BJP Karnataka chief Nalin Kumar Kateel calls for closure of pubs and bars in Mangaluru

Politics

Sources in the Karnataka CM’s office confirmed to TNM that the demand is not being considered by the government.

Pooja Prasanna

Courtesy: PTI

“I told the Commissioner of Police yesterday that we should shut down all pubs in the district. It's ruining youngsters,” declared the BJP Karnataka president, Nalin Kumar Kateel, speaking to party workers in Dakshina Kannada. Thus far, his comment has not received support either from the district administration in Dakshina Kannada or the BJP government in the state. “In our time we stopped operation of clubs. If the government doesn't take a decision, I'll urge the youth wing to take appropriate legal action,” Kateel added amidst applause from his audience. TNM spoke to sources in the Karnataka CM’s office, on whether the demand made by Kateel on closure of pubs in the coastal city is being deliberated. We were told that no such formal request has come to them. The source also confirmed that the CM has not even considered closure of pubs in Mangaluru or elsewhere in the state. After Unlock 4, the Karnataka government has allowed restaurants, pubs and bars to reopen with precautionary measures. Kateel is no stranger to controversies and openly wears his Hindutva brand of politics on his sleeves. Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he had said, “Nathuram Godse had killed only one person-Mahatma Gandhi. Former Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi had killed 17,000.” But despite this, months later, he was promoted from an MP to Karnataka BJP President, replacing BS Yediyurappa. In another instance, Kateel had threatened a police officer in the district, demanding the release of BJP party workers who were arrested. He had also once said that he would set the district on fire if his party workers were not released. Kateel was elected to Lok Sabha from Dakshina Kannada district in 2009, in the backdrop of the infamous pub violence that took place in Mangaluru. Since then, the three-time MP has made several contentious statements on moral policing, cow slaughter, love jihad etc. Kateel has been issued notices too for his remarks, latest one for his statement on Rajeev Gandhi. But beyond that, no action has been taken against him by the party. 

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Heavy rains causes flooding in Udupi, one dead in Dakshina Kannada in wall collapse

Rains

Water entered homes, inundated paddy fields and blocked off roads in Udupi after a spell of overnight rains prompting rescue operations by local residents and NDRF officials.

Prajwal Bhat

Kalsanka in Udupi

Incessant overnight rains disrupted life in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts in coastal Karnataka and left parts of the district inundated in rainwater on Sunday. Water entered homes, inundated paddy fields and blocked off roads in Udupi after a spell of overnight rains prompting rescue operations by local residents and teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials. No loss of life was reported in Udupi district so far. Rising water levels were reported in Udupi, Gundibailu, Alevoor, Adi Udupi, Kinimulky, Mulky, Brahmavara, Badagupete, and in villages in Karkala taluk including Yennehole and Hermunde. The main roads connecting Kalsanka and Gundibailu, Udupi and Mangaluru were blocked due to water-logging.   Water-levels were similarly high in the coastal Mattu village in Udupi district and local residents began rescue operations to ensure those who are living in low-lying areas are shifted to safer places. Rising water levels were also reported in the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple’s parking lot area. Visuals showed that the parking area was submerged in water. Three boats capsized in the port in Malpe in the district following the heavy rains.  The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) had earlier warned fishermen in the coastal districts against venturing out into the sea and many boats which were at sea had also returned to the coast after the red alert was issued.  While heavy rainfall is common in the coastal districts of Karnataka, residents reported that the rainfall was much higher than usual on Saturday. “The rains were fairly consistent throughout the day (on Saturday) and increased overnight. When we woke up this morning, there was water up to the knee level on the roads leading to our home,” Varun, a resident of Gundibailu in Udupi told TNM. The rains continued to lash on Sunday morning threatening residents living in low-lying areas of Udupi district. Kota Srinivas Poojary, District in-charge Minister, Dakshina Kannada, told reporters that more NDRF teams will arrive in Udupi to help with rescue efforts.  A helpline number  - 1077 - is active for for residents in Udupi to make complaints about damages due to the rains. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall was reported in Dakshina Kannada district on Saturday and a worker died after the compound wall of a school in Mangaluru's Kulur area collapsed. Umesh, 38, a daily wage worker was working close to the school compound and was buried in the debris following the collapse of the wall.  The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) reported very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over parts of coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka on Saturday. A red alert was issued in coastal Karnataka and heavy rains were reported in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada throughout the day on Saturday before overnight rains caused flooding. A similar warning was issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) as well.  Continuous rainfall was reported in Kodagu district of Karnataka with rainfall of 94mm recorded in Bhagamandala in the district.   

