Yeddyurappa flouted rules to back 'Hosa Digantha'

[email protected] (Imran Khan, Tehelka)
October 31, 2011

THL


Bangalore, October31: More skeletons are tumbling out of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's cupboard. The latest controversy involves the RSS morning daily Hosa Digantha, which got undue patronage of the BJP-ruled government apparently to spread the Hinduvta message.

Hosa_D


Hosa Digantha, whose tagline Rashtra Jagrutiya Dainika means Daily for National Awareness, has been accorded a 'state newspaper' status by its benefactors sweeping aside the recommendations of a State Information Department panel. Though the RSS mouthpiece lacks the necessary circulation, print and certification from the central Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), rules were bent with the state government providing two industrial sheds in Bengaluru worth Rs 5 crore to the newspaper for Rs 1.5 crore.


Started in 1979, Hosa Digantha's Mangalore edition has a print run of less than 20,000 copies. Despite running for 32 years, it failed to make impact until the BJP came to power in 2008. In three years, the paper's circulation hit 55,000 with the addition of Bengaluru and Shimoga editions. In fact, Yeddyurappa, during the launch at his hometown of Shimoga, hailed the newspaper's “contribution to journalism” and said the reason for its success was its policy of “nation first”.


This year, the daily was granted the status of a state newspaper. According to the recommendations of the P Ramaiah Committee, which framed rules for according newspaper status, a publication should have not less than 1,000 copies daily to be accorded a district-level newspaper status. Regional newspaper status is given to publication with the same print run in more than two districts. But the criteria for a state newspaper status are tough making circulation of 75,000 and presence in more than 19 of the 30 districts of the state compulsory.


A government order in 2001 made ABC certification mandatory for newspapers. Muddu Mohan, Director of State Information Department, had written to the state government on 17 March that a paper that failed to meet the required criteria could not be granted the status of a state newspaper. However, overriding his objection, a circular was passed on 13 April according the status of state newspaper to Hosa Digantha.


When questioned about this anomaly, Ramesh Jharkhi, Secretary in the Information Department said, “The state government in its wisdom had passed the orders'' refusing to comment further.


BV Seetaram, Editor and director of Mangalore-based newspaper Karavali Ale (Canara Times, a regional newspaper) has filed a petition in the High Court against the government's decision. “The Department of Information in November 2010 issued advertisements of Bhagyalaxmi (an insurance scheme for the girl child) programmes in Chikmagulur and Bidar districts to Hosa Digantha despite its zero circulation in the districts. The advertisements were denied to our newspapers even though we also belong to the regional newspaper category,” Seetaram claimed.


According to a data sheet of advertisements released by the Information Department collated by Seetaram, the newspaper got state governments ads worth Rs 1 crore in the past six months. “The data does not mention advertisements released by other departments,” he added.


(Information sought under the RTI Act by Tehelka shows tha since January, the newspaper has received advertisements worth Rs 49.21 lakh.)


Seetaram alleges that even the name of the publication has been stolen from a rival newspaper. “This newspaper has the registration number of another daily with the same name and owned by a different management based in with Chikmagulur.”


Hosa Digantha Editor Chudamani Aiyyar, himself an RSS activist said, “We had filed a case against the newspaper in 1980 in the magistrate's court of Dakshin Kannada. In June 2011, we filed a case against the management of Janana Bharathi Trust for stealing our name.” Muddu Mohan refused to comment on this matter.


Chairman of the management board of Hosa Digantha and Director of Century Real Estate Holdings Pvt Ltd P Dayananda Pai was unavailable for comment. When contacted, his office informed TEHELKA that he was out of the country.


CEO of the trust Prakash, however, denied the allegations saying, “Though we don't have ABC certification, our paper reaches all the districts of the state. As for the name registration issue, we have sorted that matter out. And, the twin sheds at Rajaji Nagar were legally granted to us at their actual cost price.”


A local weekly Lankesh Patrike recently reported that Shantaram, the Resident Editor of Hosa Digantha and an RSS leader, was the beneficiary of a Housing Board house worth Rs 35 lakh. According to the documents available with the daily, Yeddyurappa had himself paid for the house-- located at Sooryanagar in Bangalore--despite the editor owning another plot, which amounts of violation of law. For a similar reason, former Lokayukta Justice Shivaraj V Patil had to step down.


