BJP MP Pratap Simha apologises to Prakash Raj for derogatory social media post in 2017

Controversy

"It’s our responsibility to set good examples,” said Prakash Raj while accepting Pratap Simha’s apology.

Sanyukta Dharmadhikari

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha on Thursday apologised to actor-politician Prakash Raj for a post on social media in 2017. Prakash Raj had filed a defamation case against Simha after the MP did not respond to his legal notice asking that he apologise and withdraw the post.   “I had posted a derogatory article against u n your family on 2 & 3rd October 2017. However I understand these were unwarranted n hurtful. Therefore, I unequivocally withdraw n regret Twitter n FB post,” Pratap Simha wrote on Twitter on Thursday.  Dear @prakashraaj, I had posted a derogatory article against u n your family on 2 & 3rd October 2017. However I understand these were unwarranted n hurtful. Therefore, I unequivocally withdraw n regret Twitter n FB post. — Pratap Simha (@mepratap) August 8, 2019 A special court in Karnataka, while hearing Prakash Raj's case on Thursday, ordered Simha to tender a public apology. Speaking to TNM, Prakash Raj stated that he has accepted the MP's apology. "There was a hearing today. He had earlier offered a compromise, but I had insisted that only a public apology will suffice. This was repeated before the court today. Now he has apologised. We can all have ideological differences, but need to maintain dignity in debate. I believe that one who asks for forgiveness is a human being, the one who forgives is a bigger person. For me, it is a moral victory, but I had to pursue it for two years. It's good that he has regretted it, and I accept the apology," Prakash Raj told TNM. Thank you @mepratap ..I accept your apology... we may have differences with our ideology.. but let us not get Personel and dirty on social media .. as we both are successful individuals in our respective fields .. it’s our responsibility to set good examples.. .. all the best https://t.co/TSr0RF73qa — Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) August 8, 2019 On October 2, 2017, Simha had taken a personal dig at Prakash Raj after the actor had criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.   Pratap Simha’s tweet was a response to Prakash’s criticism on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence after the murder of noted journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, who was a friend of the actor. Prakash Raj had sent him a legal notice in November 2017. The legal notice also stated that in addition to the tweet on October 2, Pratap Simha made more remarks on October 3. According to Prakash Raj, Pratap Simha said to a channel, “Your name in Kannada is Prakash Rai and Prakash Raj in Tamil Nadu. You change your name and identity according to your convenience and necessity in different states.”  Prakash Raj then moved a Mysuru lower court after the MP did not reply or apologise and sought a compensation of Re 1. Calling Pratap Simha a serial offender who trolled people and made derogatory remarks on social media, Prakash Raj had then said, “He was trying to instigate and it has made my personal life difficult. When I'm sharing my hurt you can't troll me and ask your followers to troll. Mr Simha is a serial offender.”  In 2004, Prakash Raj's four-year-old son had died in an accident while flying a kite.

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Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa in Belagavi to monitor flood relief measures

Flood Releif

With no other ministers appointed in the cabinet, the CM is the only elected leader involved in monitoring the relief operations.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday visited flood-affected areas in Belagavi, the worst affected district in the state, to monitor rescue and relief operations. Six people who have died in the state due to the recent floods are all from Belagavi, including a policeman involved in rescue operations. The CM has announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the kin of the victims while the policeman’s family will get Rs 50 lakh.  Four NDRF teams comprising of 60 personnel have been deployed to affected areas in the district. Other than NDRF, two teams of SDRF of 43 persons, eight columns of Maratha Light Infantry comprising of 400 personal (rescue and engineering task force) have been deployed in the district.  At present, with no other ministers appointed in the cabinet, the CM is the only elected leader involved in monitoring the relief operations spread over the north, central and coastal districts of Karnataka, from the administration side. As of Thursday morning, two NDRF teams comprising 60 personnel and flood rescue equipment have been deployed in flood-affected areas of Raichur district. One NDRF team each has been deployed in Bagalkot and Dharwad districts.   As things stand, water releases from reservoirs are well-coordinated and as per protocol to prevent inundation of downstream areas. The levels in the reservoirs are adjusted to prevent inundation of downstream areas. The villages likely to be affected due to heavy discharge have been identified and necessary precaution taken, say officials.  The Health Department has cancelled all leaves in the flood-affected areas between August 9 and 15. According to the Met department, widespread rainfall will continue over the north, central and coastal districts.  District administrations have declared holiday for schools and colleges in Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru districts as a preventive measure. As a result of the damage to roads and landslides over rail tracks, several bus and train services have been discontinued.  /////          

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Death toll rises to 11 in Karnataka floods, over 40,000 people evacuated

Karnataka floods

In all, 253 relief camps have been opened in the state where 16875 people are currently camped.