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Karnataka farmers want exemption to export Bangalore Rose onions

Agriculture

The Union government banned the export of onions, including the 'Bangalore Rose' onions and Krishnapuram onions on September 14.

IANS

DV Sadanada Gowda meeting with Kolar MP and delegation of Kolar farmers

In the wake of the Union government's decision to ban onion exports to safeguard domestic interests, Karnataka farmers on Saturday appealed to make an exception. They appealed to the Union government to allow the shipment of 10,000 tonnes of 'Bangalore Rose' variety of onion to prevent the produce from rotting as there is no demand in the domestic market. A delegation of 'rose variety' onion growers, led by Kolar BJP Lok Sabha member S Muniswamy, met Union Chemical and Fertiliser Minister DV Sadananda Gowda in Bengaluru and urged him to take up the matter with Union government ministers concerned. The statement released from Gowda's office stated that the Union Minister had assured the delegation that he would shoot a letter in this regard to the Union Commerce Minister and Agriculture Minister. In its memorandum, the delegation stated that farmers in Bengaluru Rural, Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts have grown more than 10,000 tonnes of 'Bangalore Rose' onions this year. "This variety is being exported to Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan because there is not much demand for it in the domestic market," the delegation stated. Requesting the Union government to exempt 'Bangalore Rose' onions from the export ban, the delegation asserted, "If the export of 10,000 tonnes is not allowed, then the entire quantity would be destroyed." Notably, in order to keep a check on rising prices, the Union Commerce and Industry Minister on September 14 had banned the export of onions, including the 'Bangalore Rose' onions and Krishnapuram onions (similar to rose variety). Last year, too, the Union government had banned the onion export to contain price rise for a certain period, but later it exempted the 'Bangalore Rose' on the Karnataka government's request.

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Congress MLA Priyank Kharge tests positive for coronavirus

COVID-19

This comes after Karnataka Deputy CM Ashwath Narayan also tested positive for coronavirus earlier on Saturday.

TNM Staff

File image

Former Karnataka Minister and Congress legislator Priyank Kharge has tested positive for coronavirus and is at home isolation for treatment. The Congress MLA confirmed the news in a tweet on Saturday. "I have been tested positive for coronavirus. I have no symptoms. Request to all those who had come in contact with me in the last couple of days to get themselves tested as a precautionary measure. Stay safe," tweeted Priyank.   The 41-year-old lawmaker from the Chittapur Assembly segment in Kalaburagi district in Karnataka’s northern region. He is the son of veteran Congress leader and newly-elected Rajya Sabha member Mallikarjun Kharge from the southern state. Earlier in the day, state Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan tested positive for coronavirus and is at home isolation in the city. "Ahead of the Monsoon session of the State Legislative session from Monday, I underwent a COVID-19 test and the result has turned positive. I am asymptomatic and will be under home isolation," tweeted Narayan in Kannada.  Narayan, 51, is one of the three Deputy Chief Ministers in the ruling BJP government and is a legislator from the Malleshwaram Assembly segment in the city's northwest suburb. The other two Deputy Chief Ministers are Govind Karjol and Laxman Savadi. Ashwath Narayan is the latest Minister to be infected by the coronavirus after state Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai tested positive on September 16 and state Food and Civil Supplies Minister K Gopalaiah on September 15. Bommai, 61, is under home quarantine, while Gopalaiah, 57, has been admitted to a private hospital in the city, although both are asymptomatic. The state legislature Secretariat has directed all legislators, including Ministers to take a COVID-19 test by Friday and informed them that only those whose results are negative would be allowed to attend the eight-day session. The Secretariat made it mandatory for all officials, security personnel and media persons attending the session to take the test by Saturday to ensure they are virus-free to attend the Assembly and the Council. "As the Ministers under treatment are required to be under quarantine for at least 14 days, they are likely to miss the ensuing Legislative session," said an Assembly official.

