Karnataka Lokayukta stabbed in his Bengaluru office, admitted to ICU: One arrested

March 7, 2018, 1:07 am

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Crime

According to preliminary reports, the accused named Tejharaj Sharma has been taken into custody by the Vidhana Soudha police.

TNM Staff

In a shocking incident, Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty was stabbed by a knife-wielding man thrice in his office on Wednesday afternoon. He has been admitted in the ICU of Mallya hospital. According to preliminary reports, the accused named Tejhraj has been taken into custody by the Vidhana Soudha police.  Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage of the office. The accused reportedly went inside the office by claiming he wanted to speak to the Lokayukta. Reports suggest that Justice Shetty who was in a critical condition is now stable. He has injuries in his chest and stomach.  Hospital sources told TNM that Justice Shetty  who is out of immediate danger, has three minor cuts in his hand and one deep cut in his abdomen. He is set to underego surgery and a CT scan has been conducted.    Doctors at Mallya Hospital said that he is being treated at the Intensive Care Unit. TV channels reported that CM Siddaramaiah has personally rushed to the Mallya Hospital. According to reports, Justice Shetty was conscious when he was taken to the hospital. Denying a security lapse, CM Siddaramaih told reporters, "A hundred people walk into the office every day. The gunman was outside the chamber and the incident happened inside the office."   #BIGNEWS: Justice #VishwanathShetty stabbed once on his hand and twice on his stomach. Tejas Sharma attacked Shetty immediately after he entered his cabin. pic.twitter.com/k1iCd4T8n5 — NEWS9 (@NEWS9TWEETS) March 7, 2018 Shetty had taken charge as the Lokayukta in January 2017. He earlier served as a judge in the Karnataka High Court from 1999 to 2004 "I have spoken to (Commissioner of Police) T. Suneel Kumar who informed me that he (Shetty) has been shifted to a private hospital. I was informed that he is out of danger," Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters . The reason for the attack and how it happened are being probed by the police, Reddy said. A person stabbed the Lokayukta in Bengaluru, the accused has been taken into custody: Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/4CAqrokufX — ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2018 Transport Minister HM Revanna who also visited him at the hospital told reporters that the Lokayukta is in a stable condition. Soon after the CM Siddaramaiah arrived, the hospital was covered with heavy security.  Jayanna,a lawyer who is an eyewitness to the incident  said that the crime occured at 1:50 pm at the quasi-judicial hall on the second floor of the building. “The Lokayukta was looking through some case files. At that time I was not facing him. I heard some commotion. By the time I looked around,Justice Shetty has fallen to the ground. Meanwhile,seven to eight persons got hold of the stabber and locked him inside a room till police came," he told TNM.

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Ahead of summer, B’luru to have 68 tankers ready, 24/7 helpline to tackle water woes

March 7, 2018, 1:11 am

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News

“Senior officers of the Water Board will conduct intensive inspections to ensure water supply is intact,” the Mayor said.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

In order to ensure that the city is prepared to deal with water shortage this summer, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is taking adequate steps. Bengaluru Mayor R Sampath Raj announced that 68 water tankers will be kept on standby following a meeting with BWSSB officials on Tuesday. “Water scarce areas have been identified in each division and service-station areas. Senior officers of the Water Board will conduct intensive inspections to ensure water supply is intact,” the Mayor was quoted by The  Times of India as saying. A control room for this purpose will be set up and manned by BWSSB officials. “Contact details of officials from all 108 service stations of the BWSSB will be made available to the public to approach them during the water crisis. Public can call BWSSB’s 24X7 helpline 1916 and 080-2223888,” a BWSSB official is quoted as saying in the same report. However, the Mayor clarified that the city is not staring at a crisis. Deccan Herald quoted him as saying, "No need to worry for the next three months. Rains are expected after the summer. There is no water crisis in the city as reported by a section of the media. BWSSB has made all the necessary preparations.” Even in 2017, the BWSSB had kept a total of 100 tankers on standby since February after three successive drought years. The Hindu reported that the BWSSB officials have cleaned 1600 existing borewell mini water tanks to ensure supply of clean water and assured that water contamination will be prevented with regular sample tests at the Central Water Testing Laboratory. Recently, the Supreme Court in its Cauvery verdict on February 16 had awarded Karnataka 14.5 tmc ft of water more, after taking into account Bengaluru’s drinking water needs. Bengaluru previously received 18.25 tmc ft of water from the Cauvery. With the present allocation, Bengaluru will receive a total of 23 tmc ft. However, for Bengaluru, Karnataka had demanded a total of 30 tmc ft of water. 

Sasikala VIP treatment row: Ex DGP says he followed CM's order, Siddaramaiah denies

March 7, 2018, 3:54 am

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Controversy

“Can a DG take oral orders? Why would Rao give special preference to Sasikala?"

