Karnataka MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar protests China's support to JeM Chief Masood Azhar

Pulwama terror attack

JeM has reportedly claimed responsibility for the Thursday's terror attack on a CRPF convoy near Awantipora in Kashmir's Pulwama district in which 49 of its troopers died and many injured.

IANS

Condemning the deadly terror attack on CRPF troopers in Kashmir, Karnataka BJP's Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday protested China's backing to dreaded Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) head, Masood Azar. "Though the United Nations has been trying to outlaw and declare Azar a global terrorist, China is the only country repeatedly blocking India's bid to get such a resolution passed," said Chandrasekhar in a statement here. JeM has reportedly claimed responsibility for the Thursday's terror attack on a CRPF convoy near Awantipora in Kashmir's Pulwama district in which 45 of its troopers died and many injured. "China's culpability in allowing Azhar to roam around and mount terror attacks against India must be accounted. Heading the Pakistan-based terror outfit, he lives and moves freely in Pakistan," said Chandrasekhar. Exhorting India to hold Pakistan responsible for Azar's conduct and support to his terror activities, the industrialist lawmaker said China is the principal financial sponsor of Pakistan, which is bankrupt and run by its Army to pursue a perverted objective to avenge its defeat in the 1971 Bangladesh war. "Pakistan has a perverse way of looking at issues and approaching things even as the US signals withdrawing from Afghanistan. As Pakistani Army fears a power vacuum in the war-torn country, it wants to occupy it by keeping India and its troops engaged with terror attacks in Kashmir," the MP said. Calling upon the political parties to be united in the war against terrorism, the city-based MP said though Pakistan failed militarily and through covert wars over the decades, India should avenge the sacrifice of the CRPF troopers through all means and force at its disposal. "We must focus our anger and angst on Pakistan and China as a tribute to the CRPF troopers and others who laid down their lives to protect our country and secure our borders," Chandrasekhar added.  

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After ‘SaveVTU’ protest, K’taka CM Kumaraswamy drops plan of bifurcating university

Protest

Instead of the proposed bifurcation, a world-class institute will soon come up in Hassan.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy confirmed that the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) will not be bifurcated. The bifurcation was proposed in the State budget presented on February 8 but it faced resistance from several persons particularly from northern Karnataka since VTU is currently in Belagavi.  Instead of the proposed bifurcation, a world-class institute will soon come up in Hassan. “They are thinking that we are bifurcating VTU to benefit the southern part of the State. But we do not have any such intention, and I have decided to drop the idea,” Kumaraswamy said as per The Hindu. "It is significant that the Chief Minister has announced this from Hassan itself. We welcome the decision and we feel we are vindicated after relentlessly campaigning to prevent the bifurcation," Ashok Chandargi, an activist based in Belagavi told TNM. The change of heart comes after a protest was held in Belagavi criticising the decision as a discrimination against the northern districts in the state. A #SaveVTU signature campaign was started by Belagavi South MLA Abhay Patil. The campaign was supported by several MLAs from the northern districts of Karnataka cutting across political affiliations.  The protesters highlighted that bifurcating VTU when there is a shortage of students at technical universities in the state would lead to further issues. The protesters were also adamant that instead of setting up a new institute in Hassan, the government should develop the infrastructure being built in Muddenahalli in Chikkaballapura by VTU. The Kumaraswamy government has been accused of concentrating on Hassan and Old Mysore region in the state budget with several projects outlined for the southern districts.  The institute to be built in Hassan is expected to begin functioning by the next academic year.  The government had formed a panel to study the bifurcation of VTU before it was presented in the budget but it has now shelved its plans due to criticism over its decision. 

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B’luru Trust gets 15-day deadline from Forest Dept to stop sewage entering lake

Environment

The deadline comes after a campaign by residents of Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Mylasanra to protect the lake.

TNM Staff

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The Karnataka Forest Department has set a 15-day deadline for BGS Trust, which maintains a hostel and a hospital, to ensure that no sewage is let into the Mylasandra Lake in southwest Bengaluru. The deadline comes after a campaign by residents of Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Mylasanra to protect the lake.  In January, during a clean-up of the lake organised by the residents, they found that a sewage line extending from a hostel was allowing sewage water to enter the lake. They blocked the sewage line but weeks later another sewage line coming from a hospital run by BGS Trust is now allowing sewage water to enter the lake.  “A few months ago, residents had blocked the sewage line extending from the hostel that was feeding the lake with pollutants. Now, we have learnt that sewage is coming from the hospital. If the problem continues, we will take strict action against the people concerned,” Punati Sridhar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests told the Times of India.  The official also confirmed that BSG authorities have been given 15 days to fix the problem of sewage entering the lake.  A police complaint had been registered against BGS trust in July 2017 to stop sewage from being let into the lake. But residents claim that in spite of the complaint, the situation was not rectified.  The residents recently reported the issue to Nirmalanda Swamiji, seer of Adichunchanagiri Mutt, which runs the trust. He promised to examine the matter.  However, after no action was taken by the seer or the trust, residents approached the media and filed a formal complaint with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). 

