Amit Shah arrived in Bengaluru on Monday night, amid speculation that this could finally lead to a change of Chief Minister and the state Cabinet, which has been speculated upon for long.
The senior BJP leader was scheduled to attend a lunch hosted by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for BJP ministers, MLAs and MPs at his residence, and chair separate meetings of the BJP state core committee, party functionaries and various party units.
The meetings were scheduled to spell out strategies for the 2023 Assembly polls and indicate the possible changes in government. But after the lunch at Bommai’s official residence, the meetings with the party units were abruptly cancelled.
By: Express News Service | Bengaluru | Updated: May 4, 2022 9:02:09 am
Advertisement Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, during a programme, in Bengaluru on Tuesday. A visit to Bengaluru on Tuesday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which was expected to provide an indication regarding the BJP’s strategy for the 2023 Assembly polls, did not yield any outcome, with meetings scheduled for him with the state BJP core committee and party leaders cancelled.
Shah arrived in Bengaluru on Monday night, amid speculation that this could finally lead to a change of Chief Minister and the state Cabinet, which has been speculated upon for long.
The senior BJP leader was scheduled to attend a lunch hosted by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for BJP ministers, MLAs and MPs at his residence, and chair separate meetings of the BJP state core committee, party functionaries and various party units.
Also read |Amit Shah in town, big JD(S) Lingayat name joins BJP The meetings were scheduled to spell out strategies for the 2023 Assembly polls and indicate the possible changes in government. But after the lunch at Bommai’s official residence, the meetings with the party units were abruptly cancelled.
BEST OF EXPRESS PREMIUM Horoscope Today, May 4, 2022: Libra, Aries, Pisces and other signs — che...Premium Horoscope Today, May 4, 2022: Libra, Aries, Pisces and other signs — che... C Raja Mohan: ‘India is pragmatic…there is understanding in US abou...Premium C Raja Mohan: ‘India is pragmatic…there is understanding in US abou... Behind power crisis: Genco dues to coal cos another cogPremium Behind power crisis: Genco dues to coal cos another cog Distortion, imposition: Why Northeast groups are against Centre’s Hindi pushPremium Distortion, imposition: Why Northeast groups are against Centre’s Hindi push More Premium Stories >> BJP sources said the cancellation suggested that a consensus could not be reached on a leadership change in Karnataka. Several BJP leaders, including former CM B S Yediyurappa, party state in-charge Arun Singh and state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, incidentally stated on Tuesday that there would be no change of CM in Karnataka. Yediyurappa added that there might be changes in the state Cabinet though in a few days.
For days now, there has been speculation – also fuelled from within BJP ranks — that the BJP will go in for a complete change of the Cabinet in Karnataka, like it had done in Gujarat.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday claimed that the alleged scam in the recruitment of police sub-inspectors (PSI) was made public by some within the police department to "teach a lesson" to the BJP government.
The former Chief Minister said it was in retaliation to some BJP leaders humiliating an honest officer. "Ask them (the government) to first find out how it (scam) came out...according to my information, the police department itself leaked information," Kumaraswamy said.
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Speaking to reporters in Channapatna, he said the expose was connected to the murder of 22-year-old Chandru in Bengaluru last month. (PTI)
With no leads yet on the whereabouts of the man who attacked a 24-year-old woman with acid in Bengaluru on April 28, the police on Wednesday released the photographs of the accused, identified as Nagesh Babu, and asked the public for help in tracing him. Meanwhile, the woman is still battling for her life at a hospital in the city.
Babu, a resident of Hegganahalli in Bengaluru, runs a small garment factory. A senior police officer said that seven teams, comprising over 100 policemen, have been deployed to look for Babu. Read more
The Bengaluru Police have arrested nine persons, including two juveniles, who allegedly kidnapped a 33-year-old man on Saturday and subsequently murdered him. The police suspect that one of the prime accused was in relationship with the deceased’s wife which reportedly led to the murder.
