Mangaluru: CFI holds protest rally against violation of students' rights

Mangaluru, Feb 16: Leaving spectators awestruck, Karnataka's Srinivasa Gowda ran 142.5 meters in 13.62 seconds at traditional buffalo race Kambala, following which people started comparing him to former Jamaican Sprinter Usain Bolt.

Gowda, who is from Mudbidri town, accomplished the feat during a Kambala race in a paddy field in Kadri on February 1.

"People are comparing me to Usain Bolt. He is a world champion, I am only running in a slushy paddy field," said Srinivasa Gowda.

People took to social media and drew a parallel between him and Bolt. Twitterati hailed Gowda and his accomplishment on the muddy grounds.

Kambala is an annual buffalo race held in the southwestern state of Karnataka.

Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

"I'll call Karnataka's Srinivasa Gowda for trials by top SAI Coaches. There's lack of knowledge in masses about the standards of Olympics especially in athletics where ultimate human strength & endurance are surpassed. I'll ensure that no talents in India is left out untested," Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted on Saturday.

Bengaluru, Jan 3: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday clarified that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him to consider all the demands made by his government.

"Prime Minister spoke to me personally and assured me of all help and suggested that I visit New Delhi and meet the concerned Ministers and apprise them about the state's problems and pending projects. He also directed me to prepare a detail report on this matter," Yediyurappa said in a statement.

He claimed that a section of media has misinterpreted his speech which was plain and honest towards the development of the state.

"A section of media has attached motive to my speech which was plain and honest in its content. Being in federal set up, there is nothing wrong with placing the facts before the Prime Minister and making submissions," the Chief Minister said.

"As a Chief Minister, I placed our state's problems and need for more funds for developmental activities. I pleaded before the Prime Minister for more funds to the relief work, the scientific and remunerative price for the farm produces, and special fund of Rs 50,000 crore for speeding up of on-going irrigation work. As it was farmers' meet, I felt it worthy and timely to plead the Prime Minister for more funds for all the developmental activities in the state," he said.

Asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great visionary and his concern for the poor and farmers is unquestionable, he said: "When the whole world is appreciating his statesmanship and visionary zeal, it is in very bad taste for the media to attribute motives to my speech and relate it to the Prime Minister."

Yediyurappa requested media to show support to his government in the interest of the development of the state.

"I humbly request the electronic and print media not to misinterpret but support the government in the interest of the development of the state and interests of the people. I hope the media will respond to my request," he said.

Bengaluru, Jan 25: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Friday, hit out at JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, accusing the former Chief Minister of pursuing "vote bank" politics and advised him to move to Pakistan.

"It is better to move to Pakistan...if he shows so much love towards Pakistan, why should he live in India? He should not do dual politics like this. He wants to be fair to Pakistan and also to India," Sriramulu said.

Terming it as "double standards", the Minister said: "From so many years, you have been doing vote bank politics. You have to understand one thing...you are the son of former Prime Minister and also a former Chief Minister. By giving these type of statements, I think it will hurt the citizens of India. If you want to do vote bank politics I must suggest that it is better to leave the country."

His statement comes after Kumaraswamy took a jibe at BJP over its "obsession with Pakistan".