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Bengaluru Cantonment-Whitefield train services to see cancellations, diversions

Transport

South Western Railway officials confirmed that 59 trains will be cancelled for four days due to the installation of the automatic signalling system between Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield.

TNM Staff

Commuters travelling in the Bengaluru Cantonment-Whitefield sections might be inconvenienced with train services along the route expected to be hit from February 16 to 19.  South Western Railway officials confirmed that 59 trains will be cancelled, 11 will be partially cancelled, while 15 will be diverted due to the installation of the automatic signalling system between Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield. The cancelled trains include the Mangaluru Central-Yeshwanthpur Junction weekly express, reported Deccan Herald.  The stretch between Bengaluru Cantonment and Baiyappanahalli stations became the first sector in the South Western railway network to be commissioned for automatic signalling. The stations in this section are Bangalore Cantonment, Bangalore East, Baiyyappanahalli, Krishnarajapuram (KR Puram), Hoodi (Halt) and Whitefield. Automatic signalling will make the movement of trains faster. Around 86 trains ply on the route, including 26 short distance/suburban trains. The project, which was initially sanctioned in the 2013-14 railway budget, was delayed for several years, but is now being installed at a cost of Rs 19.75 crore. The new system will also mean that long delays for trains approaching or leaving Bengaluru City Railway Station (KSR) will no longer be an issue for commuters.  Meanwhile, railway activists are demanding stoppages for long-distance trains at the Baiyappanahalli railway station following the completion of the extension of the platform at the station. The South Western Railway officials have proposed stoppages for the Bengaluru-New Delhi Karnataka Daily Express and Bengaluru Cantonment-Guwahati Triweekly Express at the station, reported Times of India. The reason for the demand is its proximity to several areas in the city including Whitefield, Indiranagar, HAL and Marathahalli. Currently, mostly suburban trains stop at the Baiyappanahalli station.

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K'taka govt set to make it a law to give Kannadigas priority in private sector jobs

Language

The move has been welcomed by pro-Kannada organisations, but private establishments say this will affect their working.

TNM Staff

In a move aimed at Kannadigas residing in the state, the Karnataka cabinet has decided to introduce recommendations made in the Sarojini Mahishi Committee report of 1986, to give 100% reservation for Kannadigas in Group C and D jobs in private establishments. “The recommendations so far had not received legal backing. Establishments set up in Karnataka, especially those that directly or indirectly benefit from the government through industrial concessions, tax concessions, land tax rebate, energy rebate or industrial policy incentives, will have to give priority to Kannadigas in Group C and D jobs, classified as clerical jobs or workmen, subject to qualification. We are making it a law now,” Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told The New Indian Express. The decision was welcomed by pro-Kannada activists in the state. "When private establishments like factories open in this state, the residents of this state will have given up land and resources for the intention of creating jobs. But is it fair if the jobs created in this state are given to people from elsewhere?" asked Arun Javagal, a member of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike. He further added that it will help Kannadigas gain employment in unskilled jobs in the state at a time business owners are increasingly preferring migrant workers. "This kind of policy will help because business owners usually prefer to hire migrant workers for lower salaries. Migrant workers in turn are happy with the wages paid and are motivated to work,” he said. The decision has been taken with an eye on the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and continues in the same vein as the pro-Kannadiga policies drawn up by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. However, not everyone is happy with the decision. "This is going to affect us badly as most of our workforce are migrants. There is a supply crisis at this moment and there are not enough people from here who can fill the positions. This is as simple as that. The city itself of Bengaluru is made up of migrants and probably there are more migrants than people who are from here. Is there any industry where there are more local people than migrants? The government should rather see it in a positive light that most of the local people have progressed so well that they are no longer in the blue collar spectrum," said Dheeraj, who runs a restaurant and bar in Bengaluru. According to the Sarojini Mahishi Committee report, a Kannadiga is not just someone who has lived in the state for 15 years, but who can speak, read, and write Kannada 'reasonably well'.    The move has been in the works for two years since it figured in the 2017-18 state budget. However, after questions were raised by the Advocate General of the Karnataka High Court about whether the rule violates Article 19 of the Constitution, the recommendations were not enforced and jobs for Kannadigas were only made a priority. This will now be made compulsory for all private companies established in the state after amendments are made to the Karnataka Industrial Employment Standing Orders, Rule 1961. The government has taken the precautionary measure of not calling it reservation. Applicants who believe that they have been wrongfully denied a job can now write to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the district complaining about the company. If the charges are proved, the DC can issue a notice to the company and the government can revoke incentives or facilities given to the company. Information Technology/Biotechnology sector and other sectors that demand technical knowledge will be exempted from this change.   The Sarojini Mahishi report prepared in 1986 recommended job reservations for Kannadigas in government jobs, public sector units and even in the private sector. Several of the 58 recommendations made in the report were implemented by the then state government and over the years, the report has turned into an important tool for local organisations demanding for greater job opportunities for Kannadigas. According to the central government, Group C jobs includes non-supervisory roles like clerks, stenographers, typists, telephone operators, while Group D jobs includes manual workers like peons, sweepers, and watchmen. Other recommendations made by the report include a minimum of 80% reservation for Kannadigas in Group B jobs and a minimum of 65% reservations in Group A jobs. The report also recommended that jobs in the private sector should be reserved for Kannadigas except for senior, skilled positions.

