Centre may not release funds for private property damaged in Karnataka floods

Flood relief

The Karnataka government had estimated the damage to crops and infrastructure due to the heavy rains in August at Rs 3,845.11 crore.

TNM Staff

Funds for flood relief aid sought by the Karnataka government from the Centre are set to be delayed after the central government stated that relief cannot be sanctioned for damages to private infrastructure. The state government estimated the damage to crops and infrastructure due to the heavy rains in August at Rs 3,845.11 crore and sought immediate relief funds from the central government. This included damages to both public and private buildings.  However, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka confirmed to reporters that the Centre has sought clarification from the Karnataka government about flood-relief works. “We had taken into consideration damages to private hospitals, schools, and other private buildings while estimating total relief. Now, the Centre has told us that relief cannot be granted to private infrastructure, and hence we are now reworking the estimated loss. We will send the revised report to the Centre in the next two days,” he said as per The Hindu. He added that most people camped in relief centres have returned home and that immediate relief was already given to over 2 lakh people. "Only 1,929 families in Belagavi are yet to receive immediate relief. We have received complaints (of false claims) and we are verifying the claims", Ashoka said as per Times of India. The state government reported that 2,47,628 houses, 8.88 lakh hectares of farmland and 21,818 km of roads were damaged. The floods were caused by heavy rains in the state in the first week of August. It prompted rescue and relief operations in coastal, Malnad and northern parts of the state. In all, the floods affected 22 of the 30 districts while landslides were reported in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada and Hassan districts. The heavy rainfall had led to a high inflow of up to 6 lakh cusecs of water into the Krishna river causing it to overflow and cause flooding in the northern Karnataka districts of Belagavi, Bagalkot, Raichur and Yadgir. 

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'Don't misuse caste': BJP on Vokkaliga community protest against DK Shivakumar arrest

Politics

Leaders like CT Ravi and Shobha Karandlaje stated that the law is the same for all, irrespective of caste.

TNM Staff

Following the massive rally organised by members of the Vokkaliga community protesting the arrest of Congress leader DK Shivakumar, BJP leaders in the state questioned the attempts to give a 'caste angle' to the protest.  MP Shobha Karandlaje said that the issue should not be misconstrued as casteist and that the law is the same for everyone.  "Investigation agencies have given enough time to correct and prove himself but he failed and for his personal misdeeds, he is being questioned now. One shouldn't misuse caste or religion to save themselves from unlawful activities. The law is the same for all and will take its own course of action,” she said in a tweet.  Investigation agencies has given enough time to correct & prove himself, but he failed & for his personal misdeeds he's being questioned now. One shouldn't missuse caste/religion to save himself from unlawful activities, law is same for all & will take its own course of action. pic.twitter.com/nKNMmfHAnT — Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) September 11, 2019 Tourism and Kannada Culture Minister CT Ravi asked the community to introspect the decision to come out in support of DK Shivakumar.  "Did the BJP start the ED? Does ED differentiate between castes? If you are honest and not done anything wrong, won't you be cleared by the courts? Those supporting a corrupt (person) on the basis of his community must introspect their decision,” he said on Twitter.   - Did the BJP start the ED? - Does ED differentiate between Castes? - If you are honest and not done anything wrong, won't you be cleared by the Courts? - Those supporting a Corrupt on the basis of His Community must introspect their decision. — C T Ravi ಸಿ ಟಿ ರವಿ (@CTRavi_BJP) September 11, 2019 Ravi, a Vokkaliga leader himself, urged people of the community to idolise stalwarts like Shantaveri Gopala Gowda, Kengal Hanumanthaiya, and Kuvempu, instead. The protest organised by Vokkaligara Sangha members and supported by Congress also saw Vokkaliga seers speak out in support of Shivakumar.  “This [numbers in the rally in Bengaluru] is only a sample and symbolic. If the community is hurt, more people will descend on Bengaluru. If we seers call for a protest, there will be no place in Bengaluru. Now only community representatives are here and not the entire community,” Nanjavadhoota Swami, a religious head of Vokkaligas, said, as per The Hindu. His statements were seen as a veiled warning to the BJP.  Wednesday's protest threw traffic out of gear in Bengaluru's southern and central areas as thousands of people marched from the National College Grounds in Basavangudi to Freedom Park. Congress leaders Krishna Byre Gowda, Sowmya Reddy, Ramalinga Reddy, and Dinesh Gundu Rao took part in the protest. 

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Vaping-related disease spurs calls for tighter rules in Congress

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Pelosi tries to split Trump, Republicans over drug pricing

The six-page proposal that surfaced Monday and that Pelosi’s office says is still subject to change is more progressive than many expected.

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Number of uninsured Americans rises for the first time since Obamacare

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Traffic fines will be lowered in the state, promises Karnataka CM

Transport

A government order with the revised fine amounts will be published once it is okayed by the CM.