Soumya Chatterjee

Theja Ram

Retired Director General of Police (prisons) HN Satyanarayana Rao, who is facing corruption charges for allegedly providing special privileges to VK Sasikala in Parapanna Agrahara Central Jail, made a startling revelation on Tuesday.  In a statement submitted to the Karnataka High Court, Rao alleged that he was only following orders given by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in providing special privileges to Sasikala, who was former TN CM Jayalalithaa’s aide. The former DGP had moved the High Court challenging the FIR filed against him by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Reacting strongly to Rao’s statement, CM Siddaramaiah said that he had not directed Rao to provide luxurious facilities to Sasikala and that the former DGP was making baseless allegations. “I have never told the former DGP to offer special treatment to VK Sasikala, who is serving jail term in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. One of her party men had come to meet me from Tamil Nadu and had told me that Sasikala was not being given even the basic facilities in prison. Hence, I had directed HN Satyanarayana Rao to provide only those facilities provided in the prison manual. I did not ask him to give her a cot, bed and pillow. He is making these baseless allegations because an ACB probe was ordered against the irregularities in the prison,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said. According to highly placed sources in the Home Department, the retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar’s fact finding report on the case says nothing about the alleged corruption against HNS Rao. “First of all, nobody is giving any importance to the facts, that even HNS Rao has himself agreed. The cot, bed and five chairs that were given to Sasikala itself are illegal and in contravention with the prison manual,” the source said. “Can a DG take oral orders? Why would Rao give special preference to Sasikala? There must be some quid pro quo arrangement and that will come out if there is a fair trial. Nobody can deny that a whole corridor was fortified for her. There is CCTV footage to show that she would roam around without wearing the prison uniform. Moreover, Vinay Kumar’s report does not talk about the corruption and other irregularities in the prison. The request to quash the FIR is a defensive tactic by HNS Rao. If he is so confident of his innocence why should he go for quashing?” the source argued. Confirming the source’s statement, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told TNM that the Vinay Kumar panel will not probe the corruption angle as that is under the purview of the ACB. The case so far On February 26, the Karnataka government had issued an order directing the ACB to conduct a probe on allegations made by the then DIG Prisons, D Roopa, that Rao had accepted a bribe of Rs 2 crore to extend favours to VK Sasikala.  Justice Vineet Kothari, who is hearing Rao’s case to quash the ACB FIR, had asked Rao’s counsel to submit a copy of the inquiry report filed by Vinay Kumar and the copy of the ACB’s FIR.  It was during this hearing on Tuesday that Rao’s counsel had submitted a statement and two representations where class-I facility for Sasikala were rejected citing order no 459 of the Karnataka Prison Manual.  “The Chief Minister had called me to a guesthouse and asked about facilities given to VK Sasikala. I told him that she was given the facilities as a normal prisoner. The Chief Minister asked me to provide only a cot, bed and pillow. I only complied with orders,” Rao’s statement says. The ACB is now gathering documents to conduct a probe under Section 13(1) (Criminal misconduct of a public servant) and 13(2) (if the public servant habitually accepts or obtains any gratification other than legal remuneration as a motive or reward). The alleged irregularities in the prison had come to light when the then DIG D Roopa filed a report to the DGP and sent a copy to the Home Department stating that prison staff was providing VIP treatment to Sasikala and violating the prison manual. DIG Roopa had also alleged that many other inmates were being provided similar facilities for monetary gain.

Pushing boundaries: 88 films from 30 countries at Bengaluru Queer Film Festival

March 7, 2018, 5:11 am

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Cinema

Films from across the world, including Philippines, Iran, Iraq, France, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Peru, Belgium, and Ukraine, to name a few, will also be featured.

TNM Staff

BQFF/Facebook

The ninth edition of the Bengaluru Queer Film Festival is all set to kick off on March 9. The three-day film festival, which is going to be held at the Max Mueller Bhavan in Bengaluru, will feature 88 films from 30 countries. There are lots of films – both short and feature length – to look forward to. “We have tried to choose films that push the boundaries of what queerness is,” says Nitya Vasudevan, BQFF co-director. “There are films from different regions of the world, independent films, Indian films, those that feature experimental filmmaking, archival accounts and more. Something for every audience,” she adds. Among the major feature-length films are Malini Jeevarathnam’s Tamil documentary Ladies and Gentlewomen. The film has been selected for screening at seven international film festivals and has won the Best Documentary award at three. There’s also Suresh Narayanan’s Irattajeevitham, a film about two friends, Sainu and Amina, who were attracted to each other. However, “Inside Amina is a man yearning for release. As they slip into adolescence, this reality becomes a stark and unbearable one and one day Amina disappears from home,” says the description of the film. Among the international films, there’s Malila: The Farewell Flower, a Thai film by Anucha Boonyawatana. It revolves around Pitch and Shane, once lovers, who are trying to revive their romance “by fabricating a traditional Thai ornament made of leaves and flowers and symbolizing love and virtue.” Portrait of Jason, an American film directed by Shirley Clarke, features highlights of a 12-hour interview with Aaron Payne, alias, Jason Holliday, who talks about what it was like to be gay and black in the US in the 1960s. More Than T, an American documentary, provides insights into the lives of seven transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. It is directed by award-winning feature film, documentary film, music video, web series and television director and writer, Silas Howard. There are several Indian films such as Turup and If You Dare Desire too. Films from across the world, including Philippines, Iran, Iraq, France, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Peru, Belgium, and Ukraine, to name a few, will also be featured. This is the second time BQFF is collaborating with curator Thomas Waugh to bring a 90-minute program called I confess, which has autobiographical shorts from the Canadian Queer Film Archive. “The program of “confessional” works by lesbian, gay, bi, trans* and queer makers reflects the artistic as well as geographical, cultural, linguistic, generational and sexual diversity of Canadian queer media makers,” says a media release. The ninth edition of BQFF will also feature packages from Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival and LGBT shorts from the UK through a British Council international touring programme in association with BFI Flare. “This is not just a platform for queer films, but also for queer artists from all walks of life to come together,” Nitya says. The entry to the festival is free. You can donate here.

Did security lapse help Karnataka Lokayukta attacker sneak in weapon?

March 7, 2018, 5:39 am

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Crime

TNM visited the office of the Karnataka Lokayukta office in Bengaluru, hours after the stabbing and found basic security measures missing.

Prajwal Bhat

Theja Ram

A defunct metal detector stands aimlessly at the entrance of the Karnataka Lokayukta office located in Bengaluru’s Ambedkar Veedhi. On one side, sits a security guard with a ledger to record a visitor’s name and time of arrival. The entire security apparatus at the Lokayukta office comprises eight CCTV cameras, and two gunmen assigned to the top anti-corruption officer. Hours after Justice Vishwanatha Shetty, the Lokayukta of Karnataka was repeatedly stabbed at his office on Wednesday, the question that is being raised is- was there a lapse in security? Revisiting the crime scene When TNM visited the office of the anti-corruption ombudsman hours after the stabbing incident, this reporter found that basic security measures were not in place. Metal detector installed by the entrance did not beep when people passed through it, while there were no guards to frisk bags of visitors. Staff working at the Lokayukta office corroborated this as well. The absence of security personnel to frisk visitors made it easy for the accused Thejaraj Sharma to sneak in a kitchen knife, police say. Mahesh Kammar, an advocate who works at the Lokayukta office, says security has been lax at the premises for a long time. "There was a fire in one part of the premises three years ago. A probe was conducted to find out the cause. We have been asking for better security since then because of the kind of cases (corruption) we handle," he said.   Opposition blames Congress Pointing fingers at the ruling Congress, the Opposition was quick to raise doubts over the security provided to Karnataka’s top anti-corruption officer. Taking a dig at the Congress, former Prime Minister and JD (S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda said that the Lokayukta as an institution was already being killed by the state government, and now its chief has been attacked. By introducing the Anti-Corruption Bureau in 2016, the Siddaramaiah-led government has systematically reduced the once-powerful Lokayukta into a toothless body. While the ACB, which reports to the CM’s office, has been given the power to file cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Lokayukta needs the state government’s permission to conduct raids or trap corrupt officers. BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa termed the attack an example of “goondaraj” under the Congress rule. Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, R Ashok hit out at CM Siddaramaiah, stating, “He can give security to Sasikala but not to a judge. This is not a small incident. A judge is also not safe in Karnataka, what about the common man?" He went a step further and demanded that President’s rule be imposed in the state. However, CM Siddaramaiah told reporters, “Hundreds of people visit the Lokayukta. There was a gunman outside the office. The attack happened inside the building,” without admitting any security breach on part of the administration.

