSahityaPuraskar’ by Central Sahitya Academy. His epic 1,110-page opus named "Swathranthada Ota" (in English: The run for independence) released on 18 March 2012 at RavindraKalakshetra, Bangalore by the world famous Sarod artist Pandit Rajiv Taranath.

He worked as Senate Member in Hampi Kannada University, Kannada Sahitya Academyand KannadaPustakaPradhikara. He also worked as State president for `Samudaya’ Cultural Organisation, as Convener to BandayaSahityaSangha, as Edirot to GIANT (Syndicate Bank's House Magazine) KRISHILOKA (Syndicate Bank's Magazine), as member to RDC (Syndicate Bank's Rural Development Institute), Self-Employment Training Institute (RUDSETI- Dharmastala). He was the President for Kannada BelesiBalaga and ChitraSamudaya (Film Division)

2. Sandesha Literature Award (Konkani): Mr. ValliVagga (Mr. Valerian D Souza)

He was born at Vagga of BantawalTaluk of Dakshina Kannada in the year 1947. His pen name is ‘ValliVagga’. He was an industrialist and at present he is retired and continuing is service in literature. In 55 years of his service in the field of Konkani literature, he has written some 150 short stories, 140 poems and 120 articles in different papers, magazines and websites. Out of these articles, some 40 articles have been translated and published in different papers.

He has published 8 books and his Konkani drama “KhandhiKuris” has already had 13 exhibitions. He has been honoured by Karnataka Konkani Academy, Konkani Kutam Bahrain and Daiji Dubai and also he has worked at various capacities in the field of Konkani Literature.

3. Sandesha Media Award: Mr. Shiv Kumar

Professionally he is an engineer and living in Bangalore. For the last 32 years he has been running a magazine called “Aparanji” as an editor. Already he has written 12 books and through his jokes, literature and science he has been decimating information to the general public.  For his literary work in jokes, he has been awarded with Karnataka Sahitya Academy award.

4. Sandesha Konkani Music Award: Mrs. Helen D’Cruz

Mrs.Helen Correa was born in Africa to late Flora and Alexander Correa. In Mumbai Helen was working for women’s magazine Eve’s weekly and had the opportunity to meet some of the best Bollywood actors and singers notable among them GeetaDutt and Hemant Kumar. She has also worked closely with late DivyaniChaubal, writer-columnist and well-known film critic.

She is one of the greatest legends of Konkani stage who stood her own along with Bollywood fame Hemanth Kumar and SangeethSamrat Henry D’Souza. She is known for immortal Konkani hits like ‘Ye..Ye..Katrina’, ‘ChondremUdevnAilo’, ‘GharasoDivo’, ‘SuryachiKirnam’, and many more. Helen’s music journey from Africa–Mangalore–Mumbai-Kuwait-Mumbai is quite astonishing.

Helen had created a sensation in the Konkani music world with her melodious and mellifluous voice in the early 60s and 70s thus giving a big fillip to Konkani music. She was the first reputed Konkani female singer in Mumbai. “SuryachinKirnan” of Jerome D Souza was her first song in radio in 1961 and with that Helen the singer had arrived on the scene. She sang many songs with Alphonso D Costa and also with Henry D Souza.

Helen has also cut an album with Henry D’ Souza with some memorable songs like “ChandremUdevn”, “Sezari”, “GharachoDivo” and of course “Katrina”. Though all the songs were quite melodious and hummable Katrina song hit the bull’s eye. Helen recalls that in during the general elections in Goa the Katrina song had gained lot of fame. Helen also reached the zenith of her popularity with some of the evergreen numbers like “DaryachaDaryachaLarani”, written by Henry, “KalzanthUllasBhorla, BhovtinVaren Valla.” “NaamvmujeLeena”, “Sanjecha Velar” (both tunes by Helen). Helen has also written lyrics of the song “TuMaka”. Apart from Alphonso, Henry and Hemant Kumar, Helen has sung with Jerome D Souza and Henry Moraes (in plays).

5. Sandesha Art Award: Dr. K. S. Pavithra

She is Psychiatrist by profession. Not only she is a good physician and researcher but also a good dancer (Artist). She has done her studies in Bharatnatyam and presently teaching several students. She is the director of Shri Vijay Kalanikethan ® at Shimoga. She has performed various dance programmes at the international level too.

As a dancer and also as a coordinator she has performed many programmes at the national and international level. She has received regional, national and international awards and also she is one among the 25 artists selected by India to participate for the International Festival.

6. Sandesha  Teacher Award: Mrs. Justin D Souza

For the past five decades, as a head of the Siddaganga Education Institution at Davanagere, Mrs. Justin D Souza has served in the field of education along with areas of culture, sports, science and art. She has given prominence to her students to build the leadership in the society by providing them proper channels and avenues.

She has set an example to others by creating environment friendly school and worked hard to recognize her school as a ‘school free from waste materials’. She has been working as a member of several associations of literature and published a book by name “SiddagangeyaSiri”.

She has bagged several awards namely “SevaDhurine”, “Shikshana Shri”, “ShikshanaSiri”, “ShramikaMahile” “Sharada” “Avva” “Kayaka Shri”, “VratthiChaitanyaRatna”, “ShikshanaShiromani” “VidhyadhareSarsvathi” and so on. She has been honoured with Kannada Rajyostva Award too.

7. Sandesha Special Recognition Award- Achievement: Mr. Vincent Prakash Carlo:

For the past 31 years, he has been in the field of Body building and power lifting and he has represented India at International level and brought honour to the nation. He has been a great inspiration to the youth and others to get motivated to keep a healthy body by getting trained themselves under his effective training.

He is from Mangalore. He is a Body Builder and Power lifter. He has participated in 11 international competitions and bagged 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 bronze. He has participated in 24 National Level and 28 state level Competitions and bagged 28 Gold, 17 silver and 7 bronze medals.

He has been honoured twice with “Strong Man of India” and twice as “Strong man of South India”