‘I am growing old,’ says Ambareesh, announces his retirement from electoral politics

Karnataka's Urban Development Minister, BS Suresha (Byrathi), has initiated a detailed investigation into ₹5,527 crore worth of projects executed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship Smart Cities Mission in six cities of the state.

The minister expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of work in Belagavi, Davangere, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru, Shivamogga, and Tumakuru. To ensure accountability, Suresha announced the formation of a committee comprising experts from universities and the Indian Institute of Science. The committee will assess the projects and submit its findings within three months.

Bengaluru, however, is excluded from the probe as it falls under the jurisdiction of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Launched in 2015, the Smart Cities Mission aims to enhance urban infrastructure across 100 cities in India, funded jointly by the central and state governments. Karnataka has spent ₹6,405 crore under this mission, including ₹877.72 crore in Bengaluru.

"Most of the funds have been allocated to roads, drainage, and park maintenance," Suresha lamented in a statement. "The focus should have been on creating permanent infrastructure such as smart schools, hospitals, libraries, and bus stands."

Suresha pointed out that, on average, each Smart City in Karnataka received ₹990 crore, with spending patterns revealing 36% on roads, 8% on energy, 2% on education, 2% on healthcare, and 5% on sports. He criticized this distribution, emphasizing that projects under the mission should have developed long-lasting government assets instead of temporary solutions like roads and drains.

With the mission slated to conclude in March 2025, Suresha urged the remaining funds to be directed towards constructing world-class smart schools. "This will enable children from economically weaker sections to access quality education," he said.

The minister also revealed that he had received multiple complaints from elected representatives about substandard work, particularly in Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Shivamogga. The probe, he assured, will prioritize transparency and accountability.

Bengaluru: Police Inspector of Khanapur station has been suspended for dereliction of duty by allegedly letting in political leaders and others inside the station while BJP MLC C T Ravi was in custody in connection with a case registered against him, officials said on Wednesday.

The suspension order was issued by the office of Inspector General of Police, North Zone, Belagavi on December 21, they said.

On December 19, Ravi was arrested by the police from the premises of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi for allegedly using a derogatory word against Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in the legislative council hall.

According to the official order, when C T Ravi was taken to Khanapura police station for safety reasons, Police Inspector Manjunath Nayak, who was in-charge of the station, was told to use the staff and assign suitable duties to them.

It was also ordered to block the entry of any person other than the accused inside the police station. However, many political leaders and mediapersons stormed inside the police station. This created a noisy atmosphere inside the station, it stated.

The order further stated that as a responsible police inspector grade officer, Nayak failed to prevent several political leaders from entering Khanapur Police station, thus creating a tumultuous atmosphere.

He violated the order of superiors, showed negligence and carelessness while performing duty. Therefore, a departmental inquiry was initiated and Nayak was suspended from service with immediate effect for dereliction of duty, the order stated.

According to a police statement issued on Wednesday, after registration of case under section 75 (sexual harassment) and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in Hirebagewadi police station here, Ravi was taken into custody and handed over to the investigating officers.

However, Ravi was shifted to Khanapura police station considering the security aspect and the huge crowd gathered near Hirebagewadi police station.

"A large number of mediapersons, supporters and party workers gathered and created a chaotic atmosphere in Khanapura police station. There was also the possibility of additional supporters and Congress workers arriving. All these factors also had the potential to disrupt public order," the police stated.

Keeping in mind Ravi's safety, he was shifted to Ramadurga, it said.

BJP MLA Vedavyas Kamath and several BJP leaders were arrested in Mangaluru during a protest organized by the Dakshina Kannada BJP Yuva Morcha near Mini Vidhana Soudha. 

The protest targeted the Congress-led Siddaramaiah government, accusing it of fostering an environment of harassment and distress, which the BJP claims has led to multiple suicides among contractors and government officials.

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Addressing the gathering before his arrest, Kamath criticized the Congress government, alleging that neither contractors nor honest officials have found peace since it assumed power. He remarked, "Suicide seems to be the only 'guarantee' under this administration."

Kamath cited the suicide of contractor Sachin, allegedly driven to death by harassment from individuals linked to Minister Priyank Kharge.

Other cases highlighted included the suicides of Chandrashekar, superintendent of the Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation, and Rudresh, who was allegedly harassed by an aide of Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar.

Kamath also referred to a Dalit inspector, Parashuram, who reportedly succumbed to alleged torture connected to Congress MLA Channareddy Patil’s son.

He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar of remaining silent due to political fears over their positions.

Prominent BJP leaders such as Ramesh Kandetthu, Premananda Shetty, Vikas Puttur, Nandan Mallya, Monappa Bhandary, Pooja Pai, Deputy Mayor Bhanumathi, and Sanjay Prabhu participated in the protest alongside party workers and municipal council members.

The protest escalated, resulting in the arrest of Kamath and other BJP leaders by the police, marking a dramatic standoff between BJP and Congress.