NRIs should get provision to vote online: Jayaprakash Hegde

[email protected] (Shodhan Prasad)
April 23, 2012

Hegde_1Dubai, April 23: Newly elected Udupi-Chikmagalur MP K Jayaprakash Hegde, during his short visit to Dubai, urged NRIs to initiate a campaign for their rights to vote through the internet.

“It is apparent that every NRI cannot be expected to travel to his hometown just to caste his or her vote. I think in such a scenario, exercising franchise through secured technology via the internet would be the best alternative,” Mr Hegde said.

He was speaking at a programme organised by Praveen Shetty of Fortune Group of Hotels to felicitate him at Lotus Boutique Hotel on behalf of over 50 organizations from all over United Arab Emirates. He visited Dubai to participate in 'Chammana' programme organised by Bearys Forum on Friday April 20.

He promised to put in his best efforts to pursue the issue with the government and provide impetus to this campaign till the NRIs get the right to vote from their places of work.

'Expectations Galore, Constraint of Time'

“As I got elected through bypoll, I have only two years of term as MP. At least the last six months of every MP's term needs to be wholly dedicated towards preparing for the next election. In the remaining 18 months available to me, I will do everything within my command to address the problems of the people in my region. I am aware that the electorate has high expectations from me, and I will not let them down,” said Mr Hegde.

He further said, “I am under constant pressure from my own party workers who want me to attend victory celebrations and thanksgiving meetings, but I have politely declined this demand, duly asking them to go ahead and celebrate in my absence. If I begin to yield to these requests, the remaining term of my office will not be sufficient. I have begun visiting remote and far-flung areas of my constituency. In spite of time constraints, I could not turn down the invitation extended to me from my well-wishers in Dubai, as a large number of people from my constituency live here”, he said.


Praveen Shetty draped a shawl around the visiting dignitary. Sudhir Shetty and Shekhar Shetty handed over a citation to him, while Raj Shetty presented a memento. Before this, Ganesh Rai read out the citation.

Hegde recounted that he had begun his political carrier by joining Janata Dal in 1985. With the support of his people, he said he won the election for the first time and became a minister in 1994. “After the Janata Dal was divided, I kept my distance from political parties, and started to fight election as an independent candidate. The people also elected me twice as an independent candidate,” he recalled.

He said that he had to choose to join Congress party, after areas within his home constituency got trifurcated between different constituencies. “I continue to work for the people, and try to address their problems. I serve them not to win elections, but because of an inner urge to serve people,” he said.

Hegde regretted about casteism prevalent in the political system and elections in India. He urged the people here to convey a strong message back home to keep caste away from politics. “It is okay to use the name of one's caste in wedding and family functions, but in elections, caste, creed, religion etc should never be a factor,” he felt.

“NRIs are also an integral part of India. They also should get voting rights. Polling through postal ballots or embassy may not yield cent percent result. Voting online appears to be the best option, and a number of nations are already following this system,” Hegde added.

Mangalore Airport and Air India Express

UAE Exchange COO, Sudhir Shetty, who was also present at the programme, informed the audience that he had met Mangalore Airport director, and had learnt from him that DGCA officials have cleared all the formalities for giving international status to Mangalore Airport.

“Now it is only a matter of time before a formal announcement is made by the central government. Only after this announcement is made, will other airlines be able to fly to Mangalore,” he explained.

He was giving this information in reply to a question posed to Hegde about granting international status to Mangalore Airport.

Sudhir Shetty also expressed his concern to the MP about the poor service provided by Air India Express, particularly relating to delays in scheduled flights and high fare during peak seasons.

Sarvotham Shetty, who compered the programme, urged Hegde to streamline Air India Express's functioning, duly complaining that the airline does not seem to have any policies about fixing of air fare. “This airline makes a three-fold increase in air fare during June-July and December. How can it be called a budget airline?” he questioned.

Hegde promised to look into this issue immediately after returning to India.