Gunman threatened to shoot attacker: What transpired inside K'taka Lokayukta office

March 7, 2018, 6:11 am

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Crime

According to the visitors’ log, the accused Thejaraj Sharma had entered the building at 12:45 pm on Wednesday. 

Theja Ram

Around 1.30 pm, Purushottam and his colleague, both gunmen posted outside the chambers of Justice Vishwanatha Shetty, the Lokayukta of Karnataka, heard screams from the room. As they rushed in, along with others who had been waiting or walking in the corridor, what they saw was a man holding the Lokayukta, a knife in his hands. Purushottam started yelling, pointing his gun at the attacker."I could not see properly as Purushottam was blocking my view. But I heard him tell the attacker to drop the weapon or he would shoot," a staffer who had rushed into the room told TNM. Soon, people who had gathered in the room disarmed Thejaraj Sharma and took him away from the Lokayukta's chambers. As some of the staffers crowded around the Lokayukta trying to move him out to the hospital, others locked Thejaraj in a room in the building. According to the visitors’ log, the accused Thejaraj Sharma had entered the building at 12:45 pm on Wednesday. The absence of security personnel with frisking devices made it easy for Thejaraj Sharma to sneak in a kitchen knife, police say. He then went up to the second floor, where the Lokayukta’s chambers is located and waited to be called in. At around 1.20pm, Thejaraj handed over his appointment chit to one of the gunmen stationed outside the Lokayukta’s chamber. Eight minutes later, Thejarajraj Sharma was called in and he entered Justice Shetty’s chamber. “The attacker was behind Justice Shetty when he stabbed him. Thejaram stabbed the Lokayukta partially on the right side and that is when Justice Shetty screamed. The gunman then came in and threatened to shoot the attacker,” said a police official. Jayanna, a lawyer, who was present in the building during the incident told TNM, “I was looking through some case files. At that time, I was not facing his room. I heard some commotion. By the time I went in and looked around, Justice Shetty had fallen to the ground. Meanwhile, close to seven to eight persons got hold of the stabber and locked him inside a room till the police came." Nikhil, a bank employee and another eyewitness said he was at the lobby connecting the quasi-judicial hall and Lokayukta’s chamber when the crime occurred. “I gave water to Justice Shetty till the ambulance arrives. Within 10 minutes, the ambulance and the cops came one after the other,” he said.   Complaints dismissed by Lokayukta   Hailing from Rajasthan, Thejaraj runs a furniture outlet in Tumakuru. Sources told TNM that he had filed four petitions with the Lokayukta in connections with bribes he had allegedly paid to 15 officials to secure government tenders. Having failed to win the tenders despite the alleged bribes, he had earlier approached the Lokayukta. However, his complaints were dismissed by the Lokayukta in December 2017. Since then, sources say that Thejaraj visited the Lokayukta at least 3-4 times until Wednesday’s stabbing.    

Karnataka Lokayukta undergoes multiple surgeries, condition stable

March 7, 2018, 6:30 am

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Crime

Justice Vishwanath Shetty underwent surgeries for wounds on chest, abdomen, legs and thigh.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty has been operated upon at Mallya Hospital and is condition is stable according to doctors treating him. He had suffered multiple injuries including deep stab wounds following the attack in his office on Tuesday morning.  Dr S Mallikarjuna, administrator, Mallya Hospital, where he is being treated said "When he came to the hospital, he was conscious and explained how the incident took place to the doctors. He was well oriented. His condition is stable," he added. Justice Shetty has wounds on his lower chest and abdomen. "He also had injuries on his hands. These could have probably happened when he was trying to defend himself from the attacker. He has four deep stab wounds," he added.  He has had internal bleeding due to which he had to undergo a surgery immediately according to doctors attending to him. "At 2 pm, the Justice was brought in with multiple stab injuries. Our team of doctors immediately administered CPR and took him to the operating theatre. One of the more serious stab wounds was in the stomach and there was excessive bleeding. The situation was critical but now we have got it under control and the patient is stable. There is no reason to worry at all,” said doctors treating him. “We performed four surgeries from 2:30pm to 6pm in the chest stomach thigh and hand," said Dr Diwakar who operated upon him. Justice Shetty is now being treated at the Critical Care Unit of the Hospital.  The doctor also said that he had excessive bleeding and that has been controlled. With regard to a possibility of discharge soon, the doctor said that it would not be possible to decide that as he will have to remain under observation for some time. He underwent surgeries for wounds in his chest, abdomen, thigh and legs on Tuesday.   In the past, he had also undergone a bypass surgery and is also diabetic. Doctors said that care would be taken keeping these factors in mind as well.   

Karnataka govt releases 90 murder convicts from jail for 'good behaviour'

March 7, 2018, 6:59 pm

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Prisons

Many prisoners who finally walked out of the Central Jail were delighted to see family members waiting outside for them.

TNM Staff

Offering them a fresh start in life following their good behaviour in jail, 92 prisoners lodged at various prisons across Karnataka were brought to the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru and set free on Wednesday. The prisoners were issued release letters by Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy. “In a fit of rage people commit crimes and lament their whole life in jail for that mistake. But once they regret and reform they need not be kept in the prison. Karnataka is the only state in the country to prematurely release prisoners for their good character. From 2015 we have released 1,255 prisoners prematurely,” said the Home Minister speaking about the release to Deccan Chronicle. The list of prisoners released included 31 people from Bengaluru , 16 from Mysuru, 9 from Belagavi, 14 from Kalaburgi, 9 from Vijayapura, 6 from Ballari and 7 from Dharwad. 90 of the 92 prisoners released were convicted for murder while two were being held for kidnap. Many prisoners who finally walked out of the Central Jail were delighted to see family members waiting outside for them. Veeranna, who suffes from schizophrenia, walked out of the prisoner and met his younger brother Ajay who was eagerly waiting for him to celebrate his fresh start. “We have gone through so much in life without my brother being around. I am glad he is coming home now,” said Ajay speaking to The Hindu. Veeranna had served 13 years in prison after he committed a murder in a ‘fit of rage’. The brothers now plan to cultivate a small plot of land they own in Davangere. Like Veeranna, it was a new lease of life for 91 other prisoners who were released for their good behaviour and for the time spent in prisons. While the pardon was officially set to take place on Republic Day, procedural delays meant that it only happened on Wednesday 

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Karnataka opposition slams Congress for 'goondaraj' after attack on Lokayukta

March 7, 2018, 8:18 pm

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Politics

Pointing fingers at the ruling Congress government, BJP and JD(S) leaders in the state raised doubts over the security provided to Karnataka’s top anti-corruption officer.

