President Kovind inaugurates former Army Chief General Thimayya’s museum in Kodagu

Musuem

"Sunny Side", the erstwhile ancestral house of General Thimayya, who served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1957 to 1961, has been renovated and converted into the museum

PTI

A museum celebrating the life of former Army Chief General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya, housing a variety of antique weaponry and war relics, was inaugurated on Saturday by President Ram Nath Kovind. "Sunny Side", the erstwhile ancestral house of General Thimayya, who served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1957 to 1961, has been renovated and converted into the museum in Kodagu, the hill district of Karnataka. "General Thimayya is the pride of Kodagu and the memorial museum aims to retell the life-story of the General in an inspiring manner,” a district official said. Glad to inaugurate the General Thimayya Museum at Madikeri in Kodagu, Karnataka. It has preserved special aspects of the extraordinary character and contribution of one of the finest soldiers in the history of our army. pic.twitter.com/OWqWs3Ihh4 — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) February 6, 2021 A statue of the General from Kodagu in uniform greets as one enters the museum, which also showcases a slice of Indian military history. To guide the visitors, there is a first person narration, explaining the articles and artifacts kept there. Reflecting on the humility of the great son of the soil of Kodagu, or the erstwhile Coorg, there is a picture showing him riding a Lambretta scooter. There is also a mural showing Field Marshal Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, who was a British Army Commander during the second World War, coming down to "Sunny Side" to meet General Thimayya. The museum also acknowledges the contribution of General Thimayya's siblings, including two of his brothers, who too were Army officers, and his wife Nina, who was bestowed with 'Kaiser-e-Hind' award in recognition of her work in public service. Key attractions on the premises of this war memorial include a battle tank, one of those used by the Army during the war with Pakistan in 1971. Decades-old arms and mmunition, Army guns and rifles and a decommissioned MiG-21 fighter jet, besides a collection of artwork featuring the valour of soldiers on the battlefield, books and articles are among the things on display. The President also paid his respects at the war memorial. Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat was among those present at the inauguration. Earlier, Kovind visited Talacauvery, the origin of the river Cauvery, in the district and offered a special 'Pooja'

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Republicans seek to pin California’s Covid-19 problem on Biden’s HHS pick

Becerra provided legal muscle for the state's pandemic restrictions.

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Farm laws protest: Anil Kumble faces ire from activists, writer for supporting govt

Farm Laws

Kumble had taken to Twitter using #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.

IANS

Former Indian cricket captain and legend Anil Kumble faced backlash for supporting the union government regarding the ongoing farmers' protests. Kumble like many other of his former teammates like Sachin Tendulkar  with #IndiaTogether hashtags to counter international voices speaking in support of the farmers' protest. Samyukta Karnataka Horata, an umbrella forum of farmers, workers and Dalit organisations in Karnataka, said in its tweet, "More than 100 farmers have died ever since farmer organisations launched protests in Delhi. Even farmers in Karnataka had been protesting against the state and central government amendments to the farm laws, since September. Dear Kumble, did you ever ask these farmers as to why were they protesting? Why are you tweeting now? Your stand in the matter is very painful." Three days ago, condemning famed singer Rihanna and activists like Greta Thunberg who had tweeted in support of the protesting farmers, Kumble took to Twitter using the Union government's hashtag campaign #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda over the ongoing farmers' protests. Since then, there has been increasing international support for India's farmers' movement, with many international celebrities, politicians and social workers openly coming out in support of the Indian farmers. Renowned Kannada writer Srinivasa Karkala said, "Human rights violations are not the internal affairs of any country." Chetan Krishna asked, "Being a Kannadiga, how could you be a mouthpiece of this vicious government?" Rekha Srinivas, a social activist wrote, "No one said a word when Trump called India dirty. It is amusing to hear all the noise against the international celebrities who are empathetic with the farmers' cause. May there be some loyalty towards farmers who toil hard to feed you." Kannada activist Dinesh Kumar said, "Didn't you think of the prestige and reputation of the country when you read about hundreds of farmers who died because of the cold at the protest sites? Where was your 'self respect' when farmers were attacked and fake cases being filed against them? You should be ashamed of yourself for selling yourself to the ruling party."

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Bengaluru’s 88-km elevated corridor project revived by govt, activists oppose

Elevated corridor

The matter is likely to be mentioned in the Karnataka High Court, which had stayed the elevated corridor in 2019.