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‘Dance India Dance’ fame Kishore Shetty arrested in Mangaluru for alleged drug peddling

Crime

On the same day, the Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru arrested two foreign nationals for allegedly selling drugs.

TNM Staff

The Central Crime Branch police arrested dancer-actor Kishore Aman Shetty and another man from Mangaluru, allegedly for drug peddling and consumption. Shetty is a well-known celebrity in the coastal region, who rose to fame after he participated in the television reality shows like 'Dance India Dance' and featured in the Bollywood superhit flick ABCD: Anybody Can Dance, directed by Tamil dancing sensation Prabhu Deva.  The other man, identified as 28-year-old Aqeel Nausheel, has been arrested for allegedly possessing synthetic drug MDMA. "The CCB police arrested the accused (Shetty and Aqeel) on Sunday morning. They purchased drugs from Mumbai and sold the contraband in Mangaluru," Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Vikash Kumar Vikash told reporters. The police alleged that both procured drugs from Maharashtra and Bengaluru to sell them in Mangaluru to students, among others. The police seized MDMA, a motorcycle and two mobile phones from their possession. Aqeel earlier worked as a safety officer in a Gulf country but returned to India around a year ago. Shetty also allegedly got involved in selling the drug for easy money.  A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was registered against the duo. Bengaluru police arrest two African nationals Meanwhile, in Bengaluru too, the police made fresh arrests in a drive against illegal drug trafficking on the same day. The CCB in Bengaluru on Saturday arrested two African nationals, for allegedly possessing ecstasy tablets, LSD strips and a weighing machine. The police are said to have recovered 134 ecstasy tablets, 25 LSD strips, two mobile phones and two two-wheelers each from their possession. Bengaluru City Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil said that the African nationals were caught red-handed at OMBR Layout when they were trying to sell these banned substances. According to the police, the accused, identified as Nigerian national Nonso Joachin (36), was residing at Pilla Reddy Nagar, OMBR Layout. The accused, 25-year-old Trajori Ben, is an Ivory Coast national residing in Mother Theresa Layout in the city. The police stated that both accused had arrived in India on a medical attendant visa, which they have clearly violated by indulging in such activities.a

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‘Right time to enter politics for me’: Trans activist Akkai to join Karnataka Congress

Politics

Akkai’s oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for Sunday.

