Bengaluru activists, citizens stage protest against clean chit to CJI Gogoi

Protest

The silent protest was held against the procedure of the probe conducted by the in-house panel that was probing the charges against CJI Ranjan Gogoi

By Anusha Itnal Next to a busy street in the heart of Bengaluru, around 30 women and a few men stood in silence, with black bands tied around their mouths. Most of them were holding placards and banners that read ‘Supreme Injustice’ and ‘Gogoi Gotta Go.’ On Tuesday evening, people gathered at Mud Tank in Bengaluru’s Richmond Town to carry out a silent protest mirroring one that was held in the national capital – to protest against the clean chit given to Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in the sexual harassment case against him. On Monday, the in-house panel, formed to probe the allegations against the CJI, stated that it had found ‘no substance’ in the allegations. At Mud Tank, activists Brinda Adige, Tara Krishnaswamy and comedian and writer Radhika Vaz joined the protests. “This is not just a miscarriage of justice, because this is not a case that has come up in court, but this is blatant impunity that is being portrayed by the judges of the highest court that they can get away with anything,” said Brinda Adige, speaking to TNM, adding that the panel formed was not in line with the Supreme Court’s own guidelines under the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) Act.   “The Supreme Court has treated this woman (the complainant) as an absolute scapegoat. If the Supreme Court is going to sit on a high horse and break the rules and laws that they themselves propagate, what do they expect the citizens to do? I think it is not only shameful but also atrocious that they can get away with anything without having regard to the Constitution, the institution and certainly no regard to the citizens,” stated Brinda Adige. Rashi, a criminologist, stated that the silent protest in the city was against the failure of the judicial system to hear women’s voices. “During the Me Too movement, there was a backlash against a lot of women for sharing their stories on social media and not making official complaints, well, here is an example of somebody who did follow the procedure and this is what happens. This is exactly why women don’t go ahead and complain because they know nothing really will come out of it. This protest is for the failure of the judicial system to hear women’s voices,” Rashi told TNM. Speaking to TNM, Tara Krishnaswamy, the co-founder of the Shakti and Citizens for Bengaluru, stated that when the Supreme Court does not follow their own laws, it is a huge letdown for the women of the country. “The accused is making public statements about the character of the woman, claiming she has criminal cases against her, she has been denied her the right to legal representation, she has not seen the report – there are just too many egregious things,” Tara said. Comedian and writer Radhika Vaz said, “What shocked and disgusted me the most was the fact that CJI’s wife allegedly asked the victim to rub her nose on the ground and apologise.” Satya Prasoon, an employee at the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) called the dismissal of the charges a “sham of a procedure.” “The SC formed an informal committee to deny all rights to the victim, they did not take into account the power difference between the victim and the CJI. This protest must go inside the court, the lawyers and young advocates, public officers that appear before the SC should take action until justice Gogoi recuses himself from all the administrative matters,” said Satya Prasoon. The protests in Delhi held on Tuesday morning saw several activists, lawyers and even members of the media being detained for about four hours at the Mandir Marg police station. The complainant, a former Supreme Court staffer, had submitted a sworn affidavit to 22 judges on April 19, accusing CJI Gogoi of sexually harassing her on two occasions in October 2018. An in-house panel, headed by Justice SA Bobde and comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Indu Malhotra, was formed to look into the allegations and on May 5, dismissed the charges of sexual harassment against CJI Ranjan Gogoi. On Tuesday, the complainant in the case sought a copy of the report filed by the committee that found “no substance” in her allegations.   "I have a right to know how, why and on what basis have your Lordships found my complaint to have 'no substance'," the complainant has said in a statement, adding she was "deeply shocked" on the outcome of the committee's findings.

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Udupi stares at water scarcity, Municipal Council taps Swarna river to meet water needs

Water

Water supply in Udupi has been affected by the lack of rainfall coupled with the drying up of water sources.

Prajwal Bhat

Representational Image

District authorities in Udupi have taken the drastic step of pumping water from holes in the riverbed of the Swarna river to ensure sufficient water supply this month. The decision was taken on Monday. A team from the Udupi City Municipal Council along with experts were posted at the Baje dam near Hiriyadka in the district to begin the process of channelling the water from the holes in the riverbed. The holes refer to ponds where water from the river accumulates. "There is a scarcity of water because sources have dried up due to the heat. We will be channelling and using water from available sources," confirmed Udupi Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani. "By Tuesday evening, we will begin pumping the water," she added. Water from holes in areas like Shiroor and Puttige will be accumulated and treated at the Baje reservoir before it is supplied to meet the water demands of Udupi and neighbouring areas. The district has been plagued by water scarcity during the summer months for the last few years. At the Baje reservoir, the water level needs to be 1.7 metres in order to be drawn. Currently, the water is at 1.2 metres only. Water supply in Udupi has been affected by the lack of rainfall coupled with the drying up of water sources. Water rationing is already in place in the district and water is being provided once every three days. However, this will now be reduced even further due to the lack of water availability. "We have to continue the rationing of water and we cannot give it once in three days. We will work out based on the availability of water," the Deputy Commissioner said. The DC, however, refused to share the new system of water supply. "It could be even longer because it depends on the altitude and alternative sources of water. We are working out how we will use the available water," she said. Udupi usually receives good rainfall from the first week of June, which is when the monsoon season begins. Officials in the district are hopeful that the measures taken by them can sustain the water supply in Udupi and other areas for the rest of the month.