Soumya Chatterjee

File image of protest against elevated corridor

Activists in Bengaluru who have raised their voice and hit the streets in recent times over the controversial 88-km elevated corridor project have vowed to oppose it yet again. This after the project was once again given the go-ahead by the state government. The first phase of the project was stalled by the BS Yediyurappa government as he had cancelled the tender  consisting of 21 km and costing Rs 6,8885 crore citing irregularities in June, 2019. Now, a year-and-a-half later, the state government has okayed the project as part of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan for the city without an official announcement. Incidentally, the BJP which is in power had seen several of its senior MLAs including present-day ministers like R Ashoka oppose the elevated corridor project in the past. TNM reached out to Revenue Minister R Ashoka for a comment, but calls to him went unanswered. Read: U-turn by BJP: After protesting Bengaluru elevated corridor, govt likely to okay project? The issue of elevated roads has been a topic of debate in recent years among Bengaluru residents with a section seeking such roads as a measure to fix the city’s traffic problem while another vocal group calls it a “flawed” solution. Other than the massive financial and environmental cost, in terms of felled trees, increased concretisation, damage to lake ecosystems—- activists and a section of experts point out that the solution of increasing road capacity may in fact be counterproductive. They cite the theory of induced demand where many western mega cities saw growth in traffic with increasing road capacity and are now focussing on public transport. Tara Krishnaswamy, co-founder of Citizens for Bengaluru, which had spearheaded the movement against the Steel Flyover project, said it is strange how the BJP, including current ministers who had opposed the project when they were in opposition, is now re-introducing this project and that too surreptitiously. “Our position has not changed. This was never needed and it will be a tremendous waste of money and degrade life in Bengaluru and the construction itself will cost a lot of inconveniences. This will make Bengaluru further a pedestrian-unfriendly city and damage the remaining greenery. We instead believe that the money should be spent on public buses, suburban rail, and pedestrian facilities,” she said. She added, “Other than the specific case of elevated corridors, we believe that the CMP itself is illegal as it has been done by the BMRCL (metro rail authority)  without any authority to do so. We demand that this plan is done by Bengalureans for Bengaluru through the proper public consultation process and not by some private contractor or a particular transport body.” Sandeep Anirudhan, Convenor - Citizens Agenda for Bengaluru termed the project problematic. “In the background of both the 74th Amendment and the National Urban Transport Policy, the CMP is illegal. The CMP ought to be a subset of the Masterplan which again is to be authored by the Metropolitan Planning Committee.  So we are several steps away from both a legal CDP as well as a legal CMP.” Alleging nepotism and corruption in the adoption of the CMP, Sandeep said, “It is a plan decided by contractors and service providers to benefit themselves.  It is not a plan for the city or its citizens.  It needs to be thrown in the dustbin, where it deserves to be.” Legal hurdles The elevated corridor issue was also included as part of an ongoing litigation at the Karnataka High Court which had stayed the project in April 2019 for the first time. The project has not been given a clear go-ahead by the court yet. The HC was hearing a petition by Citizens Action Forum which had sought the formation of a functioning Metropolitan Planning Council as stated in the 74th Constitutional Amendment. According to the 74th Constitutional Amendment, all town planning activities have to be done by the Metropolitan Planning Committee, of which two-thirds of the members have to be elected corporators. Incidentally, the Namma Bengaluru Foundation, an NGO founded by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar had also joined as a party to the case making the same demand. The elevated corridor was mentioned in the case as the petitioners wanted all large scale projects like the elevated corridor to be okayed only through the MPC followed by the mandated public consultation process. Speaking with TNM, VIjayan Menon of CAF, said, “The Constitution says that all city wide plans like the city-wide Master Plan or the CMP have to be okayed by the MPC and all sectoral plans have to be coordinated under the MPC. So the problem is that if a CMP is done in isolation, then none of the other aspects are taken care of.” He added, “We will bring the issue of CMP to the court’s notice. We are not opposing the elevated corridor on its merits or demerits but the Constitutionality and due process behind approving these big-ticket projects.” This is, however, not the only legal hurdle, some activists have also mentioned that the project has been approved in contravention of Section 14A of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act. Section 14A of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act deals with changes in land use plans with a detailed public consultation process.

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Farmers hold ‘chakka jam’ in Bengaluru, other parts of Karnataka against 3 farm laws

Farmers Law

Protesters were detained to make way for traffic movement.

TNM Staff

Some roads in Bengaluru on Saturday were blocked temporarily by farmers as part of the nationwide “chakka jam” held by farmer organisations against the three contentious farm laws passed by the Union government, and this led to minor traffic snarls. In Bengaluru, Mysore Bank Circle, Sadahalli Gate, Devanahalli Road, Yelahanka New Police Station Circle saw farmers gathering with green flags and stopping the free flow of traffic. The protest also saw the detention of some of the demonstrators as the police tried to clear the roads for traffic movement. Pro-Kannada leader Vatal Nagaraj, who joined the farmers, was also detained from Mysore Bank Circle.  Other than Bengaluru, farmers across the state held similar traffic blockades on national and state highways to show solidarity with the farmers in Delhi who have been protesting for more than two months. detained* — Soumya Chatterjee (@Csoumya21) February 6, 2021 Major blockades were also held at: Mandya- near VC farm gate, Bangalore- Mysore Highway; Srirangapatna- Bangalore Mysore National Highway; Kikkeri- Srirangapatna Hassan Highway; Nagamangala- near Bellur Cross, National Highway; Mysore- Ring road Circle, APMC Bandipalya; Mysore National Highway near Columbia hospital; Piriyapatna National Highway; KR nagar-Hassan State Highway; Chamarajanagar-Satyamangala road; Chamarajanagar- Gundlupete Highway 202.  Meanwhile, a delegation of farmers from Karnataka reached the Ghazipur border near Delhi on Thursday to show solidarity with the ongoing farmers’ protest. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Hasiru Sene led by farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar who was leading them, met Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait.  Kodihalli also addressed the protesting farmers and assured them that they will support them until the three farm bills are repealed. While speaking with the farmers, he announced that nearly 4,000 farmers from Karnataka will join the protests at the Delhi borders after February 6.  Kodihalli explained that the farmers were arriving in batches as the government would make attempts to quash the mass movement of farmers. He added that the situation in Tikri and Singhu borders is worse than that at Ghazipur.