TNM Staff

Hours after Justice Vishwanatha Shetty was repeatedly stabbed at his office on Wednesday, opposition leaders criticised the ruling Congress government for a serious lapse in security. Pointing fingers at the ruling Congress government, BJP and JD(S) leaders in the state raised doubts over the security provided to Karnataka’s top anti-corruption officer. BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa termed the attack an example of “goondaraj” under the Congress rule. Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, R Ashok hit out at CM Siddaramaiah, stating, “He can give security to Sasikala but not to a judge. This is not a small incident. A judge is also not safe in Karnataka, what about the common man?" He went a step further and demanded that President’s rule be imposed in the state He also pointed out that the attack followed the brutal assault by Nalapad Haris, son of Congress MLA NA Haris. The BJP has already begun the ‘Protect Bengaluru’ campaign in the city to protest against the ruling Congress government helping foster crime in the city. BJP leaders are carrying out protest marches in various constituencies in Bengaluru. Taking a dig at the Congress, former Prime Minister and JD (S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda said that the Lokayukta as an institution was already being killed by the state government, and now its chief has been attacked. He also said that by introducing the Anti-Corruption Bureau in 2016, the Siddaramaiah-led government has systematically reduced the once-powerful Lokayukta into a toothless body. While the ACB, which reports to the CM’s office, has been given the power to file cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Lokayukta needs the state government’s permission to conduct raids or trap corrupt officers. “If a person holding a high office such as Lokayukta has no security, then what will be the state of common man?”, he said. CM Siddaramaiah, responding to criticism, told reporters, “Hundreds of people visit the Lokayukta. There was a gunman outside the office. The attack happened inside the building.” He did not admit any security breach on part of the administration.

Karnataka flag unveiled: Yellow, white and red with state emblem in the middle

March 8, 2018, 12:16 am

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State Flag

The colours selected represent different things – yellow symbolises forgiveness, white for peace and red for bravery.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Cabinet approved the official state flag on Thursday – a tricolour of yellow, white and red sports the ‘ganda barunda’ in the middle.  At around 10.30 am on Thursday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called a meeting of all the flag committee members and over 50 writers, experts and representatives of pro-Kannada organisations to discuss the issue. The committee formed to design the flag was headed by eminent Kannada scholar Hampa Nagarajaiah."The members of the committee explained to all the activists, writers and experts the significance of the flag and its meaning. After a unanimous decision, the design for the flag was agreed upon," SG Siddaramaiah, Chairman of the Kannada Development Authority, told TNM.  The flag design will now be sent to the Centre for its approval, following which it can be unfurled in state meetings. Sources said the colours selected represented different things – yellow symbolises forgiveness, white for peace and red for bravery. The emblem will the printed in black and white on the central white stripe. The state emblem of Karnataka is based on the kingdom of Mysore and is carried on all Government of Karnataka correspondence.  It has the Sarnath lion symbol which is popular across India, below which is a red shield with the ganda barunda. On either side are two lion-elephants called ‘sharabha’, a mythological creature believed to be 8-legged possessing the powers of lions and elephants. The emblem usually carries the words ‘Satymeva Jayate’ below. "However, the words Satyameva Jayate will not be present on the flag," SG Siddaramaiah said. The ganda barunda was first seen in coins of the Vijayanagara Empire as early as 1510. It soon became the symbol of the Mysore dynasty. The Karnataka government had formed a committee to come up with a design for the official state flag in July 2017 after repeated demands for one. Karnataka started using its unofficial yellow and red state flag in the mid-1960s. It was created by Kannada writer and activist Ma Ramamurthy for a pro-Kannada political party called Kannada Paksha, after he observed that many parties representing non-Kannadigas had their own flags. This flag is unfurled every year on Karnataka’s foundation day, November 1, and is a common sight at public places across the state. Pro-Kannada activists have virtually adopted this flag as a symbol of state pride.

Poll watch: Law and order failure in state says BJP after Justice Shetty's stabbing and more updates

March 8, 2018, 4:01 am

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Karnataka 2018

In the run up to the biggest election of 2018, TNM brings you Poll Watch every Monday and Thursday.

TNM Staff

Assembly polls in Karnataka are just months away, and the current Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state will finish its full term of five years on May 28 – a feat no party has managed since 1985. But will the Congress manage to fight anti-incumbency in the one of the few states it governs in India following the Modi wave? Will the Yeddyurappa-led BJP pull off a win in the state under Amit Shah’s watchful eye? And will HD Kumaraswamy’s JD(S) get to a position where they can play kingmaker in Karnataka once again? In the run up to the biggest election of 2018, TNM brings you Poll Watch every Monday and Thursday. It will be your one stop shop for all the updates on the campaigns, manifestos, and politicking ahead of the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections. Here are this week’s updates: The Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty getting stabbed in his office by a visitor, the opposition has yet again cornered the ruling Congress alleging law and order failure in the state. Former Deputy CM, BJP’s R Ashoka criticised the government for allowing 'Goonda Raj' under its watch as the security arrangements in the Lokayukta office were defunct. He also called for President’s rule in the state. JD(S) supremo, HD Deve Gowda also attacked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. “The Congress government killed the Lokayukta as an institution and now the Justice himself was attacked under his (CM’s) watch,” Deve Gowda said. Addressing a rally in Mangaluru, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath called for a “Congress-free” Karnataka stating that the state had gained nothing from the Congress rule in the last five years. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, KS Eshwarappa announced that if he BJP is voted to power in 2018, the new government would first ban cow slaughter. Similarly, Home Minister and Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy also joined the anti-cow slaughter band wagon and said that “animals are creations of God” and that “they cannot be killed”. “None of us have the right to kill animals, which are the creation of god. All of us worship cows and should not be slaughtered. Personally I object to killing of any animals,” Reddy had said. On Tuesday, Real Star Upendra, who was the founding member of the Karnataka Pragnyavanta Janata Paksha (KPJP) quit his own party due to severe infighting. Upendra alleged that the party’s General Secretary Mahesh Gowda had sidelined the chosen candidates to contest elections and favoured offering tickets to those who were willing to pay money. On Monday, controversial businessman-turned politician, Ashok Kheny was inducted into the Congress. Ashok Kheny, who was responsible for the construction of NICE Road around Bengaluru, was accused of usurping farmer lands to convert them into villas. This drew strong reactions from the opposition with BS Yeddyurappa calling the Congress anti-farmer.   