Theja Ram

The death toll due to heavy rains and floods in Belagavi district rose to eight after four more people died on Wednesday. This takes the number of lives lost in the state to 11.  Sixteen-year-old Basavaraj Kamble was washed away in the Krishna river when he tried swim to the banks of the river in Teerth, a village which was flooded due to heavy rain. According to Belagavi District Commissioner Bommanahalli, Basavaraj Kamble and two other locals swam from Teeth to Sapthasagar village. While the two others made it, Basavaraj was washed away. Yellesh Gangaram Bannavar of Chandanhosur village and Padmavati Patil of Lolsur village in Gokak taluk died after their house collapsed due to heavy rain on Wednesday. DC Bommanahalli says that a newborn baby died in Athani when houses were flooded on Wednesday. On Thursday morning, 12-year-old Shilpa Siddappa Manguli, a Class 5 student died when she attempted to cross the stream in Nagara Munnolli village, taking the death toll to eight. In addition, two persons from Uttara Kannada and one person from Shivamogga lost their lives due to the heavy rains and floods. As per a situation report released by the Karnataka government, 67 relief camps have been opened in Uttara Kannada district and more than 8,000 people are camped in these relief camps. 161 relief camps have been opened in Belagavi district, 21 in Bagalkot district. and 4 in Raichur district housing over 14,000 people. More than 40,000 people have been evacuated, most of them from Belagavi. Two relief camps have been readied in Dakshina Kannada and eleven camps in Kodagu in case of increase in rains.  8 NDRF teams, 10 columns of the Indian Army including 8 columns of the Maratha Light Infantry and 2 SDRF teams are carrying out rescue operations. They are focused on Belagavi and Uttara Kannada over fears of the Krishna and Kali river overflowing. 

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Fresh landslides in Malnad region of Karnataka: Charmadi Ghat road blocked

Rains

Landslides were reported in Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts.

Theja Ram

The landslide near the railway tracks near Kukke Subrahmanya in Dakshina Kannada.

A landslide occurred near the railway tracks near Kukke Subrahmanya in Dakshina Kannada district late on Wednesday night. The Fire and Emergency Services and Civil Defence teams were rushed to the spot to clear the path on Thursday morning.  Landslides also occurred along the Madikeri-Mysuru Road and the Kudremukh-Karkala Road. The landslide on the Kudremukh-Karkala route was cleared on Wednesday. Landslides were reported at Charmadi Ghat on Wednesday at the third and tenth curves, and two trees were uprooted on Tuesday, blocking the path. The road remains shut for now. Similarly, at around 8 pm on Wednesday, fresh landslides occurred at Kalur in Kodagu district. Smaller landslides also occurred at Mukkodlu, Hattihole, Madikeri-Mangaluru highway, Sampaje, Gonikoppa and Siddapura in Kodagu.  According to Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Anees Joy, the reconstruction work along the bridge near Hattihole, which had begun after the 2018 floods, was completely destroyed due to the fresh landslides.  "In Siddapura, 20 forest dwelling families in Karadigodu Betta forest were shifted to the Karadigodu primary school. The forest area was flooded and so was the village downhill. Over 200 families have been evacuated to five relief camps," Anees Joy said.  Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, Sasikanth Senthil said that 14 flood-prone areas in the district are being monitored and the people dwelling near overflowing rivers have been advised to move to relief camps in case of flooding. The DC said that residents of Dakshina Kannada can contact the helpline 1077 to file a complaint regarding flooding.  The rains also continued to lash Uttara Kannada district in northern Karnataka where more than 16,000 people have been evacuated. Around 8,000 people are camped in 61 relief camps opened in the district.  Holidays have been declared for schools and colleges in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Uttara Kannada districts.  Control room numbers Belagavi control room: 0831-2407290 Dakshina Kannada control room: 0824-2442590 Vijayapura control room: 08352-221261 Udupi control room: 08202-574802 Bagalkot control room: 08354-236240 Uttara Kannada control room: 0838-2229857 Raichur district control room: 08272-221077 Kodagu control room: 08532-226383 Yadagiri control room: 08473-253771 Hassan control room: 08172-261111 Shivamogga control room: 08182-271101, 08182-267226 Chikkamagaluru control room: 08262-238950 State emergency operations center: 080-1070,080-22340676 WhatsApp: 9008405955 Fire and emergency services Flood control room: 080-25573333 WhatsApp: 9513749080  

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Over 25,000 people evacuated, flood situation in K’taka under control, say officials

Rains

A holiday has been announced for schools and colleges in Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts.

