News Analysis India

Tag: Karnataka

  • Karnataka Budget: Siddaramaiah-Led Congress Govt Allocates Rs 300 Cr For Waqf Properties, Rs 200 Cr For Christian Community |

    The Karnataka Congress government has allocated around Rs 330 crore in the budget for waqf property, construction of Haj Bhavan in Mangaluru, and development of the Christian community. The state government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah allocated Rs 100 crore for Waqf properties and Rs 200 crore for Christian communities. However, the move did not go well with the BJP and the saffron party termed it an appeasement budget.

    “The Congress-led Karnataka state government has allocated Rs 330 crores in its budget for the development of waqf property, the construction of Haj Bhavan in Mangaluru, and the development of the Christian community. Meanwhile, despite receiving around Rs 450 crores annually from donations by Hindu devotees to temples under its control, Congress opposes any legislation aimed at freeing Hindu temples from state control,” said Amit Rakksshit, BJP leader. 

    Speaking about the Waqf properties, CM Siddaramaiah said that there will be a special emphasis on the protection and conservation of protected monuments, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The Congress government has allocated Rs 10 crore for the construction of Mangaluru Haj Bhavan, and it has been announced that 100 Maulana Azad schools will be established in the state. Siddaramaiah also disclosed that Rs 50 crore will be designated for the development of major pilgrimage destinations for Jains.

    The Chief Minister further stated that the sacred texts of the Buddhist community, the Tripitakas, will be translated into Kannada, with necessary grants allocated for the translation. A budget of Rs 393 crore will be allocated for programs formulated and implemented during 2024-25 through Minorities Development Corporations, as per Siddaramaiah’s announcement.

    Despite presenting a revenue deficit budget, the Chief Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to welfare programs, with a significant increase in budgetary allocation to Rs 1,20,373 crore. Moreover, he underscored the importance of fiscal discipline by ensuring that the fiscal deficit remains within 3 per cent of GDSP.

  • Funds devolution rows: Siddaramaiah defends Raghuram Rajan, accuses BJP of twisting his report to defend itself

    Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday attacked the BJP, accusing the party of twisting former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan committee report to suit its political narrative. The saffron party had claimed that the committee had in 2013 suggested that Karnataka’s share of funds from the Centre should be reduced from 4.13% to 3.73%.

    The CM’s defense of the former RBI governor on social media platform X comes amidst reports of the Congress party considering fielding the latter for a Rajya Sabha ticket. “The narrative, suggesting that the committee headed by Raghuram Rajan recommended a reduction in Karnataka’s share of tax revenue is not only inaccurate but also a misinterpretation of the committee’s role,” Siddaramaiah said. The committee’s focus, he added, was on ensuring a balanced distribution of certain development funds to enhance the overall growth and progress of all states, particularly those lagging in specific development parameters.

    “These recommendations were not meant to replace existing methodologies for devolution of taxes allocation,” he said. The Finance Commission, he added, operated independently of such committees. “Was the 15th Finance Commission constituted in 2019 by [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi influenced by some committee which gave a report in September 2013?”The CM hit out at the BJP’s state party president BY Vijayendra- who had made the statements, accusing him of being willing to “forsake the very heart and soul of Kannadiga pride,” all for the sake of winning approval from BJP high command. The BJP leaders’ actions, he said, revealed a “chilling indifference” to the fate of the state. “This act of betrayal, this glaring abandonment of honesty, tears at the very essence of Karnataka Pride,” he added.

    With Lok Sabha polls a few months away, the Congress and its allies have been cornering the BJP on the topic of fiscal inequality towards the states, with protests in the national capital as well as social media campaigns.

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  • Rajya Sabha Elections: BJP names Sudhanshu Trivedi, RPN Singh among 14 candidates – The Economic Times Video

    The BJP on Sunday announced its candidates from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Sudhanshu Trivedi, RPN Singh from Uttar Pradesh. Former Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala was announced as the party’s candidate from Haryana.

  • ‘Remember your own remarks…’: Karnataka CM after PM Modi criticizes Congress ‘tax protest’

    After Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at Congress for creating a North-South divide over sharing of tax funds, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the former should remember his own remarks in the past during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister against the Congress-led UPA on similar issues.

    The Karnataka chief minister said PM Modi owes an explanation as to how his past criticisms of the Union government did not pose a threat to the nation’s unity and security.

    In a post on X, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark about our ‘Chalo Delhi’ campaign, aimed at protesting the injustices suffered by Kannadigas due to the Union Government’s unfair tax allocation, being a threat to the nation’s unity and security, is surprising. I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remember his own remarks opposing the UPA Government when he served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.””Weren’t your statements back then also seen as potentially endangering the nation’s unity and security? I await your reply,” he added.

