BJP falsely projected me as anti-Hindu and mislead voters in 2018: Siddaramaiah

News Network
April 24, 2023

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Bengaluru, Apr 24: Congress veteran and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said "false propaganda" that he was anti-Hindu took centrestage during the 2018 Assembly elections and denied he was against the majority faith as projected by the BJP.

In an interview, the excerpts of which were released on Monday, he further said there was nothing wrong in state Congress President DK Shivakumar also aspiring for the chief minister's post in the event of the party winning the May 10 Assembly polls, as "healthy competition" was fine.

"See, if there is healthy competition there is nothing wrong. If DK Shivakumar wants to become CM and he is an aspirant there is nothing wrong. If I become an aspirant for the CM post there is nothing wrong. Ultimately newly elected MLAs will decide and the high command will take a decision," on the top post, he said.

Asserting that the people of Karnataka want to show the door to the ruling BJP, Siddaramaiah said the saffron organisation cannot "mislead" the voters like it did five years ago.

"In 2013, there was a clear mandate from the people for the Congress party. We had done good work during our tenure between 2013 and 2018 (when he was CM). The false propaganda had taken upper hand because they made allegations against me that I am against majority communites, against upper class and like that and that I am against Hindutva/Hindu dharma."

"Like that they have projected but it is not true. This time, the people will not believe their propaganda because they know there is no truth in their allegation. That is why, this time they (BJP) are not talking much about Hindutva/Hindu Rasthra or Hindu dharma because with money power they wanted to win this time. But it is not possible," he added. He claimed the BJP was able to swing the mandate in its favour in the 2018 polls through false propaganda.

To a question, he said "caste is not an important factor in the elections."

"Issues are important. Now the issues are corruption, price rise, unemployment...like that there are so many issues. People of Karnataka will not consider caste," he insisted.

Asked if the May 10 election will be a battle between himself and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he replied in the negative.

"It is not a fight between myself and Modi and that issue will not be discussed in the coming assembly election. The issues will be the local issues concerning the people of Karnataka and it is an election to the state legistature, not the Parliament. Therefore the people of Karnataka will discuss local issues," he said.

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News Network
April 9,2025

Mangaluru: A routine midnight tea run turned into a horrifying tragedy when a motorcycle carrying three young men — in clear violation of traffic rules — slammed into an open divider on National Highway 66 at SKS Junction in the early hours of April 8. Two of them lost their lives, while the third is recovering from injuries.

The victims have been identified as Sankeerth, who was riding the motorcycle (KL-58-Q-6381), and Dhanurved C, the first pillion rider. Sibi Sam, the second pillion rider, was injured but survived the crash.

According to the FIR registered at the Traffic East Police Station (Crime No. 48/2025), the friends had set out from Lohith Nagar around 2:30 am, heading towards Pumpwell for tea. While Rohan Joby and Meghnath rode separately on a different bike (KL-13-AH-2388), Sankeerth was accompanied by two pillion riders — a clear case of triple riding, which is both illegal and dangerous.

As they sped along NH-66, Sankeerth reportedly lost control near SKS Junction and collided with the edge of an open road divider at approximately 2:50 am. The impact threw all three men onto the highway with violent force.

Sankeerth and Dhanurved suffered critical head and facial injuries and died while being rushed to the hospital. Sibi Sam is undergoing treatment for his injuries.

The FIR invokes Sections 281, 125(a), 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and 128(a) read with 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which include provisions related to rash driving and traffic violations.

The police have launched a full investigation. The accident has reignited public concern about reckless driving, triple riding, and the hazards posed by poorly maintained road dividers, especially during low-visibility hours.

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coastaldigest.com news network
April 8,2025

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Mangaluru: Meet Deepashree S, the state topper in the Commerce stream of the PU 2 exams, scoring an astonishing 599 out of 600. A student of Canara PU College, Deepashree had an inkling of success but admits the first rank was beyond her wildest dreams.

“All our doubts were cleared in the classroom itself,” she said, praising her lecturers. “Their concept-based teaching helped me understand everything thoroughly. I also made it a habit to revise daily.”

Planning her future early, Deepashree is already taking CA coaching and is all set to appear for the CA Foundation exam in May. Her next step? An integrated BCom with CA.

Daughter of Ashok S and Suma P, Deepashree is also a Carnatic classical singer, and attributes her sharp concentration to her love for music.

“Hard work matters, but yes, luck plays a part too,” she added with a wise smile — proving that success is a fine mix of talent, effort, and grace.

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coastaldigest.com news network
April 8,2025

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Shivamogga: From the serene town of Thirthahalli, Deeksha R, a bright student of Vagdevi Pre-University College, has made her mark on the state stage by sharing the first rank in the Science stream of the PU 2 examinations. She scored an outstanding 599 out of 600, tying with Amoolya Kamath of Mangaluru.

Deeksha is the daughter of Raghavendra Kalkura and Usha V, both committed educators. Her father, a teacher at the Government High School in Megaravalli, said with joy, “We were expecting around 595 marks. But 599 was a surprise and a moment of pure happiness. Deeksha didn’t study daily in a strict routine, but she was focused and had a well-planned approach. During her study holidays, I helped her prioritise subjects based on need.”

Deeksha's academic brilliance isn’t new — she had earlier scored 98.6% in Grade 10 (ICSE) at Sahyadri School, Bettamakki. Her PU college teachers recognised her potential early and provided strong support throughout.

Looking ahead, Deeksha has big ambitions — she plans to pursue a career in Artificial Intelligence engineering. She has already appeared for the JEE exams and is preparing for the CET next week. “We’re hopeful she’ll secure a seat in a top engineering college,” her father added.

College Principal Mamata expressed immense pride: “Deeksha never attended any tuition outside of college. Her discipline and commitment were remarkable. It’s a proud moment for our college and our town.”

By sharing the top rank in the state, Deeksha has not only brought glory to her hometown but also become a symbol of how talent, discipline, and the right guidance can create a truly stellar success story.

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