More skeletons are tumbling out of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's cupboard. The latest controversy involves the RSS morning daily Hosa Digantha, which got undue patronage of the BJP-ruled government apparently to spread the Hinduvta message.


Hosa Digantha, whose tagline Rashtra Jagrutiya Dainika means Daily for National Awareness, has been accorded a 'state newspaper' status by its benefactors sweeping aside the recommendations of a State Information Department panel. Though the RSS mouthpiece lacks the necessary circulation, print and certification from the central Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), rules were bent with the state government providing two industrial sheds in Bengaluru worth Rs 5 crore to the newspaper for Rs 1.5 crore.


Started in 1979, Hosa Digantha's Mangalore edition has a print run of less than 20,000 copies. Despite running for 32 years, it failed to make impact until the BJP came to power in 2008. In three years, the paper's circulation hit 55,000 with the addition of Bengaluru and Shimoga editions. In fact, Yeddyurappa, during the launch at his hometown of Shimoga, hailed the newspaper's “contribution to journalism” and said the reason for its success was its policy of “nation first”.


This year, the daily was granted the status of a state newspaper. According to the recommendations of the P Ramaiah Committee, which framed rules for according newspaper status, a publication should have not less than 1,000 copies daily to be accorded a district-level newspaper status. Regional newspaper status is given to publication with the same print run in more than two districts. But the criteria for a state newspaper status are tough making circulation of 75,000 and presence in more than 19 of the 30 districts of the state compulsory.


A government order in 2001 made ABC certification mandatory for newspapers. Muddu Mohan, Director of State Information Department, had written to the state government on 17 March that a paper that failed to meet the required criteria could not be granted the status of a state newspaper. However, overriding his objection, a circular was passed on 13 April according the status of state newspaper to Hosa Digantha.


When questioned about this anomaly, Ramesh Jharkhi, Secretary in the Information Department said, “The state government in its wisdom had passed the orders'' refusing to comment further.


BV Seetaram, Editor and director of Mangalore-based newspaper Karavali Ale (Canara Times, a regional newspaper) has filed a petition in the High Court against the government's decision. “The Department of Information in November 2010 issued advertisements of Bhagyalaxmi (an insurance scheme for the girl child) programmes in Chikmagulur and Bidar districts to Hosa Digantha despite its zero circulation in the districts. The advertisements were denied to our newspapers even though we also belong to the regional newspaper category,” Seetaram claimed.


According to a data sheet of advertisements released by the Information Department collated by Seetaram, the newspaper got state governments ads worth Rs 1 crore in the past six months. “The data does not mention advertisements released by other departments,” he added.


(Information sought under the RTI Act by Tehelka shows tha since January, the newspaper has received advertisements worth Rs 49.21 lakh.)


Seetaram alleges that even the name of the publication has been stolen from a rival newspaper. “This newspaper has the registration number of another daily with the same name and owned by a different management based in with Chikmagulur.”


Hosa Digantha Editor Chudamani Aiyyar, himself an RSS activist said, “We had filed a case against the newspaper in 1980 in the magistrate's court of Dakshin Kannada. In June 2011, we filed a case against the management of Janana Bharathi Trust for stealing our name.” Muddu Mohan refused to comment on this matter.


Chairman of the management board of Hosa Digantha and Director of Century Real Estate Holdings Pvt Ltd P Dayananda Pai was unavailable for comment. When contacted, his office informed TEHELKA that he was out of the country.


CEO of the trust Prakash, however, denied the allegations saying, “Though we don't have ABC certification, our paper reaches all the districts of the state. As for the name registration issue, we have sorted that matter out. And, the twin sheds at Rajaji Nagar were legally granted to us at their actual cost price.”



The state BJP government has also granted land all over the state to RSS-affiliated institution Rashtrothan Parishat. Documents available with TEHEKA show that close to 100 acre of land have been given to this organisation in the past three years. The details have been listed below.

Sl. No.

Date

Place

Survey number

Extent of Land Allotted.

1.