    The Karnataka CM claimed that Prime Minister Modi, during his stint as Gujarat CM, argued before the Finance Commission that the criteria for tax allocation should be revised to provide greater incentives to states demonstrating effective financial management and developmental efforts.

    — siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) “Modi asserted the necessity of reforming the current tax allocation system, which disproportionately rewards underperforming states at the expense of those excelling in fiscal management. He advocated for incentivising states that have significantly contributed to infrastructure development and national progress,” Karnataka CM posted on X. “Numerous such U-turns in stance could be listed. PM Modi owes an explanation as to how his past criticisms of the Union Government did not pose a threat to the nation’s unity and security, while similar protests from others supposedly do,” he added. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday ripped into the grand old party for allegedly working against the “interests of the nation.”

    “Some are trying to divide the country over funds. What can be a bigger misfortune for the country? Such a mindset is being demonstrated by a responsible national party. It is unfortunate! Our tax, our money! What language is being used? This is dangerous for the future of the country,” PM Modi said.

    Earlier, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar on Wednesday held a protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to protest against the Centre’s tax devolution policies to the southern state.

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  • Mandya: Karnataka: BJP protests against Congress amid Mandya flag hoisting incident; security tightened – The Economic Times Video

    BJP workers in Bengaluru held a protest against the Congress-led Karnataka government on January 29 over Mandya’s saffron flag incident. The protest was motivated by the removal of a saffron flag hoisted on a 108-foot flagpole in the Keragode village in Mandya. Meanwhile, security was heightened and Section 144 was imposed in the village as tensions prevailed in Keragodu.

  • Ram Mandir consecration: Here’s how Opposition celebrated the event in their own style – The Economic Times Video

    On January 22, 2024, the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Prathistha ceremony took place, which was a momentous occasion. While the event was being celebrated, opposition leaders commemorated it in their own way. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah inaugurated the newly constructed Ram Temple in Mahadevapura assembly, and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee conducted an all-faith harmony rally in Kolkata.

  • Party high command to decide on demand for three Deputy CMs in Karnataka: D K Shivakumar

    With Karnataka Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna batting for having three deputy chief ministers in the state, state Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said only the party high command can take a call on it. Rajanna, who has been insisting on having three deputy chief ministers in Karnataka instead of just one, reiterated on Saturday that his demand is not something which has been fed to him by someone else.

    “I said this keeping in mind that making three DCMs will help in the Lok Sabha elections. It’s not so that it (creation of three DCMs) will happen soon after my statement. I have only made a request to the party high command and brought it to their notice. They are the ones who take the final decision,” Rajanna told reporters.

    Pointing out that there are more than one deputy chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan where the BJP came to power in the recent Assembly elections, Rajanna said it will be appropriate if there are three DCMs in Karnataka too. Reacting to Rajanna’s ‘suggestion,” the lone DCM of the state Shivakumar said, “Only the high command can answer such questions. I cannot answer it. That is not the issue to be discussed. Everyone has to work together to win the parliamentary election. That’s it.”

    Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara too said it was only Rajanna’s personal view and not of the party.

    “People express their personal views. Having three DCMs in the state could be good from Rajanna’s point of view but we don’t know what the High Command thinks,” the Home Minister said. Rajanna got a supporter in Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, who found nothing wrong in the demand.

    “Rajanna is a senior leader. From political view point, he must have found merits in having multiple DCMs. It is left to the party high command whether to take his views into consideration,” Mahadevappa said.

  • Siddaramaiah plans Bengaluru jobs fair next month seeking to keep unemployment in spotlight in election year

    The ruling Congress is gearing up to hold a jobs mela in Bengaluru in the last week of January in keeping with one of the election promises the party had made during the May assembly polls. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who chaired a meeting on Friday to assess the preparedness for such a jobs fair, announced a team of ministers to plan and effectively organise the event.

    Industries Minister MB Patil, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge, Labour Minister Santosh Lad, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Skill Development Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar and SC/ST Welfare Minister B Nagendra will be part of the team.

    The CM asked the team to hold the event as promised in the manifesto as well as discuss with industries about devising long-term strategies to plug the skills gap in job aspirants. The CM also wants the team to explore employment opportunities for aspirants in overseas markets also.

    Siddaramaiah asked the team to work on a policy on employment to improve the opportunities for the youth.

