Ready for international probe too: HDK on CBI inquiry into phone tapping

Agencies

August 18, 2019

Bengaluru, Aug 18: With Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announcing a CBI probe into the alleged phone tapping case during the previous JD(S)-Congress coalition government, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday said he was ready for a probe by even an international agency.

The Congress, however, seemed to be a divided house.

"Let them do any inquiry, whether it is a CBI inquiry or any other agency of international standard, or let them talk to Trump (US President Donald Trump), and get it inquired through some one from his side," Kumaraswamy, who has already denied the allegations, told reporters here.

While Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah has welcomed the CBI probe hoping the BJP does not use the central investigating agency for "political vendetta," the Congress party on its official Twitter handle has said telephone tapping "was a lies" and a conspiracy for hate politics.

Kumaraswamy, who is also the JD(S) leader, hit out at the electronic media for its coverage on the issue, saying no one can do anything to him.

"I have been observing the conduct of electronic media, their intention and attempts are to keep Kumaraswamy away from people in the state politics. They will not be successful in it," he said.

Stating that he was not aware as to why his name was linked to the phone tapping case, Kumaraswamy stressed, "If I was involved I would have panicked, I'm open... There is not even an iota... to point fingers at me."

Yediyurappa's announcement comes amid signs that the case is gaining political steam ever since disqualified JD(S) MLA A H Vishwanath, who served as the JD(S) state president and turned rebel later, last week dropped the political bomb, accusing the Kumaraswamy government of tapping phones and spying on more than 300 leaders, including him.

Several BJP leaders, including former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, have directly accused Kumaraswamy of being behind the episode to save his government which was then rocked by dissidence within.

The coalition government ultimately collapsed last month with the chief minister losing the trust vote in the assembly.

Yediyurappa on Sunday said he will order a CBI probe into the allegations citing demands by several Congress leaders.

Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, M Mallikarjuna Kharge and home minister in the previous alliance government M B Patil, have sought a probe. Another key party leader and former minister D K Shivakumar has rejected the snooping charges and appeared to side with Kumaraswamy.

"I welcome the decision of @BSYBJP to hand over the phone tapping case to CBI. But, in the past, @BJP4India has used CBI as its puppet to unleash its venomous political vendetta. Hope @BJP4Karnataka leaders does not have similar intentions this time," Siddaramaiah tweeted on Sunday following announcement of probe by the chief minister.

Asserting that allegations of 'Operation Kamala' being done in Karnataka is as serious as allegations of phone tapping, he, in another tweet, said, "I urge @BSYBJP to order CBI investigation into alleged Operation Kamala also. I heard they acted on my advice in phone tapping case & I hope they act on this issue as well."

According to reports, phones of those close to Siddaramaiah, who was the then coalition coordination committee chief, had come under the watch of the government.

However, the state Congress in a tweet termed phone tapping as "lies" and a conspiracy for hate politics.

Alleging that Yediyurappa was behaving like an "underground criminal" after becoming the chief minister in an "immoral" way by "Operation Kamala" through the backdoor, the party in a tweet said, "In Modi administration CBI was working as a frontal unit of the BJP. Phone tapping was a lies and a conspiracy for hate politics."

Hitting out at the Congress, senior BJP leader R Ashoka expressed surprise over differences in opinion on phone tapping probe within the grand old party.

Pointing out that several Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, had demanded a probe, he said, "Before handing over for probe they demanded for inquiry, now they are blaming the chief minister, it is not right."

"Without even knowing who was behind the tapping, they are blaming us of vendetta politics. None of us know who is behind it, it should come out through probe," Ashoka added.

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Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa advertises Tier two and three cities

News Network

January 24,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 24: On the last day of his four-day trip to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum, chief minister BS Yediyurappa urged the global business community to invest in cities other than Bengaluru in the state.

On Thursday, while extending an invitation to entrepreneurs to participate in the Global Investors Meet in November in Bengaluru, Yediyurappa highlighted the “conducive investment climate” in the state vis-a-vis others by pointing to its 7% growth rate which is much higher than the national average of below 5%.

He also pointed to the state’s rich history and the fact that it is home to a number of desi MNCs such as Infosys, Biocon Wipro and Dynamatics. “At the same time, the state has one of the lowest unemployment rates compared to the national average,” Yediyurappa said.

In his address to heads of businesses, industries minister Jagadish Shettar also urged investors to consider Tier 2 and 3 cities for investment. “Land banks have been created in Tier 2 and 3 cities and regional connectivity has improved. Let us strive to place Karnataka on a highgrowth path,” Shettar said.

Lending a “helping hand”, Union minister Piyush Goyal, in his address, appealed to the community to invest in Karnataka, which “has a robust and congenial industrial atmosphere”, but also urged them to spread “tentacles” to all parts of the country.

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Karnataka govt gives nod to teach Shankarachaya's slokhas in schools

News Network

January 19,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 19: The Karnataka government has given its nod to teach 'Vivekadeepini' slokhas, authored by Adi Shankaracharya, in schools across the state, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Saturday.

At an event called 'Vivekadeepini Mahasamarpane,' organised by Vedanta Bharati, Yediyurappa said, "It has been noticed that Vivekadeepini, which evolves the mind and illumines a person, has a great effect on students.

Parents and teachers have found a positive change among children who were inspired by Vivekadeepini." "Hence, the government has given its nod to allow teaching Vivekadeepini in the schools in Karnataka," he added.

According to the organisers of the event, around two lakh children from 50 schools participated in the event where they were taught to chant Vivekadeepini, comprising verses for the seekers in the spiritual journey.

Yediyurappa reminded the audience that the Indian culture and civilisation is the oldest and the best, which they should feel proud of. Likening Amit Shah to the first union home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he said, "After Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel if we have seen a union home minister, it is Amit Shah, who has successfully resolved many burning issues of the countries within a few months.

"Shah succeeded in finding a permanent solution to Kashmir issue," Yediyurappa said.

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Team Be Human statiates the hunger of Mangaluru's civic workers amidst lockdown

Coastaldigest.com news network

April 19,2020

Mangaluru, May 19: Team Be Human, a city based group of philanthropists, has taken commendable initiative to satiate the hunger of the civic workers of Mangaluru City Corporation that are endangering their lives to keep the city clean amidst covid-19 lockdown.

On Friday, April 18, gorcesary kits were distributed among around 180 civic workers at Eidgah Maidan in Light House Hill in the presence of Corporator Abdul Raoof Bajal, Mansoor Ahmed Azad, Aina group Ashraf, Ceco Asif, Advocate Abdul Shukoor, U B Saleem, Sahil Zaheer, Rash Beary, Munna Kammaradi and Abdul Muttalib.

The Team swung into action on hearing the civic workers' plight due to the delay in payment of their wages by the Antony Waste Management firm. The Team was helped by the alumni of the St Aloysius College, Mangaluru (batch 1989).

This is not the first time the Team Be Human distributing kits among the needy. Amidst lockdown it has already distributed around 1200 grocery kits among the poor people including the daily wage workers, migrant labourers in Dakshina Kannada district with help of Ahnaf Deals, Altaf, Shameem, Basha, Pradeep, Vincent, Shiyaz Deals, Nawaz and Haneef.

In its next step the Team Be Human is planning to distribute the kits among civic workers in Urva and Suratkal region, said Asif Deals, founder president of Team Be Human. He called upon the youth and students to come forward to help the needy and poor people who are deprived of basic facilities.