The arrested were identified as Nadeem Pasha, Mohammed Shafi, Shabbir Hussain, Hannan Pasha, Mohammed Mubarak, Thabrez Pasha and Tanveer Pasha. The deceased was identified as Joheb Abrar, a resident of Chandra Layout, who works as a metal fabricator. Read more
Narayana Nethralaya, in collaboration with Acer India, on Wednesday announced the launch of 'VisioNova', a personal computer (PC)-plus-tablet-based software, aimed at providing better access to treatment of visually impaired children.
VisioNova is designed as a mobile alternative to on-site therapy for children suffering from cortical visual impairment (CVI), a condition of bilateral visual loss, caused due to injury of visual areas in the brain without significant eye or anterior visual pathway impairment.
With 161 children in every one lakh born with CVI, the country has declared it a top priority issue and classified it as one of 30 conditions that all babies must receive mandatory screenings for, a release said. (PTI)
The investigation into the alleged corruption in the examination held to select 545 police sub inspectors (PSI) in Karnataka witnessed a twist with 28 candidates approaching the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KAT) against the en masse cancellation of exams and fresh exams ordered by the Additional Director General of Police Recruitment.
Over 54,000 candidates took the written exams across 93 centres on October 3, 2021. After allegations that the answer-sheets of some candidates who wrote the exams held at the Gynanajyothi English Medium School at Kalaburagi were tampered with, a preliminary inquiry was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and a case registered.
Subsequently, another case was registered in Bengaluru. Police have so far arrested 30 people in connection with the scam. (PTI)
Former Karnataka chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah alleged Wednesday that the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment scam in the state was worth Rs 300 crore and demanded a judicial probe monitored by a sitting high court judge.
“Though the government admitted there was malpractice, the recruitment wing additional general of police Amrit Paul and Dy SP Shantha Kumar have been transferred after the scam was exposed. I am asking the government why they have not suspended or registered a FIR against these officers,” Siddaramaiah asked in a press meet held on Wednesday.
On October 3, 2021, 54,000 candidates appeared for an examination for 545 PSI posts, conducted across 92 centres in seven cities in Karnataka. The Criminal Investigation Department of the Karnataka Police has now found evidence of large-scale cheating in the exam. Read more
A new paper by research organisation World Resources Institute (WRI) India shows how growing trees outside forests (ToF), particularly agroforestry, a landscape technique where farmers add trees to their land-and in and near cities, can offer manifold environmental and socioeconomic benefits.
In 2014, India became the first country to come up with a national agroforestry policy. The research stated that India’s policy framework provides multiple incentives that promote agroforestry, urban forestry and other approaches to increase the number of trees outside forests but despite the enabling policy conditions, farmers and other practitioners still struggle to sustain and enjoy the benefits of these systems.
The researchers Marie Duraisame, Ruchika Singh and Swati Chaliha analysed the incentives of the implementation of trees outside forests in six states — Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab and Telangana — to identify enabling conditions that can spur its expansion as well as the impediments. Read more
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah will communicate to him on BJP central leadership's decision about expansion or reshuffle of the state cabinet.
Shah was in the city on Tuesday, during which he took part in various events, and attended lunch at Bommai's official residence where he was closeted with select state BJP leaders. "He (Shah) said, he will talk (to me), after going to Delhi," Bommai said in response to a question on what Shah has communicated to him regarding cabinet expansion or reshuffle.
Asked about speculations over a cabinet reshuffle and having Deputy Chief Ministers, he said, "It is something, I'm getting to know from you (media)." Shah's visit to the city came amid buzz over possible changes in the leadership, and pressure to rejig or expand the cabinet, ahead of Assembly polls in 2023. (PTI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Tuesday that his ministry is developing a database “to monitor hawala transactions, terrorist funding, counterfeit currency, narcotics, bomb threats, illegal arms smuggling, and other terrorist activities”.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Bengaluru facility for National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID), Shah said that the removal of barriers that prevented sharing of critical intelligence data would help security agencies across the states take quick and decisive action against threats.