Theja Ram

Akkai Padmashali, an award-winning transgender rights activist, has been a vocal advocate of LGBTQIA+ rights for years. And now, she is all set to take this fight to the bigger stage, as a member of the Karnataka Congress. With her oath-taking ceremony scheduled for Sunday, Akkai will become one of the first transgender persons joining a political party in Karnataka. “In order to bring about changes and effect outcomes that can help the transgender community, one has to become a part of the system to drive the change. This decision has been a hard one but I have decided to take this step to bring issues related to sexual minorities to the forefront,” Akkai says.  TNM spoke to Akkai ahead of her oath-taking ceremony and here are excerpts from the interview.  Why did you decide to enter politics? I felt that this is the appropriate time to enter politics. There is a threat to constitutional values and the idea of inclusivity. It is the need of the hour to start dialogues and bring issues related to transgender persons and sexual minorities to the forefront. This step will help legitimise issues of gender and sexual minorities. Why the Congress party? I believe the Congress is the best party to talk about these issues. There is unemployment, especially among gender minorities; the issue of the Women’s Reservation Bill needs to be prioritised. I believe the Congress is a party where there is a platform to bring to fore issues that women and sexual and gender minorities face.  I want to focus on implementation of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) judgement of 2014 and also the Supreme Court’s verdict reading down section 377 from the Indian Penal Code in 2018. In political parties, there is no space or forum to discuss these issues. I believe that a political party having a representative from the transgender community, gives entire southern India a boost.  I believe with the system of effecting outcomes through legislation. Without being a part of the system, there is no way to bring change for a socially inclusive society. The Congress has worked for gender minorities since Indira Gandhi's times… There were free of cost train services for transgender persons, free housing for trans persons in Maharashtra and other parts of the country. The core value and principle of the Congress is “my nation”. The Congress first proposed that I join the party in 2009. I have taken my time to make the decision. I held discussions with DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah and also Mahila Congress President Sushmita Dey and they are welcoming of inclusivity. Our issues are also important. There are a lot of expectations from me, and it is not easy. But I want to make a huge difference.  What are your plans once you officially join the party? My primary focus would be bringing up the issues pertaining to gender minorities. To bring the perspective of women in electoral politics. I want to start a civil society movement on how to implement the NALSA and 2018 SC verdict. The other issues I want to focus on are unemployment, and how it has affected minorities including transgender persons.  In the context of youth, people are completing education without job opportunities and the government has to be held accountable for the state of our economy. Talking about constitutional values and rights is also a priority. There is also so much intolerance in the country and dissent has been curbed, but dissent is my right! There is a threat to the Constitution. I think my country needs to be reminded of the secular principles in our preamble.  There is a lot of debate over legalising same-sex marriages. What are your views on this? On December 11, 2013, the Supreme Court overturned the Delhi High Court’s verdict (repealing section 377). When it was challenged in the Supreme Court, I was one of the petitioners, who challenged it on grounds of right to privacy and dignity. The Supreme Court, while reading down section 377 in 2018, had in fact said that society owes the community an apology. I think this is the appropriate time to legalise same-sex marriages. People are in a better place to understand what gender and sexuality is. There is a need for public education and discourse, starting from schools and colleges.  There has to be more dialogue so we get a sense of what community members want and go from there.  How do you plan to work towards addressing the issues related to employment of the community members? On October 25, 2017, Karnataka Cabinet approved the Transgender Persons Policy. The policy is fine but has not been implemented yet. Many people want to quit begging and sex work and want alternate job opportunities and the government has the power to do that. But the government is not doing anything to implement the policy. It is shutting its eyes, ears and mouth. For how many days do we keep knocking on the government’s door? This has been pending for a long time and about time and I would urge the government to implement the policy immediately.  What are your plans for senior citizens in the transgender community? There are elderly transgender people who are living difficult lives due to stigma and lack of financial security. There is a need for short-stay homes as well as old age homes for elderly transgender persons. The existing old age homes are not trans friendly. There is a priority to take care of elderly people within our community. The top priority of the community, which have been ignored are shelter, good food and economical sustainability.  The government can make changes to help our community – whatever we can do as NGOs, we are doing and trying to support people. But ultimately, the government should take responsibility. For one, it needs to increase our pension from Rs 600 to Rs 5,000 per month. In addition, free housing and medicines must be provided.  How do you plan to address domestic violence that LGBTQIA+ community faces? There is rarely any discourse about LGBTQIA+ relationships. So, people rarely see that there is domestic and sexual violence [that is happening in these communities as well]. We need to be talking about this from a societal, legal and public policy perspective. When it comes to rights, few people have access to court judgements and information about them. People from rural areas may not be aware, for instance. Therefore, public education about gender and sexuality has to be a priority.  From marriage, adoption, identity, to relationships in the LGBTQIA+ community, there are many issues that need to be brought forward including domestic violence. We have this patriarchal view in our country that ‘domestic violence’ refers to a husband abusing his wife or in-laws abusing the daughter-in-law. What about domestic violence that members of the LGBTQIA+ community face from their biological families?  The current legislation has cis women and men’s perspective. It should be LGBTQIA+ inclusive and gender neutral. The women’s rights movement has supported LGBTQIA+ issues and through the Congress party, we want to address these issues in depth. 

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Pandemic supercharges campaign battles over Obamacare

Obamacare jumps to forefront of 2020 races as voters worry about coverage.

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