NRI leader SM Syed Khalilur Rehman, 86, passes away in Dubai

The US consulate in Bengaluru will hold its ‘site-dedication ceremony’ on January 17, with officials confirming that the location of the upcoming consulate will be disclosed during the event. Sources indicate that the site could be in either the Central Business District or Whitefield.

While the consulate building is under development, visa services may temporarily begin at the JW Marriott hotel, which currently houses the United States Commercial Service (USCS) office.

Bengaluru has long advocated for the establishment of a US consulate, and with its opening, residents of the city and Karnataka will no longer need to travel to other states for their US visa applications.

It was in January of the previous year that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, during his visit to Bengaluru, expressed his intention to urge the US Ambassador to India to establish a consulate in the city. This move follows the announcement during Prime Minister Modi’s June 2023 visit to the US, where it was revealed that two new US consulates would open in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, and India would set up a mission in Seattle.

Bengaluru, Jan 24: The BJP has sparked controversy by opposing a meeting between Muslim community leaders and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, where increased budgetary allocations for minorities were discussed. The BJP labeled the demands as "religion-based budgeting," accusing the Congress-led government of minority appeasement.

Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s National Information and Technology Department, claimed on social media platform X, “This kind of Muslim assertion and religion-based demands led to India’s partition along religious lines in 1947. We can’t afford it again.”

The meeting, attended by Ministers Rahim Khan, Zameer Ahmed Khan, and Siddaramaiah's Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed, focused on enhanced funding for minority welfare. Malviya criticized it as a "brazen display of minority appeasement," alleging that the Congress was catering to its vote bank in return for support.

The Congress government allocated Rs 3,000 crore for minority welfare in its 2024-25 State Budget, drawing fire from opposition parties. However, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar defended the allocation, stating, “In a Rs 3.71 lakh crore budget, can’t we allocate even 1 per cent for Muslims? This funding supports schools and development programs. What’s wrong with that?”

Meanwhile, BJP and JD(S) leaders accused the Congress government of sidelining Hindus while failing to address pressing issues like rising crime and fiscal mismanagement. Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka criticized the government for planning to borrow Rs 1 lakh crore to fund its "five guarantee" schemes and other initiatives, questioning the state's development progress.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to present the 2025-26 State Budget in March, which is expected to cross Rs 4 lakh crore, marking his 16th budget as Finance Minister. The Congress government faces growing opposition from BJP leaders, who claim its policies prioritize appeasement over governance.

Bengaluru: The BJP on Tuesday accused the police of "framing" an innocent person in the cow attack case in Chamarajapet here and demanded a fair investigation into the incident.

Sheikh Nasru (30), a native of Champaran in Bihar, has been arrested for allegedly slashing the udders of three cows on Sunday.

The matter escalated into a communal controversy after the saffron party threatened to observe 'Black Sankranti' if the culprits were not arrested before the festival.

The party has since emphasised that the actual perpetrators must be apprehended.

Addressing media here, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said, "There are claims that an innocent man has been falsely implicated and is being projected as the culprit."

Leader of Opposition R Ashoka also raised doubts about the investigation, questioning how a mentally unstable man could work at the firm for a decade.

Ashoka noted that the incident occurred at the veterinary hospital, which spans four acres.

He alleged that the hospital was recently declared Waqf property and claimed that Karna, the owner of the injured cattle, had opposed the Waqf Board’s decision, suggesting this opposition might have led to the incident.

The party leaders led by Vijayendra and Ashoka celebrated 'Sankranti' by offering special prayers to cows at the spot where the attack took place.

Meanwhile, state Home Minister G Parameshwara dismissed the opposition charges and said the police were investigating the case without any bias.

"If the investigation reveals the involvement of more people, then police will not spare them," he told reporters here.