The joint statement issued by the All Saints Church congregation and citizens groups such as Heritage Beku and Environment Support Group (ESG) Monday termed the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (BMRCL) announcement to modify the design of the proposed underground station at the Rashtriya Military School station (formerly Vellara Junction) as a “win win for all”. Read More
The standing committee of National Board for Wildlife in its 67th meeting has recommended the underground water pipeline project for which the diversion of 0.0642 ha of forest land of Puradala state forest falling under Shettihalli Wildlife Division in Shivamogga was required. The laying of pipelines required for irrigation will pass through the forest connecting revenue land in survey number 21 of Puradala Village to Survey number 92 of Aladevara Hosur Village. Read More
Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah has demanded the suspension of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Amrit Paul and Deputy SP Shantha Kumar, who were in the recruitment wing when the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment examination scam took place. The state government has admitted that there was malpractice and asked why these two police officers have been transferred and no FIR has been registered or action taken against them.
A visit to Bengaluru on Tuesday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which was expected to provide an indication regarding the BJP’s strategy for the 2023 Assembly polls, did not yield any outcome, with meetings scheduled for him with the state BJP core committee and party leaders cancelled.
Shah arrived in Bengaluru on Monday night, amid speculation that this could finally lead to a change of Chief Minister and the state Cabinet, which has been speculated upon for long.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Karnataka is holding a protest to gherao and locking up the headquarters of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) on Wednesday demanding proper investigation into the KPSC and alleged Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam.
“KPSC was created with an aim to provide jobs for the youth of the State. But it has failed its mandate and has become a shop where jobs are being sold for crores of rupees. We will lock up Udyoga Soudha,” AAP said in a release.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Karnataka Police Monday night arrested three persons, including a chartered accountant, in connection with the alleged Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam.
The arrested were identified as Chandrakanth Patil, the chartered accountant and a resident of Kalaburagi, Prabhu, a candidate, and his father Sharanappa.
Reportedly, Chandrakanth was the auditor of Mahanthesh Patil, Congress’s former Afzalpur block president, and his brother Rudragouda. The police also said that Prabhu wrote the PSI examination at the MSI college in Kalaburagi and his father Sharanappa had reportedly paid money so that his son clears the examination. Read more
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday received a big boost with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking him to continue without heeding to the speculations about leadership change, sources close to Bommai said.
Shah also assured Bommai that the next Assembly elections, due next year under his leadership and there was no question of any change of guard in Karnataka, the sources added.
"Amit Shah has given a clear direction to the Chief Minister not to bother about the leadership change, which people are talking about. He told him to go ahead and focus on development. We will contest elections on development, due to which we are successful," sources said. (PTI)
A visit to Bengaluru on Tuesday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which was expected to provide an indication regarding the BJP’s strategy for the 2023 Assembly polls, did not yield any outcome, with meetings scheduled for him with the state BJP core committee and party leaders cancelled.
Shah arrived in Bengaluru on Monday night, amid speculation that this could finally lead to a change of Chief Minister and the state Cabinet, which has been speculated upon for long. Read full Political Pulse
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Central government intends to turn India into a sporting nation to see to it that it ranks among the top five countries in terms of sports by 2047 when the country celebrates its centenary year of independence.
He also said initiatives like Khelo India and Fit India were aimed at achieving the goal of India becoming a top sports nation. "We want India to be among the top five countries in terms of sports by 2047 when we celebrate 100 years of our independence," Shah said at the closing ceremony of the Khelo India University Games here which saw the participation of 3,900 athletes from 208 universities from across India.
“We are moving towards making India a sports nation. Along with it we are building sports infrastructure, sports science centres, community coaching facilities, arranging international level coaches and organising annual sports events,” Shah explained. (PTI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the government will soon be developing a national database to monitor hawala transactions, terrorist funding, terrorist activities among others.
He said the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has had a zero tolerance policy against terrorism from the very first day. The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) Bengaluru premises today.