Ray of hope for Bellandur, Mayor promises to clear skywalk proposal on March 12

March 8, 2018, 4:48 am

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Civic issues

Frustrated residents have been demanding a skywalk outside Akme Harmony Apartments – which has seen several deadly accidents in the past.

Soumya Chatterjee

The alarming spike in the number of private vehicles plying Bengaluru’s roads coupled with low number of traffic police personnel has only worsened the state of affairs for pedestrians in the city. Outer Ring Road, a signal-free corridor, is one of the worst affected parts of the city. Frustrated by the rising number of accidents witnessed on this road, residents of Bellandur had proposed building a privately funded skywalk. But red tape and endless paperwork ensured that it never got off the ground. But the Mayor of Bengaluru delivered a ray of hope to residents – he promised to give them the Council’s assent on March 12. The stretch outside Akme Harmony Apartments on one side and Cloudnine Hospitals on the other is particularly lethal having witnessed multiple accidents where pedestrians have lost their lives on been hit by speeding vehicles. On failing to convince their ward councillor, Asha Suresh, that they needed a skywalk urgently, residents under the umbrella of Bellandur Jothege, a citizens’ collective, met the Mayor directly. The nearest skywalk from the spot is in Ecospace, at least a kilometre away and there is a four-way junction at Iblur, which was also built using CSR funds. “Asha Suresh did not propose the flyover to the Council. Bellandur Jothege had asked the Mayor to approve of it speedily. Now, the mayor will suo motu call the file himself and approve it, based on citizens’ Critical Life-Saving Request,” a resident said. “There should have been no delay. Work should have started by now for sure. Things slowed down after the Executive Engineer of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike was transferred on February 15, and the reason for this move is suspect. We finally got the approval of the Chief Engineer on February 21 and now, only the BBMP has to give a go-ahead,” the resident added. Officials were forced to act after over a 100 residents formed a human chain on December 6, protesting the death of a 19-year-old who died a brutal death on being hit by a speeding vehicle outside Akme Harmony Apartments. Sanjay Giri, the victim, worked as a security guard at the apartment complex. Read: What happened to Sanjay could happen to us: Bellandur residents up in arms for skywalk Residents of the area unanimously decided to name the proposed skywalk after him. Following the December protests, the HSR Traffic Police Station agreed to provide additional personnel on ground to assist pedestrian movement till the skywalk is built. But they were withdrawn within a month.   After multiple meetings between BBMP officials and MLA Arvind Limbavali, residents finally saw a ray of hope when Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan stepped in and arranged private funds for the skywalk. Read: Bellandur skywalk to be built with CSR funds, MP promises it will be up in 3 months He was also instrumental in getting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the metro railway authorities. A mandatory NOC from the metro authorities was also another hindrance to the project that residents were facing.

Rajya Sabha polls in Karnataka: Congress, BJP, JD (S) and their poll strategy

March 8, 2018, 4:58 am

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Politics

Will Rajeev Chandrasekhar be nominated again by the BJP? Will JD (S) convince Congress to field its person?

Prajwal Bhat

In a show of strength in the run up to the state assembly elections, Congress in Karnataka is looking to fight for three of the four Rajya Sabha seats due for elections on March 23. The BJP currently holds two of the seats (Basavaraj Patil Sedam and R Ramakrishna). The other two seats are held by K Rahman Khan of the Congress and independent candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who was elected jointly by the BJP and JD(S). Each candidate needs 44 votes in the 224-member assembly and the Congress’ intention to contest for three seats leaves no room for the Janata Dal (Secular) to elect their own candidate in the election. Congress says ‘No’ to Sam Pitroda Congress is buoyed by its strength in the Karnataka assembly and is also expected to garner the votes of seven JD(S) rebels who helped the Congress win an additional seat in the Rajya Sabha elections in 2016. While the party has sought time to finalise its three candidates, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has rejected the central leadership’s suggestion of fielding technocrat Sam Pitroda as one of the candidates since he is not a Kannadiga. According to a source in the Congress, a number of names are under discussion with the party likely to stick to its tried-and-trusted formula of selecting leaders from minorities and backward caste communities. Among them are Saleem Ahmed, Shamanuru Shivashankarappa and Rani Satish, both former Ministers, and Kailashnath Patil, son of former Chief Minister Veerendra Patil. Saleem Ahmed who hails from Haveri is likely to be nominated as the party is looking to field a Muslim candidate. A 35-year old Congress veteran, Ahmed has previously been the Chief Whip in the Karnataka Legislative Council and was also the Director General of the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports from 2012-2014. Lingayat leaders Kailashnath Patil and Rani Satish are also being considered by the party in a bid to appease the Lingayat contingent ahead of the state assembly elections. Kailashnath Patil who hails from Gulbarga is the son of former Chief Minister Veerendra Patil while Rani Satish was the Kannada and Culture Minister in the state from 1999 to 2004 in SM Krishna’s cabinet. Satish grew up in Periyapatna Taluk in Mysore and was the Bangalore City Mahila Congress President for 17 years before taking over as the Kannada and Culture Minister. Meanwhile Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, President of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of Veerashaivas is also among the names considered. Shivashankarappa, a veteran Congress leader who hails from Davangere and was previously the Minister for Horticulture and Agro Marketing in the current Congress government is also in the race. Siddaramaiah is also believed to be angling for P R Channa Reddy, a realtor and close friend. Although Reddy joined the Congress in 2006, he has maintained a low profile. He runs a software firm iPapagari in Bengaluru. The JD(S) plan The JD(S) however is hoping to persuade the Congress to field businessman BM Farooq as one of its candidates. Farooq, who was the JD(S) candidate in the last elections to the Rajya Sabha in 2016 was denied a seat after cross-voting by JD(S) MLAs. A JD(S) spokesperson however denied that the party is looking to pulling out of its alliance with Congress in the Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike if it does not get to elect a Rajya Sabha nomination. Rajeev Chandrasekhar again? The opposition BJP is also undecided over who it will nominate. Retiring member Rajeev Chandrasekhar is one of the aspirants hoping to gain a ticket. Chandrasekhar has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha twice, first in 2006 and then in 2012 as an independent candidate. He got the support of the BJP and JD(S) on both occasions. He is the vice-chairman of the Kerala unit of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Chandrasekhar is the founder and chairman of Jupiter Capital Pvt. Ltd., a financial services and investment companies and has invested in numerous media companies including AsiaNet News and Republic TV, in which he is the largest investor. Another name in the frame is that of Vijay Sankeshwar, owner of the influential Kannada newspaper Vijayavani and logistics firm VRL. Sankeshwar previously owned Vijaya Karnataka until it was sold to The Times Group in 2007 after which he started Vijayavani. He is also a former Member of Parliament having been elected thrice from North Dharwad constituency as a BJP member. Sankeshwar is also a former Member of Parliament from North Dharwad constituency as a BJP member.