    The government, on Dec 26, opened enrolments for degree and diploma holders under the Yuva Nidhi scheme to claim a monthly stipend for up to two years. The government said the youth, who passed out this year, but have not got a job for six months, are entitled to the allowance.The scheme was announced by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the election campaign. Only graduates of the 2023 batch will get Rs 3,000 per month for two years, whereas diploma holders of the batch will get Rs 1,500 per month. The scheme applies to third genders as well. The Congress government is speeding up on its promises on jobs fair and unemployment allowances, probably seeking to make jobs a central theme of the election campaign in Karnataka with the Lok Sabha polls months away.

    The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data for July 2022 to June 2023, however, indicates a declining trend, over the years, for unemployment rate in the country in both rural and urban areas.

  • Apex court directs TN to mention its water plea on August 21 

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court directed the  Tamil Nadu government to mention its plea seeking to direct the Karnataka government to forthwith release from its reservoirs 24000 cusecs of water commencing from August 14, 2023, to meet the pressing demands of standing crops in the state, on Monday. 

    The plea was mentioned by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi before a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud on Friday. Urging the court to list its plea in the Cauvery water dispute, Rohatgi said that the standing crops in delta districts need water urgently. Considering the counsel’s request, the bench directs them to mention it on Monday.

    READ MORE: Cauvery row: TN govt urges SC to direct Karnataka govt to release due share of water

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court directed the  Tamil Nadu government to mention its plea seeking to direct the Karnataka government to forthwith release from its reservoirs 24000 cusecs of water commencing from August 14, 2023, to meet the pressing demands of standing crops in the state, on Monday. 

    The plea was mentioned by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi before a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud on Friday. Urging the court to list its plea in the Cauvery water dispute, Rohatgi said that the standing crops in delta districts need water urgently. Considering the counsel’s request, the bench directs them to mention it on Monday.

    READ MORE: Cauvery row: TN govt urges SC to direct Karnataka govt to release due share of watergoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

  • After Karnataka poll debacle, PM Modi meets BJP CMs to take stock of situation

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  In his first political meeting after the poll debacle in Karnataka, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday attended the meeting with the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states on development and good governance agendas at the party headquarters.

    Soon after unveiling the new Parliament house with much fanfare, the PM reached the party headquarter and discussed the performances of his party-rule states in several schemes and other issues. Sources in BJP said that the CMs of BJP-ruled states including poll-bound MP, presented their report cards on good governance and developments and progress of ongoing schemes of welfare for the poor.

    “Prime Minister asked those (CMs) to take the schemes of welfare to the poor and make them aware of these schemes through various modes of easy communication like interactions and ‘jan-abhiyana’ also”, said a senior BJP functionary.”

    At the meeting after development and good governance agendas, a wider discussion was also made on the preparations for the upcoming LS elections in 2024 in the backdrop of the recent Karnataka debacle and other emerging political situations. 

    This newspaper is learnt that a discussion on the successful conduct of a month-long special contact abhiyan starting from May 30 to June 30 across the country covering all LS constituencies was also held.

    “Under the part of this well-crafted strategy, the PM and other senior leaders of the party including union ministers are scheduled to address dozens of public rallies across the country with more focus in poll-bound states like Rajasthan and Telangana where the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to wrest the power,” said a BJP functionary.

    The BJP CMs are learnt to have discussed the people-centric schemes and their effective implementation in view of the upcoming LS elections.

    NEW DELHI:  In his first political meeting after the poll debacle in Karnataka, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday attended the meeting with the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states on development and good governance agendas at the party headquarters.

    Soon after unveiling the new Parliament house with much fanfare, the PM reached the party headquarter and discussed the performances of his party-rule states in several schemes and other issues. Sources in BJP said that the CMs of BJP-ruled states including poll-bound MP, presented their report cards on good governance and developments and progress of ongoing schemes of welfare for the poor.

    “Prime Minister asked those (CMs) to take the schemes of welfare to the poor and make them aware of these schemes through various modes of easy communication like interactions and ‘jan-abhiyana’ also”, said a senior BJP functionary.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    At the meeting after development and good governance agendas, a wider discussion was also made on the preparations for the upcoming LS elections in 2024 in the backdrop of the recent Karnataka debacle and other emerging political situations. 

    This newspaper is learnt that a discussion on the successful conduct of a month-long special contact abhiyan starting from May 30 to June 30 across the country covering all LS constituencies was also held.

    “Under the part of this well-crafted strategy, the PM and other senior leaders of the party including union ministers are scheduled to address dozens of public rallies across the country with more focus in poll-bound states like Rajasthan and Telangana where the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to wrest the power,” said a BJP functionary.

    The BJP CMs are learnt to have discussed the people-centric schemes and their effective implementation in view of the upcoming LS elections.