Lotus Boutique Inauguration

Earlier in the day, Jayaprakash Hegde inaugurated 'Lotus Boutique' Hotel, run under Fortune Group headed by Praveen Shetty. The inaugural was conducted by lighting the lamp and cutting the ribbon.

Hegde, who wished every success to the group of hotels, also recalled about his association with Praveen Shetty in the past, and how Shetty had helped him to win his first election in 1994 with his active campaigning. He also hailed Shetty for his services to the people of Kundapur region back home.

BCF president, Dr B K Yusuf, Ramee Group chairman, Raj Shetty, Praveen Shetty and his wife, Jayaprakash Hedge's wife, Shobha Shetty, were present on the dais during the felicitation programme.

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News Network
April 15,2020

New Delhi, Apr 15:  Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said that both Maharashtra and Karnataka are in a bit of trouble due to spike in COVID-19 cases.

"Bihar is not in so much trouble right now, but definitely, Maharashtra is in a bit of trouble, particularly Mumbai and as well as Karnataka," said Vardhan in a video conference meeting while speaking about surge in COVID-19 tally in the country.

"But I was happy to see the confidence of 3 secretaries more particularly when Maharashtra Secretary said with confidence 'we will take care of it'," he said.

According to the ministry, Maharashtra is the worst-affected state with 2,687 cases of which 259 patients have recovered/discharged while 178 patients have lost their lives due to the virus.

Karnataka has confirmed 277 positive COVID-19 cases, including 75 cured and discharged and 11 deaths.

India's tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 11,933, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

Out of the total tally, 10197 cases are active while 1344 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated and 392 people have succumbed to the virus.

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Ram Puniyani
January 9,2020

‘Go to Pakistan’ has probably been most often used phrase used against Muslims in India. Recently in yet another such incident the SP of Meerut, UP has been in the news and a video is circulating where he, Akhilesh Narayan Singh, is allegedly using the jibe ‘Go to Pakistan’. In the video he is seen shouting at protestors at Lisari Gate area in Meerut, “The ones (protestors) wearing those black or yellow armbands, tell them to go to Pakistan”. His seniors stood by him calling it ‘natural reaction to shouting of pro Pakistan slogans. Many BJP leaders like Uma Bhararti also defended the officer. Breaking ranks with fellow politicians, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi of BJP, criticised the said officer and asked for suitable action against him. Interestingly this is same Naqvi, who earlier when the beef related arguments were going on; had stated that those who want to eat beef can go to Pakistan.

Interestingly this is probably the first time that any BJP leader has opposed the use of this jibe against the Indian Muslims. True to the dominance of trolls who support divisive politics, Naqvi has been trolled on the issue. As such vibe ‘Go to Pakistan’ has been a strong tool in the hands of aggressive elements to demonise Muslims in general and to humiliate those with Muslim names. One recalls that when due to the rising intolerance in the society many eminent writers, film makers were returning their awards, Aamir Khan said that his wife Kiran Rao is worried about their son. Immediately BJP worthies like Giriraj Singh pounced on him that he can go to Pakistan.

The strategy of BJP combine has been on one hand to use this ‘go to Pakistan’ to humiliate Muslims on the other from last few years another Pakistan dimension has been added. Those who are critical of the policies of BJP-RSS have on one hand been called as anti National and on the other it is being said that ‘they are speaking the language of Pakistan’.

Use of Pakistan to label the Muslims and dissidents here in India has been a very shrewd tool in the hands of communal forces. One remembers that the ‘cricket nationalism’ was also the one to use it. In case of India-Pakistan cricket match, the national hysteria, which it created, was also aiming at Indian Muslims. What was propagated was that Indian Muslims cheer for Pakistan victory and they root for Pakistan. There was an unfortunate grain of truth in this as a section of disgruntled, alienated Muslim did that. That was not the total picture, as most Indian Muslims were cheering for Indian victory. Many a Muslim cricketers contributed massively to Indian cricket victories. The cricket legends like Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Irfan Pathan, and Mohammad Azaruddin are just the few among the long list of those who brought glories for India in the field of cricket.