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Karnataka CM Yediyurappa makes U-turn on Panchamasali reservation

Politics

Yediyurappa has referred the reservation to the Karnataka Backward Class Commission.

IANS

Representative image

Hours after his controversial remarks on granting reservations to Panchamsali community, Karnataka Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa made 'U' turn on the issue on Friday and referred the reservation matter to Karnataka Backward Class commission in a bid to contain the growing anger of Panchamasali community. Yediyurappa released two statements, one in connection with his order directing the referal of the reservation to backward class commission, and second is to tendering unconditional apology to seers of Panchamasali sect who are leading the agitation. A statement released by his office in this regard directed the Panchamasali subsect of Lingayat community has demanded that their community be included in 2A category from present 3B category. "The commission must take steps to study in-detail about this demand and submit its recommendation as soon as possible," his statement read. While in another statement, Yediyurappa tenders unconditional apology to Jaya Mritunjya Swamiji who is leading the agitation. "I didn't mean to hurt your sentiments Swamiji. I have made honest and earnest attempts to get reservation for the Panchamasali community. My statement in the assembly has been misrepresented to you. I just said as a national party we can not decide in a hurry. We have won over everyone in this," he said. It all started when Yediyurapap's harshest critic in the BJP, Basanagouda Patil Yatna sought the CM's assurance on granting reservation to Kurba and Panchamasali community. To this, Yediyurappa had said that such matters cannot be decided in a hurry as the BJP is a national party. "I can not take decisions on my own... We need to consult Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on such matters," he said. As this statement was beamed on news channels, the Panchamasali seers upped their ante against the CM, calling for his resignation if he was incapable of serving the needs of his own community. They said he must make way for some other efficient Lingaayt leader to head the State. Lingayats form the BJPs major vote bank in Karnataka. Panchamshali seer Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swamy said, "It's enough that the Centre supports Yeduiyurappa as the Chief Minister. Let the PM or Amit Shah or Nadda give him an honourable exit and place some other able Lingayat as the CM. Our demand is either you give Panchamshalis the reservation or you give your resignation." The seer added that Amit Shah is not our CM, nor is Modi nor is Nadda. "Yediyurappa is the CM here and the state has the full powers to bring in the reservation to protect communities. He is passing the buck to the Centre, We doubt now whether he has read the Constitution at all. He has lost our trust. He has been the CM for three times, he must know he has powers on this. Otherwise let him make way for another mass Lingayat leader as CM," the seer added. The Panchamshali sub-sect led by its Seers and community leaders has been on a padayatra for the last three weeks now covering over 250 kms of the 450 kms from Kudalasangama, a holy temple town for Lingayats Ato reach Bengaluru, with hundreds of supporters joining them along the way.

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Bengaluru man to be tried for threatening to kill judges, scandalising HC

Controversy

The man also wrote a second letter to the registrar that he decided to kill two judges among “28 highly corrupt” judges of the HC and SC and two “corrupt” lawyers.

TNM Staff

The Karnataka High Court has started a suo motu criminal litigation against a 72-year-old Bengaluru man for writing letters in which he threatened to kill judges and lawyers. Bar and Bench reported that a bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum found the materials of the letter as prima facie contemptuous as per the Contempt of Courts Act. The matter has been posted for hearing on March 1. The man has been asked to appear before the Bench via video conferencing. Deccan Herald reported that the accused, SV Srinivas Rao, faced a similar case in August 2010 which was later dropped after he tendered an unconditional apology. In this instance, the HC directed the registrar to start proceedings against him on November 6, 2020, for his use of “objectionable” adjectives in his memo against judges of both the HC and Supreme Court, as well as lawyers. The case was asked to be registered after Rao refused to withdraw his memo when the matter came up for hearing this week. “We have perused paragraph 12 of the said memo. The respondent/accused has used very objectionable adjectives about the Judges of the apex court and this court in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (ix) of paragraph 12 which cannot be reproduced. The respondent/accused has not even spared members of the Karnataka State Bar Council and the Bar Council of India while making sweeping and scandalous allegations,” the Bench in part of its order on February 3 said. On January 21, 2021, Rao also wrote a letter to the registrar stating that he had decided to kill two judges among “28 highly corrupt” judges of the HC and SC and two “corrupt” lawyers.  Bar and Bench further reported that the HC directed the registrar to forward a copy of the threat letter to the police officer heading the security of HC.

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