TNM Staff

Representational Image

Taking a leaf out of Maharashtra and Gujarat, Karnataka government led by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has decided to reduce the newly introduced traffic fines as per the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019. The law was passed by both the Houses of Parliament with three major amendments recently. According to the CM’s office, Yediyurappa during a review meeting asked Transport Minister Laxman Savadi to look at the steps taken by the Maharashtra and Gujarat governments to give relief to citizens affected by the new fines. In some cases, the fines have increased 10 times, proving too exorbitant for violators. "Chief Minister Yediyurappa insisted that the fine amount be reduced to ensure that the common man can afford it. He has asked the Transport Department to get copies of government orders issued in this regard from Gujarat and Maharashtra and then come up with updated fines," an official told TNM. The exact modalities are being decided by officials of the Transport Department and the exact change in the fine rates will be notified shortly. Till then offenders will be fined according to existing rates as introduced earlier this month. A government order with the revised fine amounts will be published once it is okayed by the CM. It was reported how a Bengaluru man had to pay a fine of Rs 17,000  since the higher fines kicked in. The Bengaluru motorist, Akash, is a resident of Varthur and works with a private company. Out of the Rs 17,000, he had to pay Rs 10,000 for drinking and driving, Rs 5,000 for driving without a license and Rs 2,000 as both he and his pillion rider did not have helmets. The traffic police department has been enforcing the new fines for the last few days. As per statistics released by Bengaluru Traffic Police department, there were 6,813 people booked for traffic violations in Bengaluru between September 4 and September 9 (until 10 am). Traffic police officials collected over Rs 72 lakh in fines in the same period.

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Caste politics in rally for DK Shivakumar: Will Vokkaligas turn against BJP?

Politics

The rally was to reinforce the allegation that BJP was targeting a Vokkaliga leader like DKS and appointing a Vokkaliga Deputy CM was just an eyewash.

Theja Ram

PTI

It was a show of strength by the Vokkaliga community, as thousands of them along with Congress and JD(S) cadres gathered at Bengaluru’s National College grounds on Wednesday to lend support to Congress leader and former Minister DK Shivakumar. DK Shivakumar, who hails from the Vokkaliga community, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on September 3 on charges of money laundering. The location of National College in Basavanagudi was significant given that it’s situated in a BJP stronghold, Bengaluru south. The protest march was not just to portray DKS, as he is popularly known, as the Congress’ Vokkaliga face, but to also turn his arrest into a caste issue. The Vokkaliga community, hailing from south Karnataka makes up 11% of the state's population, and have traditionally voted for the JD(S) as HD Deve Gowda is seen as the community's tallest leader. With DK Shivakumar being the only prominent Vokkaliga face in the Karnataka Congress, the party is trying to strengthen his position as a Vokkaliga leader. The massive protest held in Bengaluru was an attempt to solidify his presence as not just a Vokkaliga leader but also one who has the support of the grassroots. On the other hand, the BJP has for decades been seen as a Lingayat party with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa hailing from the powerful community that comprises 14% of the state population. In an attempt to rid itself of the Lingayat tag, the BJP appointed three Deputy CMs, one each from the Lingayat, Vokkaliga and Dalit communities. Solidarity and consolidation With Vokkaligas rallying behind DKS, the Congress hopes it will break the BJP’s attempts to consolidate the opposition’s voter base in its favour.   Protests had broken out last week in Kanakapura, Shivakumar’s home constituency following his arrest, with several supporters raising slogans against the BJP, accusing the party of trying to sabotage the Vokkaliga community. The intensity of the protests in Kanakapura was such that CM Yediyurappa too softened his stance on Shivakumar’s arrest. “I will be the happiest person if he (DK Shivakumar) comes out of this safely,” Yediyurappa had said. Among the organisations that led Wednesday’s protest march include Vokkaliga Sangha, Vishwa Vokkaliga Maha Vedike, Vokkaliga Kempegowda Yuva Vedike, Nadaprabhu Vokkaliga Kendra and Kannada Rakshana Vedike.  They gave a call for a large-scale protest following news of DK Shivakumar’s daughter being summoned by the ED. “We are here to show solidarity with DK Shivakumar and to show him that he is not alone in this fight. We are here to show him support and say that the entire state is with him,” said Narayana Gowda, President of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, who is also a member of the Vokkaliga community. Speaking to TNM, a Congress leader said that by reaching out to the sentiments of fellow Vokkaligas, the party could put pressure on the BJP in connection with DK Shivakumar’s arrest. “The BJP is not just targeting Congress leaders, who pose a threat to them politically, they are also trying to sabotage a strong Vokkaliga leader like DK Shivakumar. We just want to show everyone that the BJP is not doing any favours to the Vokkaliga community by appointing Ashwathnarayana as the Deputy CM. So many Vokkaligas have come to support DK Shivakumar. This just shows that they too know that the BJP will always be a Lingayat party. The protest was meant to reiterate that,” the Congress leader alleged. Why Kumaraswamy backs DKS Despite the Congress and JD(S) coalition falling apart and being traditional rivals in the Old Mysuru region, former Chief Minister and Ramanagara MLA HD Kumaraswamy came out in support of DK Shivakumar. Kumaraswamy had accused the BJP of indulging in vindictive politics when the ED had announced DK Shivakumar’s arrest. “Opposition leaders are easy victims of power misuse. In public life, we need to be strong to face baseless allegations and conspiracies. I am sure Mr DK Shivakumar is strong enough to face this vindictive agenda against him,” Kumaraswamy had said. JD(S) insiders say that Kumaraswamy’s statement in support of Shivakumar was to show solidarity and unite the members of the community. “By showing that he has the back of a fellow Vokkaliga, Kumaraswamy is only ensuring that the JD(S)’ vote bank does not turn to the BJP,” said a source in the JD(S). Significantly, however, the former PM and JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda has remained silent on DKS’s arrest.  “The JD(S) obviously does not want Shivakumar to become the next Vokkaliga face in Karnataka. Deve Gowda wants Kumaraswamy to succeed him. If the full force of the JD(S) was to be behind Shivakumar, over 10 lakh people would have gathered in Bengaluru for the protest,” the JD(S) source pointed out. However, whether Vokkaligas will continue to rally behind DK Shivakumar and the Congress, especially at the time of the elections, remains to be seen.

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