"The union government will soon be developing a national database to monitor hawala transactions, terrorist funding, counterfeit currency, narcotics, bomb threats, illegal arms smuggling and other terrorist activities," Shah said. (PTI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said those who are in trouble due to the professional investigation into various issues are criticising the 'impartial and fearless' police.
The statement came a day after the Congress accused Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Higher Education Minister Ashwath Narayan of allegedly shielding some accused in the police sub-inspector recruitment scam, which was unearthed recently. Narayan dismissed the allegation as baseless.
"Today the police is doing a good job. It is functioning fearlessly and impartially. They are investigating every scam in a professional manner, due to which some people are in trouble. Those in problem are talking ill of the police. They are scared," Bommai said at the inauguration of the Nrupathunga University and the groundbreaking of its new academic block. (PTI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday inaugurated a Regional Forensic Science Laboratory at Ballari and launched the Smart E-beat application across Karnataka aimed at augmenting scientific investigation facilities in the state by the Karnataka State Police (KSP).
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Home Minister Aaraga Jnanendra were present on the occasion.
Bommai, in his 2022-23 budget speech, had announced adding new sections to the laboratories to increase testing capacity at Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Davanagere, Ballari, and Mysuru. (PTI)
The joint statement issued by the All Saints Church congregation and citizens groups such as Heritage Beku and Environment Support Group (ESG) Monday termed the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (BMRCL) announcement to modify the design of the proposed underground station at the Rashtriya Military School station (formerly Vellara Junction) as a “win win for all”.
“All Saints Church, a living heritage of Bengaluru which completed its sesquicentennial anniversary (150 years) a year ago, is safe from Bengaluru Metro construction. The sacred grove of the church, abutting the church, was where an underground station of Namma Metro was proposed. This meant at least 100 heritage trees that created a most extraordinarily beautiful sacred grove of the church, would have been felled. Along with this destruction would have been destroyed generations of memories and the divinity of the space. Arpana, a special school for autistic children, would have met the same fate,” the statement read. Tap to read
The standing committee of National Board for Wildlife in its 67th meeting has recommended the underground water pipeline project for which the diversion of 0.0642 ha of forest land of Puradala state forest falling under Shettihalli Wildlife Division in Shivamogga was required.
The laying of pipelines required for irrigation will pass through the forest connecting revenue land in survey number 21 of Puradala Village to Survey number 92 of Aladevara Hosur Village.
The diversion of the land was sought in 2018 by a Shivamogga-based agriculturist DB Avinash. The proposal was cleared by the Zila panchayat. Since the diversion of the forest land was required, clearances were sought from the forest department and state board for wildlife. The proposal was recommended by the Karnataka Forest Department. Recommending the project, the forest department stated that the area required was very small. Read more
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the NATGRID’s Bengaluru campus Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, he said: “There is a need to constantly upgrade our infrastructure to ensure the security of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government is committed to empowering our agencies so that they can always be two steps ahead of criminals.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted that India has the likes of the US and Israel in hitting back at those meddling with their borders and pointed out at the surgical strikes carried out in the wake of the terrorist attack in Pulwama.
Flaying the previous Congress regime for its lax security measures, the Home Minister said India used to issue statements whenever terror attacks were carried out by the Pakistan-backed extremists but things have improved after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister.
"Earlier only two nations, the United States of America and Israel, used to retaliate whenever someone meddled with their borders and military. Now due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our great nation India has joined that group," Shah said after inaugurating various projects including the Nrupathunga University, its academic block and various other projects. (PTI)
Terming the buzz over possible changes of leadership in Karnataka as "hypothetical", BJP national General Secretary in-charge of the state Arun Singh on Tuesday said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is a "common man", and people here like him. He also said the cabinet expansion or reshuffle is the prerogative of the Chief Minister.
"There is no answer for the question you are asking, there is no answer for hypothetical questions...These are hypothetical questions that you are raising, there is no answer," Singh told reporters in response to a question on leadership change.
