Modi govt directly responsible for Bengaluru violence: Hindu Mahasabha

Bengaluru, Feb 8: The Department of Religious Endowments in Karnataka will undertake 'Ratha Yatras' in 110 major temples of the state, in order to inform the public about mass marriages, scheduled to be held on April 26.

The publicity campaign through Rath Yatra will be flagged off from Mookambika temple in Kollur of Udupi district from February 13.

The mass marriage programme 'Saptapadi,' would be held in 100 major temples of Muzrai department. The second phase would be held on May 24, Minister for Ports, Fisheries and Muzrai Kota Srinivas Poojary told newspersons here on Friday.

Lucknow, Feb 4: Even as anti-NRC protests continue to rage across the country, the Lucknow University has queered the pitch by demanding citizenship proof from RTI applicants.

The Lucknow University (LU) refused to provide the information sought by the people who filed the Right to Information (RTI) unless they furnished the proof that they were Indian citizens.

Alok Chantia, one of the RTI applicants who was refused information by the varsity, said that he had lodged a complaint with the vice-chancellor of the varsity but even then he could not get the desired information.

"It is shocking how the university has twisted the RTI law as per its whims and fancy. It does not have any authority to do so," said the RTI applicant.

Chantia, also a faculty member at a degree college here, had sought details of appointment of teachers for self-financed courses and their pay scale.

"It is possible that some applicants who may not be familiar with the provisions of the RTI, may have furnished proof of their citizenship to the varsity to get the information but that cannot become a rule," he pointed out.

When contacted, university officials admitted that such a practice had been going on in the varsity for the past few years.

"This practice started during the tenure of the former vice-chancellor S.P. Singh and still continues," said a senior varsity official.

Mangaluru, Jan 9: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner has lodged a complaint with the Police alleging that his signature was forged in a holiday circular for schools and colleges in the district during National General Strike called by Trade Unions.

It may be recalled that the district administration had declared a holiday for all educational institutions on December 20 and 21 in the backdrop of the December 19 violence.

A few miscreants had forged this order and circulated it on social media stating that a holiday had been declared for schools and colleges in the district on January 8.