Two fires in 14 days at Nandi Hills: Is this an attempt to usurp land in the green belt?

March 8, 2018, 5:03 am

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Environment

Locals allege that the flames are fanned on purpose to allow builders to construct more resorts and hotels in the area.

Theja Ram

In just two weeks, parts of Nandi Hills have caught fire twice and three more fires have raged on two other hills in the Panchagiri range located just off Bengaluru city. Forest officials from the Chikkaballapura Range rushed to douse the fire at Nandi Hills, but are yet to ascertain the cause for the fire. “The latest fire began at around 1.45 pm on Wednesday and a few acres of the green cover near the hill was burnt down,” said Vikram Reddy, Range Forest Officer, Chikkaballpura Range. Sources in the Forest Department say that hunting traps were found near the fire sites. However, the local forest conservators, who work with the department, have a different story to tell. According to Channegowda, a member of the Arkavathy Kumudavathy Punarrakshepana Samithi, who also helps conservation of the area surrounding Nandi Hills, says that land grabbing and hunting are the major causes for fires in the region. “This is not the first time such a thing is happening. Every year, at least six or seven times, people come and set fire to the hills. They do it to poach peacocks, and also to try and usurp the land,” Channegowda says. Chidananda, a member of the Samithi, who also helps the Forest Department in conservation, says that areas at the foothills are targeted the most. “It is undeniable that the fires are started by locals in the surrounding villages, but one of the greatest threats is to the gomala land (land set aside for grazing purposes) located at the foothills of the Panchagiri range. These lands are also part of the green belt and every year they are targeted and the trees are being set on fire. Of late, many restaurants and resorts have come up here. This is a classic ploy to usurp forest land. First, they burn the forest area, then convert it to gomala land and this is, in turn, bought by builders, who construct resorts and villas,” Chidananda said. Corroborating Chidanada’s allegations, a senior forest official said that over the last decade multiple attempts have been made by the sand and stone quarry mafia to usurp the land. “This area has been declared a green belt. This means that no residential areas can come up here and no commercial activity can take place. With the Karnataka government promoting tourism in the area, the attempts to usurp this land have gone up. Even at Nandi Habba, which was recently held, a separate stall was set up for buying property here. Who gave these people the right to do so? As Forest Officers, we can only try and protect the area assigned to us. We keep busting attempts where stone quarrying work has been carried out on the sly, but it never stops,” he added. Senior officials with the Forest Department in Chikkaballapura Range say that one of the greatest problems is that the Panchagiri Range lies in the border between Chikkaballapura and Doddaballapura districts. “This makes it difficult to determine whose jurisdiction the said green belt falls under,” an official said. Conservators working with the Forest Department also say that most of the time officials do not show up to help douse the fires as they are busy passing the buck on the blame. “The Chikkaballapura and Doddaballapura forest officials are never in agreement. They say that the Panchagiri Range does not belong to their jurisdiction. The Forest Department has, so far, not sorted out the jurisdictional issue no matter how many times we have written to them to fix the problem. Besides, if this excuse does not work, then they say they are short-staffed and they have not officers that they can deploy at the time of the fire,” Channegowda said.   

Victory for Kodagu residents as Centre scraps railway line proposal

March 8, 2018, 6:25 pm

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Citizen Activism

While Minister of State for Railways announced that the Thalassery-Mysuru line has not been included in the budget, activists remain wary of other proposals in the pipeline.

Prajwal Bhat

In a victory for citizens and activists, who have been protesting against proposed railway lines through Kodagu, the Ministry of Railways has decided to scrap the proposed railway line linking Mysuru and Thalassery via Kodagu. Answering a question about the proposed railway line in Parliament on Wednesday, Rajen Gohain, Minister of State for Railways said, “No project Thalassery-Mysuru new line is included in the budget”. On Monday, a delegation comprising office-bearers of Kodagu Ekikarna Ranga and trustees of Wildlife First – MK Chinnappa, Praveen Bhargav, former National Wildlife Board member and HNA Prasad — submitted a memorandum to the Railway Minister opposing the line through Kodagu district and appealed to him to drop the project upon which they received a verbal confirmation from the minister that the Mysuru-Thalassery railway line via Kodagu will not be taken up. The decision to scrap the project comes after a sustained campaign by citizens, environmentalists and activists in Karnataka, who have been up in arms about the proposal and launched several protests against it. The first protest against the railway line was held in Madikeri on June 4, 2017 and the second was held at Kutta on August 26, 2017. A change.org petition against the construction of the railway track has also registered over 30,000 signatures. A third protest was held last month on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mysuru when thousands of citizens gathered at Mysuru’s Dasara Exhibition Grounds to protest against the proposed railway line. Col. Muthanna, President of the Coorg Wildlife Foundation, who has been spearheading the protests, welcomed the move to scrap the project but warned that the fight is far from over as there is still no clarity over another proposed railway line between Mysuru and Kushalnagar in Kodagu district. “We have won the first battle and we definitely welcome the news that the proposed railway line linking Mysuru and Thalassery via Kodagu will be scrapped but the Minister has not spoken about the other line linking Mysuru and Kushalnagar, which may extend up to Mangaluru,” said Col. Muthanna. In response to questions posed by Mysuru MP Pratap Simha in the Lok Sabha in 2016, the Ministry of Railways confirmed that a field survey for a railway line connecting Mysuru-Kushalnagar-Madikeri was completed, however, no timeline was stipulated for the start of the project. Col. Muthanna further questioned the construction of a facility by the Ministry of Railways at Stone Hill in Madikeri. “We do not know yet what they are building but if it is a project office they are building then it is definitely questionable. We are asking the Ministry of Railways for clarity over that as well,” said Col. Muthanna.   He also said that a project to build four national highways through Kodagu will spell doom for the district. Activists fear that thousands of trees will be cut down, availability of drinking water will be affected and also point out that it poses a threat to elephants in the region. “The railway line and the national highway projects will seriously damage the green cover in Kodagu. We are also facing problems with availability of water in the summer and the problems are even deeper downstream in the south,” he added.