Even in matters of defence there are legions of Muslims who contributed to Indian efforts in the war against Pakistan all through. Abdul Hamid’s role in 1965 India Pak war and the role of Muslim soldiers in Kargil war will be part of Indian military history. There have been generals in army who contributed in many ways for the role which military has been playing in service of the nation. General Zamiruddin Shah, when asked to handle Gujarat carnage, does recount how despite the lack of support from local administration for some time, eventually the military was able to quell the violence in some ways.

During freedom movement Muslims were as much part of the struggle against British rule as any other community. While the perception has been created that Muslims were demanding Pakistan, the truth is somewhere else. It was only the elite section of Muslims who supported the politics of Muslim League and later the same Muslim League could mobilize some other section and unleash the violence like ‘Direct Action’ in Kolkata, which in a way precipitated the actual process of partition, which was the goal of British and aim of Muslim League apart from this being the outcome of ‘Two Nation theory’.

Not much is popularized about the role of great number of Muslims who were part of National movement, who steadfastly opposed the idea and politics which led to the sad partition of the subcontinent. Few excellent accounts of the role of Muslims in freedom movement like Syed Nasir Ahmad, Ubaidur Rahman, Satish Ganjoo and Shamsul Islam are few of these not too well know books which give the outline of the great Muslim freedom fighters like Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Ansari Brothers, Ashfaqulla Khan.

Immediately after partition tragedy the communal propaganda did the overdrive to blame the whole partition process on Muslim separatism, this totally undermined the fact that how poor Muslims had taken out massive marches to oppose the Lahore Resolution of separate Pakistan moved by Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The whole Muslim community started being seen as the homogenous, ‘The other’ and other misconceptions started against the community, the one’s relating them to atrocities of Muslim kings started being made as the part of popular folklore, leading the Hate against them. This Hate in turn laid the foundation of violence and eventual ghettoisation of this community.

The interactive-syncretism prevalent in India well presented by Gandhi-Nehru was pushed to the margins as those believing in pluralism did not actively engage with the issue. The economic marginalization of this community, coupled with the increasing insecurity in turn led to some of them to identify with Pakistan, and this small section was again presented as the representative of the whole Muslim community.

Today the battle of perception is heavily tilted against the Muslim community. It is a bit of a surprise as Naqvi is differing from his other fellow colleagues to say that the action should be taken against the erring police officer. The hope is that all round efforts are stepped up to combat the perception constructed against this religious minority in India. 

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Prakash SS
 - 
Thursday, 9 Jan 2020

it is very much understandable if Pakistan is bad country our PM Namo would never visited without any invitation, that time Pakistan was good he prised their Mutton biriyani and Karak chai in pakistan. we feel something is wrong with our PM and his chelas. 

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News Network
January 21,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 21: Operations at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) are normal, a day after security agencies detonated a bomb recovered from the airport in a controlled explosion, an official said on Tuesday.

"All operations are normal at Mangluru International Airport. Everything is normal," told the airport director V.V. Rao to IANS.

Rao said even on Monday, there was no interruption to the airport operations, except for that one recalled IndiGo flight to Bengaluru.

"As the explosive was isolated and taken away from the airport, there was no disturbance to flights, except one Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight which suffered a few hours delay and took off later," said Rao.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened at the airport.

Mangluru north assistant commissioner of police Belliappa told media that the police are still on the hunt for the culprits who planted the bomb at the airport.

"We are trying to trace the culprits, we got the footage of the suspects," said Belliappa, highlighting that the police are yet to find the name, age and other details of the suspects.

At Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), the number of police personnel has been increased in a bid to tighten the security and 24 hour searching of vehicles is underway.

"We have set up two check posts on the way to the airport and randomly checking vehicles," told Devanahalli assistant commissioner of police Subramanya to media.

All Karnataka airports, including Hubballi and Belagavi, are on high alert.

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