08/07/2010

Doddballapur Taluk , Tobagere Village

38

7.20 acre

2.

Doddaballapur Taluk, Kelaginajugana Village

47

36

3.

Doddaballapur Taluk, Kelaginanayakarndalli, village

5

6.20

4.

Haveri District, Taluk Hanagal, village Malligar

Rs. No. 1

5.18 acre

5.

01/09/2010

Doddaballapur

38/47/05

Based on their application on 16 August, 2010, additional 50 acre has been allotted to them.



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News Network
November 27,2024

Mangaluru: A five-year-long pursuit of justice continues for several youths from Dakshina Kannada who fell victim to a fraudulent food delivery job scam in Kuwait. The victims, lured by promises of lucrative overseas employment, now find themselves entangled in legal battles and financial ruin.

In a recent development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned the victims to its Mangaluru office as part of the ongoing investigation. The case, which dates back to May 28, 2019, was initially registered at the Mangaluru North police station based on a complaint filed by Usman, a resident of Jalligudde. His brother, Aboobakkar Siddique, was among the 34 victims duped by Manikya Associates, a recruitment agency operated by Prasad Shetty.

According to the complaint, the victims were promised jobs as food delivery executives in Kuwait with a salary of ₹40,000 per month. “I paid ₹80,000 to the agent and ended up spending seven harrowing months in Kuwait without any salary,” shared a victim who now works in construction. Another victim, now employed as a driver, said, “I dreamt of working abroad to support my family. I even pledged jewelry to pay the fees, but it took me years to recover financially.”

The victims allege that they were left stranded in Kuwait in January 2019 after completing all formalities. With no jobs and mounting expenses, their ordeal lasted seven months. They were eventually repatriated with the help of Indian expats and the Embassy of India in Kuwait, just two months after the complaint was filed.

The ED investigation is reportedly progressing, and victims said they were assured that their payments to the agent would be refunded soon. An ED official confirmed that efforts to ensure justice are ongoing.

For these youths, the pain of shattered dreams and financial losses has lingered for years, with many still struggling to rebuild their lives. As they await justice, their plight serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of fraudulent recruitment schemes.

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News Network
November 29,2024

vokkaswami.jpg

Bengaluru: An FIR has been registered against Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasamastana Mutt seer Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji for his communally provocative and anti-constitution remarks.

He made the statement during a protest meeting organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh here on Tuesday against notices issued by Karnataka's Waqf board.

Urging everyone to unite to protect farmers and their land, Swami said that a law should be brought in where Muslims community don't have the voting power.

Stating that it should be ensured there is no Waqf board, he said someone taking away someone else's land is not "Dharma".

"...everyone should fight against injustice being caused to farmers...it is said that the Waqf board can claim anyone's land. It is a big injustice...someone taking away someone else's land is not Dharma... So, everyone should fight to ensure that farmers' land remains with them," the seer had said.

However, on Wednesday, Swami expressed regret over his statement, calling it a "slip of tongue".

He said Muslims are also citizens of this country, and they too have voting rights like others.

Based on the complaint by a social worker, the FIR was registered against him on Wednesday at Upparpet police station here, police said.

"We have registered a case against him (Swami) under section 299 (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita," a senior police officer said.

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News Network
November 18,2024

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Mangaluru: A 14-year-old boy, Subodh, tragically lost his life after being struck by lightning while sitting outside his home in Kedila village, Bantwal taluk, on Sunday evening.

The incident occurred around 5:30 PM while Subodh, an 8th-grade student at Kalladka Shriram High School, was seated outside his house. Lightning struck him, leaving him unconscious. 

Family members rushed him to a nearby clinic and later to a private hospital in Puttur, where doctors confirmed his death upon arrival.

The boy's body was sent to Puttur Government Hospital for a post-mortem.

Tahsildar Archana Bhat has directed revenue officials to assist the grieving family. Vitla Revenue Inspector Prashanth Shetty, Village Administrative Officer Anil Kumar, Kedila Panchayat President Harish Valtaje, and panchayat members visited the family to offer their condolences and support.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the unpredictability of nature’s fury, leaving a community mourning the untimely loss of a young life.

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