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K’taka HC issues notice to Anantkumar Hegde, CT Ravi over Tipu Jayanthi comments

March 8, 2018, 11:29 pm

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Politics

The petitioner asked why leaders were allowed to get away with such comments, when common people would have been booked for a criminal offence.

TNM Staff

CT Ravi (Left) and Anantkumar Hegde (Right)

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday issued notices to Union Minister of State Anantkumar Hegde and Chikkamagaluru MLA CT Ravi in connection with provocative statements made during Tipu Jayanthi celebrations in November 2017.  Justice Budhihal RB issued the notices based on a petition filed by social activist A Alam Pasha. “The leaders made statements saying things like Tipu Sultan is a ‘looter’, a ‘mass rapist’ and a ‘killer’, which is a constitutional breach since it incites communities. As a citizen, if he says it he becomes a criminal. So why is it that he is allowed to say these things as a minister?” asked Alam Pasha in his petition. Both Anantkumar and Ravi are Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and they were vehemently against the state government's decision to celebrate Tipu Jayanti in November 2017.  The petitioner had earlier submitted a complaint against the two BJP leaders at the Indiranagar police station, but the police refused to accept it. “They simply neglected my complaint. I asked the ACP and the DCP as well, but they also did not act on the complaint,” said Alam. He then approached a magistrate court, which quashed the order stating that a prior sanction was required to register a case against them. Pasha, however, approached the High Court then, stating that the magistrate court is yet to allow him to access a copy of the order. The petition cites an alleged tweet by Anantkumar that read, "Conveyed #Karnataka Govt NOT to invite me to shameful event of glorifying a person known as brutal killer, wretched fanatic & mass rapist.” It also mentions another tweet by that said: "If the government prints my name on the invitation card, I will attend the function and raise slogans from the dais against Tipu. If Siddaramaiah has the guts, let him stop me." The petition cites a statement reportedly made by CT Ravi and quoted in a newspaper. "Communal Congress led by arrogant @siddaramaiah is repeatedly insulting Hindus by celebrating Tyrant Tipu Jayanthi despite severe opposition and thrive on anti-Hindu appeasement policies,” it says. With the issuance of the notice, the High Court has quashed the earlier order passed by the magistrate court. “The President himself has praised Tipu Sultan on his visit to the state. The statements made by these leaders should not hurt communities as they have taken an oath under the Constitution. This is not a way for the politicians to come to the limelight and fulfil their political motives,” Alam added.  

Karnataka state flag: Vatal Nagaraj opposes decision a day after cabinet approval

March 8, 2018, 11:32 pm

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Politics

The Karnataka Cabinet had approved the official state flag on Thursday – a tricolour of yellow, white and red sporting the ‘ganda bherunda’ in the middle.

TNM Staff

A day after the official state flag was approved by the Karnataka cabinet, serial protester and President of Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha, Vatal Nagaraj questioned the need for a different flag design. Speaking to TNM, Vatal Nagaraj demanded that the government answer questions as to why it had “abruptly decided to design a new state flag”. “My question is simple. What was the need to change the design of the state flag? The vermillion and yellow flag has been our state flag, although unofficially, for decades now. Ever since the Chief Minister announced that the committee was formed to design a new flag, I have been asking the same question,” Vatal Nagaraj added. In July 2017, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that a committee would be formed to probe the possibility of having a state flag for Karnataka. At the time, the Chief Minister had said that the vermillion and yellow flag was the official party flag of Kannada Paksha and that the state government could not adopt the design due to legal issues. “Yes, the vermillion and yellow flag belongs to Kannada Paksha and the government cannot adopt this flag. But these two colours have become synonymous with the state flag. They could have added the outline of Karnataka or Goddess Bhuvaneshwari on the existing flag itself. The old flag design has been in the hearts of crores of Kannada speaking people. Even the state government has been hoisting the vermillion and yellow flag during Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations for 25 years now. No one ever asked the Chief Minister for a new flag. No one asked for a change,” Vatal Nagaraj said. The Karnataka Cabinet approved the official state flag on Thursday – a tricolour of yellow, white and red sporting the ‘ganda bherunda’ in the middle. The flag design will now be sent to the Centre for its approval, following which it can be unfurled in state meetings. Sources said the colours selected represented different things – yellow symbolises forgiveness, white stands for peace and red for bravery. The emblem will the printed in black and white on the central white stripe. The state emblem of Karnataka is based on the kingdom of Mysore and is carried on all Government of Karnataka correspondence.  It has the Sarnath lion symbol, which is popular across India, below which is a red shield with the ganda bherunda. On either side are two lion-elephants called ‘sharabha’, a mythological creature believed to be 8-legged and possessing the powers of lions and elephants. The emblem usually carries the words ‘Satymeva Jayate’ below. “However, the words Satyameva Jayate will not be present on the flag,” Siddaramaiah said.   

Shutters down across theatres in Karnataka on Friday, one-day token strike

March 9, 2018, 12:00 am

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Cinema

Karnataka is showing solidarity with other state theatre owners over the dispute between producers and Digital Service Providers.

