Congress only ray of hope for minorities, SC/STs'

April 22, 2013

Mangalore, April 22: The District Congress minority and SC/ST cells have come out to woo minority and backward class votes by claiming that the Congress is their only ray of hope for protection and development.

Addressing media persons at a news conference in Mangalore on Sunday, U K Monu, Vice-President, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Minority Wing, said that no other party has given prominence to minorities the way the Congress did.

“Out of the 224 Assembly constituencies, 24 are being contested by minority candidates on the Congress ticket. Tickets have been given to 19 Muslims, 3 Jains and 2 Christians in the state. The tally of minority representation has increased this elections when compared to the elections of 2008. It is the Congress party which elevated leaders hailing from minority communities to become Prime Ministers and Presidents of the country. Under the Congress, minorities in India are protected and the party has proved time and again that it stands for minorities,” Mr. Monu said.

When asked about minority candidates contesting elections as independent candidates against the Congress especially in Ullal, Mr. Monu said that the party faces no threat from anyone as the popular support and tide is with the party.

SC/ST Cell

In a separate news conference, Padmanabha Naringana, President, District Congress SC/ST Cell said that Dalits have been exploited by the BJP led state government.

“Several facilities including houses, scholarships, ration and 'Tali Bhagya' that Dalits were receiving earlier have been stopped by the BJP. If at all the constitution of the country drafted by Dr B R Ambedkar is to remain protected, the Congress will have to come back to power”, Mr. Naringana said.

Appi, Councilor, Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), said that Dalits bore the brunt of the BJP's anti-Dalit policies in the MCC as well.

“The grant of Rs.1.5 lakh which was earlier being given was reduced to Rs. 60,000 by the BJP ruled MCC administration. So is the case with other facilities such as construction of houses and Panchayat's 'Tali Bhagya' scheme for weddings”, Ms. Appi said.

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No relief for Siddaramaiah in MUDA case as HC junks plea against Governor's sanction

News Network

September 24,2024

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition filed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against Governor Thawarchand Gehlot's decision to sanction the complaint and investigation against him in the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam case.

Justice M Nagaprasanna said the facts narrated in the petition would undoubtedly require an investigation.

The court has also said that the Governor's order approving sanction to investigate against Siddaramaiah under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act does not suffer from application of mind, instead has abundance of application of mind.

Meanwhile, the court rejected the request made by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi to stay the order of the court. The court has vacated the interim order passed on August 19. In the interim order the trial court was directed not to take any precipitative action against Siddaramaiah. On August 17, Governor had approved sanction under section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 218 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita ( BNSS), citing three applications.

The court said the private complainants were justified in registering the complaint and seeking approval from the governor.

Insofar as private complainants seeking sanction under section 17A, the court said the provision nowhere requires only a police officer to seek sanction from a competent authority. The court further said it is in fact the duty of the private complainants to seek such approval.

Earlier, The High Court had completed its hearing in the case on September 12, and reserved its orders. It had also directed a special court in Bengaluru to defer further proceedings and not to take any precipitative action against the Chief Minister.

The case pertains to allegations that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru that had higher property value as compared to the location of her land that had been "acquired" by MUDA.

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