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Will poor decision-making cost cash-strapped BMTC Rs 75 cr central subsidy?

Transport

While BMTC wanted to lease electric buses owing to the low financial burden, Transport Minister DC Thamanna pushed for purchase which led to a conflict within the BMTC.

Soumya Chatterjee

The cash-strapped state government-owned Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is now staring at the risk of losing Rs 75 crore in subsidies from the Centre. This as the corporation is yet to decide if it wants to induct 80-odd electric buses into its fleet after being the first state transport body to conduct trials in 2014. The subsidy was promised as part of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles scheme by the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, and is set to expire on March 31.  A meeting is set to be held on Saturday to decide on the matter finally. Speaking to TNM, three-time Congress MLA and chairman of BMTC NA Haris, “We don’t want to miss the subsidy but the time is too short. We have a board meeting tomorrow and we will decide then. I have just come in, the Managing Director is also a new person, so it is a new team. We will decide based on what is best for the organisation.” While the BMTC had initially mooted the idea of leasing electric buses owing to the low financial burden, Transport Minister DC Thamanna pushed for purchase which led to a conflict within the organisation since November 2018. Meanwhile, the Managing Director under whom BMTC had finalised a leased deal with a Hyderabad-based company through a tendering process was also transferred. Even though the BMTC fleet has not increased in years, the National Green Tribunal has banned the purchase of BS-IV standard buses and asked BMTC to buy only electric or CNG buses. Compared to CNG buses, the maintenance cost of electric buses is lower ensuring better revenue compared to the presently used diesel buses. An IISc study has found that replacing a diesel bus with an electric bus reduces up to 25 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission annually. Even the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has asked the BMTC to phase out its exiiting BS-III buses. Commenting on the issue, Shaheen, Bangalore Bus Prayaanikara Vedike, a bus users’ forum, said, “Despite all this controversy, the main issue is that the city needs more buses. The idea of targeting BMTC to curb pollution is also misguided as is using electrical vehicles. Most of our electricity comes from thermal power plants so if not in Bengaluru, there will be air pollution at source. The thrust should be on curbing private vehicle usage and ensuring increase in number of buses and if it’s electric it is even better.”        

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Political ploy? K’taka govt allocates Rs 25 cr for Brahmin Board

Politics

The move by the JD(S)-Congress coaltion nis an attempt to win the confidence of the Brahmin population in the state, which is traditionally a BJP vote bank.

Soumya Chatterjee

Just months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Karnataka cabinet led by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has announced a grant of Rs 25 crore for setting up a Brahmin Development Board. The same was promised by the JD(S) in its manifesto ahead of the May 2018 Assembly Elections. And while the Brahmin Development Board was announced by Kumaraswamy in the state budget in July 2018, the grant of Rs 25 crore was cleared by the cabinet only on Thursday. Political analysts point out that this move is the coalition government's counter to the 10% quota for the economically weaker section (EWS) of upper castes announced by the Narendra Modi government in January. Moreover, this is also a play to win the confidence of Brahmin population which is traditionally thought to be a BJP vote bank. “The government has decided to set up the Brahmin Development Board and initiate a series of schemes for providing more opportunities for the economically weaker section of the community in the sphere of education, jobs and social commitments,” Rural Development Minister Krishna Byregowda told reporters following a cabinet meeting. He added, “The board will also be undertaking mass marriages and provide financial assistances to hold mass upanayanam.”  The Brahmin Development Board will function on the lines of boards set up for other communities. Commenting on this, political analyst Sandeep Shastri said this move is likely to benefit the Congress and JD(S) in urban seats and in the coastal Karnataka region. “It is definitely a corollary to the Centre’s economical weaker section. But let’s remember although this community is very small in terms of population with less than 5% presence, they are very influential. Given the fact that this community has traditionally backed the BJP, it is an effort of the government to take away some of those votes towards itself,” Shastri said. He added, “This can have an impact in urban seats as the community has a little larger presence in urban areas than rural Karnataka and also in the coastal region even though there is no seat where Brahmins are a significant vote chunk by themselves.” Another political commentator Mahadeva Prakash agreed this was in response to the Centre’s 10% EWS quota and said that this move was nothing but to appease the Brahmin community ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. “Till date, various commissions have found that despite their presence of little over 2.6%, they have representation of 6-7% be it in jobs or education,” he said. Prakash pointed out that there are two Lok Sabha seats— Bangalore South and Shimoga (both won by the BJP in 2014)— which have high presence of Brahmins. The BJP leaders in the state, however, are reluctant to react on the matter even though they acknowledge this seems to be an answer to the BJP-led Centre’s 10% EWS quota. The BJP-led government had on January 7 introduced in the Lok Sabha a controversial bill seeking to provide reservation to economically backward members among the ‘general category’ in government higher education institutes and jobs. Despite the criticism from opposition parties, the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha and later the Rajya Sabha. On January 12, President Ram Nath Kovind cleared the bill turning it into law.

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