Asked whether Bommai will be the face of the party for 2023 assembly polls, he said, "Basavaraj Bommai is a common man, the way he is working for the poor and farmers, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, people of the state like him." The fresh round of speculation about leadership change in the state, was following BJP national general secretary B L Santhosh's statement on Sunday that the party's strength lies in the induction of new faces. (PTI)
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Tuesday attended the men and women's kabaddi finals at Khelo India University Games going on at the Kanteerva stadium in Bengaluru. (ANI)
More than a month after the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) faced a ransomware attack, the administration last week on April 30 filed a complaint with the Bengaluru City Police.
The complaint was filed by Nimhans director Dr Pratima Murthy. On March 23, according to the police, several computer files and systems could not be accessed as it was showing that the data had been encrypted by an external force. A weblink sent to Nimhans read that all the data has been encrypted and in order to decrypt it, the hacker sought Rs 5,000 US dollar in the form of bitcoins. Read more
Amid speculation in the ranks of the BJP in Karnataka that a visit to Bengaluru by Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to herald changes in the state’s BJP government, former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa has stated that he expects changes in the state Cabinet in a few days.
Yediyurappa, however, claimed that speculations around the BJP replacing Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai were "mostly rumours". "My feeling is that Amit Shah has come on the visit with some decisions in mind. I feel that changes will be carried out in the Cabinet in two days," Yediyurappa said.
The alleged Karnataka Police sub-inspector exam scam got a fresh political twist Monday with the opposition Congress alleging that an influential minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had prevented a candidate’s arrest by the criminal investigation department (CID). The Congress also alleged that the candidate had cleared the police recruitment exam after paying Rs 80 lakh to the minister’s brother.
Back to work after a two-year gap, many employees in the IT city of Bengaluru are noticing a big change – a shortage in the once ubiquitous app-based cabs like Uber and Ola.
“I have to commute to my office in a cab almost every day for around 30 km but it is difficult to get a cab now, especially during peak hours and during rain. Even if I get a cab, the driver will cancel the trip or the fare will be very costly,” says Saritha Prakash, a human resource professional working in a tech park in Bellandur.
Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) now has direct flight connectivity to Hubballi airport in North Karnataka. Operated by IndiGo using an ATR aircraft, the flights to Hubballi will fly four times a week on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with flight 6E7189 arriving at Mangaluru at 6.05 pm and flight 6E7191 departing at 6.35 pm.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated Nrupathunga University and NATGRID campus on Tuesday during his day-long visit to Bengaluru. Nrupathunga University, formerly called Government Science College, was established by the erstwhile Mysore Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar.
Earlier, the Shah paid tributes to Sri Basavanna on Basava Jayanthi in the city's Basaveshwar Circle.
The Bommai cabinet at present has 29 ministers against a full strength of 34. The CM has not yet allocated the rural development ministry portfolio, vacated by Eshwarappa after being accused of corruption in the wake of the death of a civil contractor.
Shah’s visit to the state comes at a time when the BJP-led government is grappling with a series of controversies from allegations of corruption to the resignation of minister KS Eshwarappa, a scam in police recruitment to rising communal tensions.
Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Bengaluru on Tuesday amid speculation about leadership change and cabinet expansion. Senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti joined the BJP in presence of Shah and he is likely to be the party candidate for the upcoming MLC polls from West Teachers’ constituency.
On his visit to the state on April 1, Shah had fixed a target of 150 seats for the BJP in the 2023 Assembly polls during a core committee meeting. In the meeting, state BJP leaders were directed to create a roadmap for the next one year and work on the ground and attract leaders from other parties.
According to party sources, Shah is on an official visit to the state and will take part in the valedictory function of ‘Khelo India’ University Games on Tuesday. Later, he will be paying tribute to 12th-century social reformer and Lingayat saint Basavanna on the occasion of Basava Jayanthi.
Hello and welcome to our Bangalore news blog. Home Minister Amit Shah is visiting Karnataka on Tuesday amid speculation about leadership change and cabinet expansion. Follow to get all the latest updates here.