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Not another traffic jam in B’luru: Whitefield residents want alt route to Kundalahalli

Civic Issues

lthough the project was envisioned five years ago, the construction of the underpass began only in the first week of March after delay due to land acquisition.

Rohit R.

Vaishali, a parent, is worried about the additional hours her children will take to get to school, and this is also the plight of many office-goers as the Kundanahalli Junction in Bengaluru could be shut down. The junction connects Marathahalli and other surrounding areas with Whitefield, and if the plans of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) go through, this could severely hamper the movement of traffic. Kundanahalli Gate junction is an entry point for numerous schools and IT companies in Whitefield. With metro work being undertaken on Old Madras Road and a bridge be constructed bridge at Varthur Kodi, the construction of the underpass has put further stress on vehicular traffic.  It was a project that was envisioned five years ago. However, construction began only in the first week of March after delays due to land acquisition. This underpass is being constructed to make a signal-free corridor from Hopefarm Junction to Trinity Circle.  The civic body plans to close the busy intersection to facilitate the construction of the underpass and is coordinating with the Bengaluru Traffic Police. However, citizens are concerned as there are only a few alternative routes, and commuters aren't sure that these routes will be able to accommodate the traffic.  A member of Whitefield Rising, a civic movement, voiced his concerns about the lack of alternative arrangements and the condition of alternative roads. “The roads cannot accommodate the vehicles plying and would further worsen the traffic in these areas,” said the member, who did not wish to be named. A BBMP official said that the closing of the junction would expedite the project. A traffic police constable stationed at the traffic signal, however, told TNM that he was not sure about the closing down of the junction. “We aren’t aware of such information; if it’s the case, alternate routes would have been announced,” said the traffic constable.  However, the public is sceptical whether the work would be completed before the monsoon sets in.  Residents also point out that they were not notified before construction began. “We later had to bring in BMTC, BBMP, the contractors and traffic police to come up with solutions when the work commenced. Now, we are calling them on again, hoping that necessary arrangements would be made and that consultation with the public would be taken up,” said the Whitefield Rising member.

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Bengaluru, parts of south interior, coastal Karnataka to witness thunderstorms on Tuesday

Weather

A thunderstorm warning has been issued for Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagara, Kolar, Chickaballpura, Tumakuru, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Kodagu and Chitradurga.

Soumya Chatterjee

Representational Image

Bengaluru and parts of south interior Karnataka, coastal Karnataka and Malnad districts are likely to witness thunderstorms with scattered light to moderate rains, with isolated heavy rains and gusty winds. The Indian Meteorological Department issued a thunderstorm warning to the Deputy Commissioners of Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagara, Kolar, Chickaballpura, Tumakuru, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Kodagu and Chitradurga. “Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds reaching 30 to 40 kmph and light to moderate spells of rain is likely to affect your district in next 03 hours,” the note said. This is likely to bring down temperatures throughout the state, which is experiencing yet another year of deficient rainfall. Deficient rainfall Daily reports prepared by the state government show an overall 40% deficit of rainfall in the pre-monsoon season as of Monday. The worst affected districts are Bidar, Udupi and Koppala, which have a deficit of 66%, 63% and 62% respectively in the period between March 1 and May 6. Bengaluru Urban has a rainfall deficiency of 16% while Bengaluru Rural has a deficiency of 14%. Drinking water Successive drought years have resulted in the drying up of the traditional sources of water in many parts of the state forcing the government to supply drinking water through tankers. A total of 1,324 villages are getting water through 2,177 tankers operated by the State Emergency Operation Centre as part of drought relief measures. Deaths due to weather related disasters So far in the same pre-monsoon period between March 1 and May 6, 20 people have lost their lives across the state due to rain and lightning. Chikkamagaluru has seen three such deaths, while five districts including Bengaluru have seen two deaths each. Disaster Management officials said that they are prepared for instances of lightning and other rain-related incidents.

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Trouble for K'taka Minister HD Revanna? EC to probe election malpractice allegations

Lok Sabha 2019

Karnataka Minister HD Revanna has been accused of allegedly letting in a group of people inside the booth, after polling had concluded, who then cast proxy votes.