TNM Staff

PTI

As widespread rainfall continues over north, central and coastal Karnataka, district administrations have declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru districts as a preventive measure. According to officials, the flood situation in the state is under control but the situation remains tense with more rainfall predicted in the coming days.  In a message issued to Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada on Thursday at 7 am, the IMD has predicted moderate to heavy spells of rain in Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Belagavi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan and Mysuru. Weathermen said there will be light to moderate rainfall in Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga and Davangere districts.  According to Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner Harish Kumar, around 8,000 people have been evacuated to camps and an equal number of people have been shifted to their relatives’ homes located in high areas.  “We are releasing water from various dams. Apart from this belt, the rest of the district is under control and normal. There has been heavy rain over the past two days in the catchment area of Kadra river and we are monitoring the level of Kadra dam, which is the last dam around 30 km away from the Arabian sea. The people living in this 30 km stretch have been evacuated. Downstream of Kadra damn is under control. Because we have taken preventive measures there has been no loss of life,” Harish Kumar said.  A release from district authorities stated that the releases from reservoirs are well-coordinated and as per protocol to prevent inundation of downstream areas and the villages that likely to be affected due to heavy discharge have been identified and necessary precaution has been taken.  A joint rescue team comprising of Fire and Emergency, SDRF, NDRF and Army evacuated around 25,794 people on Wednesday. The Nodal officers are camping in vulnerable villages. The district administration is on high alert and is prepared to tackle any emergency arising out of heavy discharge from reservoirs.  The release added that minor landslips and tree falls have taken place and a few stretches of NH-66 (Panvel, Maharashtra to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu), NH-275 (Bengaluru-Bantwal), SH-91 (Lonanur - Ramanathapura - Kushalanagar - Siddapura - Virajpet- Makutta) have been damaged.  Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa visited flood-affected areas of Belagavi and interacted with officials and residents of the area. The Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary have been constantly monitoring the situation, officials have said.

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Karnataka tender e-Procurement website temporarily shut after cyber attack

Cyber Attack

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, and a police compliant has been filed.

TNM Staff

The Karnataka government’s e-Procurement portal for tenders has become the target of cyber attack. The e-Procurement portal https://ift.tt/2GTHYf8 the state government has been shut temporarily from the last six days, following the detection of external cyber attack, reported Bangalore Mirror. The portal was shut down temporarily for system repairs. "A police complaint has been filed with the cyber police station and matter has also been reported to CERT-In. Soon after CERT-In enquiry is over and system is hardened as per CERT-In recommendations, the eProc application would be restored in a couple of days," he said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. According to the chief executive officer of the e-Governance Centre, all tender processes in Karnataka as per Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act were functioning well for the last eight years.  The last instance of a government-run website being hacked in the state happened in August 2016. The Mysore University website was breached and defaced for about 8 hours, after hackers claiming to be from an Islamic group posted ‘jihadi literature’ on the homepage. The hackers had then identified themselves as the `Tunisian cyber resistance al-Fallaga Team' and their message called for an end to sectarian killings in Myanmar. Before that, in June 2016, the state police website was hacked. In that breach, the ksp.gov.in website was claimed by one “Faisal 1337”. A Pakistani flag was put in the middle of the website and a text ran, “We are team Pak Cyber Attackers, # Pakitan Zindabad”. However, it is not that only Karnataka government websites became the target of cyber criminals. A total of 25 websites of central ministries and state governments were hacked in the first five months of 2019 alone. This was revealed by IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Rajya Sabha.

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Despite HC ban on felling, five trees axed in Bengaluru for road widening

Environment

This even though the road, located in Whitefield, did not require any widening as it had very little traffic in the first place.

Soumya Chatterjee

Despite strict guidelines from the Karnataka High Court to make every effort to prevent indiscriminate tree felling in Bengaluru, more than five fully grown trees were allegedly axed by the civic body’s Major Roads Department without the requisite permission.  This incident occurred in Whitefield’s Kadugodi ward where the trees were felled for the widening of BTP Road off the ITPL Main Road leading to GR Tech Park. This even though the road did not require any widening since there is not a lot of traffic on the road anyway. The local residents had suspected that the trees would be felled when they saw boards announcing the road widening on Tuesday and they approached the local corporator. However, his office kept on insisting that the trees will only be trimmed and not face the axe. By Wednesday, these trees were cut. Sandeep Anirundhan, a resident of the area, who had first raised alarm with various authorities to stop the tree cutting, did not get any positive response. He said, “Now a well-shaped junction will become a deserted road. I discovered that the workers had no permission to cut the trees. In fact, there is a high court ban on tree felling until the tree committee is constituted.  So essentially what the BBMP has done is contempt of court.” The Forest Cell of the BBMP only took notice of the matter only after another activist Arun Prasad approached the Deputy Conservator of Forests himself.  TNM could not reach the Chief Engineer for Major Roads (BBMP) for a comment. Arun Prasad said, “The concerned BBMP officials should be punished. How can they do this when the metro (BMRCL) don’t dare to touch the trees without permission.” He added, “Now the officials want to wash their hands off the matter and are putting the blame on the contractor. This matter should be dealt with an iron hand.”  He also contended the action should be taken against them for not only the tree cutting but also for contempt of court.   It has now been learnt that Deputy Conservator of Forests Cholarajappa (also the Head of BBMP’s Tree Cell) did not give any permission to cut the trees. To give any permission the BBMP Tree Cell needs to form a ‘Tree Committee’ as directed by the high court. Upon learning of the matter, he has instructed the BBMP Forest staff to lodge a police complaint on the matter.

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