RSS rebellion in Goa; over 400 resign after state chief's sacking

Bengaluru, Jun 24: Three weeks after the BMTC resumed running air-conditioned buses in the state capital, the state-owned Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced plying AC buses to eight cities to begin with, including to Mangaluru and Mysuru, from Thursday.

From tomorrow travellers can travel to Mysuru, Mangaluru, Kundapura, Madikeri, Chikkamagaluru, Davanagere, Shivamogga and Virajpet in AC buses, KSRTC said in a statement released here.

Listing out the measures taken to check the spread of Covid-19, the Corporation said that the temperature inside the buses will be maintained at 24 to 25 degrees Celsius and no blankets will be provided in the night service buses.

Bengaluru, May 5: After Congress delegation was denied to donate a cheque of Rs one crore to ensure free transportation to migrants, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar said that Congress party can go anywhere and help anyone they want and BJP leaders must understand what constitutional rights are.

Earlier on Monday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister who holds the transport portfolio, Lakshman Savadi suggested the Congress delegation for donating at least Rs 150 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund instead of handing over a cheque of Rs one crore as a donation in order to bear the transportation fare of the migrants.

While reacting to Deputy CM and other BJP leaders' comments, Shivakumar said, "BJP leaders must understand what constitutional rights are. Who are these BJP leaders? They are now entering to help migrant workers after RSS guidelines. They must understand that we are a party and we can go anywhere and help anyone we want."

Congress leaders on Monday met Savadi to handover a cheque of Rs one crore in order to donate money for the migrant workers' transportation.

However, Savadi did not accept the cheque and suggested the Congress delegation to donate a bigger amount to the CM Relief Fund.

While addressing media after meeting the Congress leaders' delegation in the leadership of KPCC president, DK Shivakumar, Savadi said: "Congress has a history and its a wealthy party, still if Congress leaders want to donate, at least they must donate Rs 150 crores to the CM relief fund to fight COVID-19."

DK Shivakumar yesterday slammed the government and urged to depute free transport services to migrant workers, he asserted that Congress will donate money in this regard.

But the Managing Director of KSRTC denied to accept the cheque of Rs one crore and suggested the Congress delegation to meet transport minister or Chief Minister and donate to CM relief funds. Hence, today congress leaders met deputy CM Lakshman Savadi and tried to handover Rs one crore cheque which he did not accept.

After Congress leaders slammed the government and people criticised the decision of collecting bus fares, CM BS Yediyurappa ordered for free transport service to migrant workers.

Kanpur, Jan 1: In a seemingly bizarre development, the IIT in Kanpur has set up a panel to decide whether the poem "Hum dekhenge lazim hai ki hum bhi dekhenge", penned by Faiz Ahmad Faiz, is anti-Hindu.

The panel has been set up in response to complaints filed by a faculty member who claimed that the students, during a protest, sang this poem which was anti-Hindu.

The poem reads thus -- "Lazim hai ke hum bhi dekhenge. Jab arz-e-Khuda ke kaabe se. Sab bhut uthwaye jayenge, Hum ahl-e-safa mardood-e-harm. Masnad pe bithaye jayenge. Sab taaj uchale jaenge. Sab takht giraye jayenge. Bas naam rahega Allah ka. Hum dekhenge."

It was the last line that has turned into a bone of contention. Translated into English, it means, 'When thrones will vanish, only Allah's name will remain' -- implying the misleading translation by the professor.

The poem had been written by Faiz in reference to military dictator Zia-ul-Haq in 1979 and was against the military rule in Pakistan. Faiz had left leanings and was an atheist. He was known for his revolutionary writings that kept him in jail for several years.

It may be recalled that the IIT-Kanpur students had taken out a peaceful march on the campus on December 17 in support of the students of Jamia Millia Islamia and during the march, the students sang the Faiz poem.

According to IIT Deputy director Manindra Agarwal: "In the video, the students are seen reciting the Faiz poem which can also be perceived as being anti-Hindu.

The IIT faculty member, in his complaint, has alleged that the students made anti-India and communal statements during their demonstration in solidarity with the Jamia students.

The complaint was based on two lines of the poem, which have obviously been misinterpreted -- "When all idols will be removed, only Allah's name will remain."

The faculty member has stated that "organisers and masterminds must be identified and expelled immediately."

Fifteen other students have also signed the complaint filed by the professor against the protesting students.

Meanwhile, IIT students have said that the faculty member who lodged the complaint has been banned on a social networking site for posting communal content.

In an article published on the IIT-Kanpur student media portal, the students clarified what exactly happened on the day of protest and how their chant was given a 'communal and misleading' turn. They stated that they had recited a few lines of the Faiz poem in reference to the police crackdown on the Jamia students.