TNM Staff

The Election Commission is conducting a probe into allegations of election malpractice against Karnataka PWD Minister HD Revanna. The probe has been ordered after BJP polling agents Mayanna and Raju filed a complaint with Hassan Deputy Commissioner alleging that Minister Revanna allowed proxy voting in Holesnarasipura. Regional Commissioner TK Anil Kumar is heading the probe panel. This comes three weeks after DC Priyanka Mary Francis suspended three polling officials. According to the complaint filed on April 18, after voting at the polling station in Paduvalahippe in Holenarasipura, Minister Revanna allegedly let in a group of people inside the booth who then cast proxy votes. The complainant has alleged that one of the proxy voters was his friend had voted in booth number 244 before coming to the one in Paduvalahippe at Minister Revanna’s request. A day after the complaint was filed, DC Priyanka had suspended polling officers V Yogeesh, a faculty member at LV Polytechnic College in Hassan, who worked as the presiding officer, PC Ramachandra and Ganesh, teachers, who worked as poll officials at the booth. Paduvalahippe was identified as one of the sensitive and high-profile booths in Hassan as Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and his family members vote there. The BJP polling agents alleged that Revanna had stayed in the booth for a while even after casting his vote to ensure that the proxy voting could be carried out. Meanwhile, a sector officer has filed a complaint against a BJP leader for allegedly filing a false complaint. Mayanna has been accused of misleading election officials due to his rivalry with Minister Revanna. Apart from the complaint filed regarding proxy voting in Paduvalahippe, Mayanna had filed another complaint with the EC that similar proxy voting took place in two polling booths 277 and 200. The sector officer, who conducted the probe, found that no such incident had taken place in booths 277 and 200. He then filed a complaint against Mayanna under section IPC Sections 177 (Furnishing false information) and 171(g) (False statement in connection with an election).    

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Rs 900 crore farm loans in Karnataka to be waived after May 23

Farm Loan

The Karnataka government had stopped disbursing farm loans as the Election Commission had issued a direction that it violates the model code of conduct.

Harshitha AB

The Karnataka government on Monday announced that Rs 900 crore will be released as a part of the farm loan waiver scheme after May 23. Around 1.5 lakh farmers are expected to benefit from the scheme. The scheme was introduced by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy in August 2018 and so far, the government claims to have waived farm loans worth Rs 7,417 crore for 15.5 lakh farmers. The government had, however, stopped waiving farm loans after the Election Commission issued direction to halt the scheme due to the model code of conduct. The EC had stated that the scheme involved monetary benefits and that voters would be motivated to favour the ruling government in the Lok Sabha Elections. According to data provided by the Chief Minister’s office, loans in commercial banks worth Rs 3,939 crore has been waived for 7.49 lakh farmers till April 2019. In the cooperative bank sector, Rs 3,488 crore worth loans have been waived for 8.1 lakh farmers. The data suggests that Kalaburgi has the highest number of beneficiaries (72,654), whose loans have been waived, followed by Haveri (62,915) and Raichur (49,280). In commercial banks, Belagavi district has recorded the highest number of farmers whose loans have been waived (87,276) followed by Tumkur (82798) and Mandya (78,167). According to officials with the Co-operation Department, a variety of factors have resulted in the delay of farms loans being waived. Speaking to TNM, an official said that many a times there are delays in the process due of mismatch of information in the loan waiver applications and Aadhaar card details.  “Sometimes there are slight variations such as different spellings appearing in these two documents such as Basavaraju and Basavarajappa. Even though both documents belong to the same person, spelling errors call for verification and the application is transferred to the Taluk Committee. Similar errors like different initials or surnames also go through the same verification process,” the official said. Another major cause for delay, he says, is the transfer of the loan to the legal heirs of farmers who have died. “There are also instances of death of the applicants in which case the proceedings need to verified. The land records state that the plot belongs to one person but the application may have been filed by the legal heir of the farmer as he may have died. Such complications are sent to the Taluk committee to be resolved and therefore, these applications by farmers are not rejected but put on hold until their information is verified,” he added.

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16-wheeler truck hits divider on Bengaluru flyover, causes traffic jam near Silk Board

Accident

The accident also caused a traffic jam at Iblur, Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli and Bellandur on Tuesday morning.

TNM Staff

A traffic jam occurred at the Agara flyover in Bengaluru after a 16-wheeler truck hit a divider on Tuesday morning.  The incident occurred after the driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the divider on the flyover at around 6 am. The accident led to a traffic jam at Silk Board junction, a spot in the city infamous for its traffic bottlenecks. It also led to traffic jams at Iblur, Outer Ring Road, Kaadubeesanahalli and Bellandur.  Emergency services were rushed to the spot following the incident "The driver was sleepy in the morning and mistakenly hit the divider on the flyover. It was a huge truck, the kind that transports cars for long distances. The driver has suffered minor injuries but since it was a massive vehicle, there was no major damage done to the vehicle." said a traffic police official speaking to TNM. Police and traffic officials reached the spot after they were informed about the incident. After close to 3 hours, the officials managed to clear the traffic on the flyover and move the vehicle aside. Officials are working to ensure that the traffic gridlock in other surrounding areas are also eased up. A traffic pile-up was also reported at the Columbia Asia Hospital Junction.  The incident comes just two weeks after a truck driver and his associate were killed after their truck fell from the Yeshwanthpur flyover while negotiating a sharp turn.  Read: 2 trucks fall off Bengaluru flyover in 2 years, IISc prof suggests solutions  

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