‘Why should I not become CM? Dalits must stay united’: Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara

News Network
June 13, 2023

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Bengaluru, June 13: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said several Dalit leaders, now and in the past, including him, were deprived of opportunities despite "having all the ability to become the chief minister", and called on the community to stay united. He also spoke about him not being given credit for Congress's victory in the 2013 Assembly polls, despite the "party coming to power under his presidency", and pointed out that it is not the case now.

"The inferiority complex amongst us (Dalits) has to go -- that's the reason I openly say I will become chief minister. Why should I not? K H Muniyappa (Dalit leader and Minister) should also become, why should he not? What is the shortcoming in the ability of Muniyappa or Parameshwara or Mahadevappa (minister) or (among veteran past leaders like) Basavalingappa or N Rachaiah or Ranganath?" Parameshwara said.

Addressing an event here, he said, "opportunities were deprived." He then called on Dalits to raise their voice for their rights and use their vote in a right way, and reminded them of the importance of the Constitution. Parameshwara had openly expressed his chief ministerial ambitions in the past, and on Congress choosing Siddaramaiah for the coveted post after the poll results last month, he had cautioned the party's central leadership that if a deputy chief minister post is not given to a Dalit, there would be adverse reactions and it would spell trouble for the party.

The 71-year-old Dalit leader was deputy chief minister during Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy. He was also the longest-serving Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief (eight years). He had lost the 2013 Assembly polls from Koratagere, when he was KPCC president. He was a contender for the chief minister's post then, but as he was defeated, he was made an MLC and a minister in the Siddaramaiah government (2013-2018).

Noting that Congress came to power in 2013 after a gap of nine years, Parameshwara said he was then the Pradesh Congress Committee President and it was under his leadership that the party came to power, but no one gave him the credit. "No one spoke about it. I too did not speak about it. Contrary to that, today people give and leaders claim credit for the party coming to power (in 2023) under their leadership," he said, without taking Siddaramaiah or D K Shivakumar's names. Parameshwara also claimed that Congress lost the 2018 polls for neglecting certain communities. He did not name any community, but he seemed to indicate the Dalit community.

The 2018 Assembly poll defeat taught Congress a lesson, as to what would be the result of neglecting the communities that stood by it, he said, adding that's the reason in 2023 polls some leaders got together and came up with a strategy to get back the support of communities that were neglected by the party. Recalling that the party leadership gave him the responsibility of celebrating Ambedkar Jayanti, while K H Muniyappa was given the responsibility of observing Babu Jagjivan Ram's birthday celebrations, ahead of the Assembly polls, Parameshwara said both of them discussed and decided not to accept it, as it was a continuation of the "divide and rule" against Dalit community.

"We too understand, it was divided as Jagjivan Ram is Dalit-Left (to which Muniyappa belongs) and Ambedkar is Dalit-Right (to which Parameshwara belongs). Look at the way we are seen," he said, adding that it was then decided to orgainse a "Ikyatha Samavesha" including all SCs and STs in Chitradurga, which sent out a message to the state ahead of polls.

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News Network
September 12,2024

Mangaluru: Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur said that as a part of the International Day of Democracy, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will hold a 23-km long human chain and plant 1000 saplings in the Bengre area on September 15.

The human chain will be formed from Pavanje bridge to the border of Arkula, which will pass through Nanthoor Junction- Kannur Junction. The event is organised with the objective of creating awareness among the public, particularly the youth, about the significance of democracy. Around 10,000 people, particularly students, will participate in forming the human chain in the city limits, he told media persons.

He said Democratic system in India is a model to the world and we should be grateful to Dr B R Ambedkar for giving the country a beautiful constitution. To make the people, particularly the youth, aware of the Constitution and its preamble, the state government has chalked out a plan to form a mega human chain from Bidar to Chamrajnagar. As a part of it, the programme will be held in Mangaluru. Students from various schools, colleges, various organisations, NGOs should actively participate to make the event a grand success.”

The Mayor said as a part of the celebrations, an arch will be built at Pavanje bridge and Kannur Junction. The Zonal office at Surathkal will be decorated with tri colour along with KPC Circle, Nanthoor Junction, Padil Junction. The main programme will be held at Kadri Circle near Circuit House in Mangaluru, which will be attended by DK MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, MLAs D Vedavyasa Kamath, Dr Y Bharath Shetty, DC Mullai Muhilan MP and others. Flags will be placed for every 100 metre of the human chain stretch. The participants can click their photos and upload it through https://democracydaykarnataka.in/ to collect a certificate, added the mayor. 

The human chain will be held from Pavanje to Mukka checkpost, Mukka chepost to Mukka Junction, Mukka Junction to NITK gate, NITK gate to Tadambail Junction, Tadambail Junction to Hotel Suraj, Hotel Suraj to Govinda Dasa College, Govinda Dasa College to Kordabbu Daivasthana, Hosabettu, Kordabbu Daivasthana to Honnakatte Junction, Kulai to APMC, Baikampady, Hotel Vishwasagar to Mangaluru traffic police check post , Mangaluru traffic police check post to Panambur circle, Panambur Circle to NMPA railway track, MCF to Kuloor bridge, Kuloor bridge to Gold Finch ground, Gold Finch ground to Kottara Chowki, Kottara Chowki to BMS Hotel, BMS Hotel to SKS apartment, KPT to Saptagiri petrol bunk, Nanthoor Circle to Kaikamba, Maroli Jodukatte till Padil Circle, Padil to First Neuro Hospital – Kannur Junction, Adyar Katte to Sahyadri College, Sahyadri College to Expert Cross (Valacchil), Express Cross to Arkula border.

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News Network
September 17,2024

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday halted unauthorised bulldozer action against private property, anywhere in the country, till October 1, dismissing concerns by the government that demolitions sanctioned after following due process could be impacted. 

The "heavens won't fall if we ask you to hold your hands till the next hearing", a bench of Justice BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan declared.

An irate top court - which has already come down hard, twice this month, on 'bulldozer justice' meted out by various state governments - also warned the government against "grandstanding" and "glorification" of this practice. "No demolition, till next, date, without permission of this court," the government was told, and warned the Election Commission may also be put on notice.

The court's reference to the poll panel is significant given elections are due in Jammu and Kashmir (the first Assembly election in a decade) and Haryana, where the Bharatiya Janata Party is looking to return to power. Elections are also due this year in BJP-ruled Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

The court, however, also clarified its order is not applicable to removal of encroachments in public spaces such as roads, railway tracks, water bodies, etc.

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News Network
September 9,2024

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Riyadh: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Monday met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov here in the Saudi capital, days after President Vladimir Putin named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch over the Ukraine conflict.

Their interaction took place on the sidelines of the India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers' meeting. Both the ministers are in the Saudi capital to attend ministerial meetings of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

"Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a meeting with Foreign Minister of India @DrSJaishankar," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.

On Thursday, President Putin named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch over the Ukraine conflict and said they are sincerely making efforts to resolve it.

Speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Putin said, "If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that." His remarks came within two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Ukraine, where he held talks with President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict, primarily China, Brazil and India. I constantly keep in touch with our colleagues on this issue,” Putin was quoted as saying by Russia's TASS news agency.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov last week told the Izvestia daily that India could help in establishing a dialogue on Ukraine.

Underlining the existing "highly constructive, even friendly relations" between Modi and Putin, he said the Indian Prime Minister can "lead the line on getting first-hand information from the participants in this conflict," as he “freely communicates with Putin, with Zelenskyy, and with the Americans.” "This gives a great opportunity for India to throw its weight in world affairs, to use its influence that would drive the Americans and Ukrainians towards using a greater political will and entering the peaceful settlement track,” Peskov said.

He, however, said there are "no specific plans" for Modi to mediate on the issue.

"At this time they can hardly exist, as we do not see any preconditions for talks for now,” the Kremlin spokesman said.

Modi on August 23 visited Ukraine where he conveyed to President Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war and that India was ready to play an "active role" to restore peace in the region.

His nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister since its independence in 1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with President Putin that triggered anguish in some Western countries.

In his talks with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Modi said India was on the side of peace since the beginning of the conflict and he would even like to contribute personally to a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Jaishankar arrived in the Saudi capital Sunday on the first leg of his three-nation tour to attend the first India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers' meeting.

The GCC is an influential grouping, comprising the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. The total volume of India's trade with GCC countries stood at USD 184.46 billion in the financial year 2022-23.

From Riyadh, Jaishankar will travel to Germany where he will meet the German Foreign Minister as well as the leadership and other Ministers from the German government to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations. This will be his third bilateral visit to Berlin.

On the third and final leg of his trip, Jaishankar will visit Geneva.

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