TNM Staff

Representational Image

If you were thinking of watching a movie in a cinema hall this Friday in Bengaluru or elsewhere in Karnataka, you have to wait till Saturday, as it is shutters down across theatres in the state. As a mark of solidarity with other state association of theatre owners, Karnataka is observing a one-day token strike on the issue of friction between producers and Digital Service Providers regarding Virtual Print Fee. A spokesperson from Karnataka Film Chamber told TNM, “All theatres in Karnataka including multiplexes are closed for screenings today.” According to Senthil Kumar of QUBE Digital (one of the more prominent DSPs), this is “just a token strike” as the issue has been resolved between the Kannada industry and the DSPs. Speaking to TNM, he said, “This was a strike which was earlier planned before we reached an agreement with all the producer associations across states. For some reason they could not carry out their strike on March 1 like other states.” “I am confident that the agreement which we had with Telugu film association will also be agreeable to Kannada producers,” he added. The Kannada film industry like the Malayalam industry had agreed to observe one-day strike after major differences broke out between producers and DSPs. Tamil and Telugu associations had stopped screenings of films since March 1. As earlier reported, producers had complained that DSPs like QUBE and UFO have been charging exorbitant fees which resulted in producers losing their money. Countering the producers’ stand, digital companies claimed that it was the unfair high pay package for leading actors and technicians as a major cause of the problem. Speaking to TNM last week, Sa Ra Govindu, president of Karnataka Film Chamber had said, "Kannada film industry has not yet finalised but as per initial plan, we will strike only on March 1. The final decision will be taken tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. But we are a smaller film industry and there are issues. It's a minimum market industry and there are schedules [to stick to]." 

Meet the Mangaluru woman who has over 300 stamps featuring Indian women

March 9, 2018, 12:43 am

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Philately

In Jane’s ‘Women of India’ stamp collection, one can find Neerja Bhanot, Karnataka’s Kittur Rani Chennamma and Mangaluru’s Abbakka Rani.

Harsha Raj Gatty

If there is a woman in India who has been immortalized in the form of an Indian postal stamp, philatelist Jane D'souza says she has it.  The Mangalurean has a unique way to celebrate and inspire women – through her extensive collection called ‘Women of India’. Jane has collected over 300 stamps, miniature sheets and first-day covers which celebrate Indian women, and has categorised them by warriors, freedom fighters, politicians, diplomats, literary figures, arts and culture, cinema and social service, among others. Her journey with stamps dates back to the late 1960s when she received an envelope filled with stamps, gifted to her by the then Mangaluru postmaster and her neighbour Robert Mascarenhas.  “He simply asked me to add more to the collection, and just like that it became my hobby,” she says. Jane’s passion for collecting stamps got a major boost when she was employed as a secretary in a British firm in Kuwait, where she was in-charge of handling correspondence. "We received letters from all over the world and my collection increased. When my employer learnt of my passion, he communicated to other branch offices to redirect postage covers to me," she says."I had no time to sort them out, so I used to stack these covers into a few boxes. My collection would have easily crossed over a lakh," she says. However, due to the events that followed during Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Jane, like many other expats, was ordered along with her family for emergency evacuation from the country that was about to turn in to a war-zone. "At that point, I could think of nothing more but the safety of my family. I had to leave behind my stamp collection and flee to India in a Red Cross convoy,” she says. Back in Mangaluru, Jane’s daughter motivated her to start collecting stamps once again. She enrolled herself as a member of Dakshina Kannada Philatelic and Numismatic Association (DKPNA) and started rebuilding her extensive collection by exchanging stamps. This time, Jane collected stamps under categories such as Kuwait, Christmas and Women. In Jane’s ‘Women of India’ collection, one can find Neerja Bhanot (released in 2004), Karnataka’s Kittur Rani Chennamma (released in 1977) and Mangaluru’s Abbakka Rani (2003). Jane's oldest stamp on a woman dates back to 1952, - a stamp of Indian saint Meera Bai. This was the very first stamp to be released on a woman after Independence. "It was very difficult to get hold of this one. Being a very rare stamp, I had to go through a lot of dealers and stamp enthusiasts to add it to my collection," she says. While Mahadevi Verma (1991), Kranti Devi (2010) and Sister Nivedita are some of the many women featured in her literary stalwarts segment, Jane also has stamps featuring yesteryear actors Devika Rani, Meena Kumari, Leela Naidu, Savithri and Kannan Devi, which was part of a special miniature sheet released in 2011. “Every woman has a story to tell. Each stamp is inspiring. It speaks so much of the woman’s personality. I don’t just collect the stamps, but also write a note on the woman featured so that others can know them. It’s my way of storytelling,” she says. As part of its Women’s Day celebrations, the Dakshina Kannada Philatelic and Numismatic Association will be keeping Jane's 'Women of India' collection on display till March 11 at the Mangaluru Head Post Office. Content provided by www.storyinfinity.com (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures).

Bengaluru to soon get 8 more local trains, four on Hosur-Banaswadi line

March 9, 2018, 1:28 am

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Railways

"The eight new trains will be added within a week," Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said.

TNM Staff

Representational Image

The suburban rail network in Bengaluru will be strengthened in the coming week, as eight new local trains are going to be launched by South Western Railways. The launch of these eight new trains was announced by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal who was in Bengaluru recently to inspect the ongoing physical survey work, required for preparing the detailed feasibility report, for a revamp of Bengaluru’s suburban railway network. "The eight new trains will be added within a week," Goyal said. Out of these eight new trains, four will run between Hosur and Banaswadi, and two each between Byappanahalli-Whitefield, Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (Majestic)-Byappanahalli routes. Speaking about the feasibility study, AK Gupta, General Manager, SWR said, “The report will contain details of traffic projections, rate of return as well as a detailed map and alignment. We expect a total of 6 months for it to be ready.” Meanwhile, Minister Goyal praised the current government and said that expenditure during the current tenure has gone up by 250%. "The speed of new lines added during the last four years has increased by 200%. Similarly, doubling work has been speeded up by 60%, electrification work has gone up from 8 km to 177 km per year," the minister claimed. Sanjeev Dhyanavar, an urban mobility expert and long-time crusader for suburban railways said, “This is a positive move and gradually as the infrastructure gets added, more trains can be started so that it helps the traffic situation in the city.”   The demand for suburban railway on the lines of Mumbai and other big cities in India has been growing gradually among city dwellers. Citizen groups had launched a campaign called Chuku Buku Beku as early as December 2016— demanding a well-connected intra-city railway network in order to solve the city’s traffic gridlock. They argued that instead of building a Rs 2,000 crore steel flyover, public money could be better utilised by expanding railway services, as the basic infrastructure of 180 km of railway track and 40 railway stations is already ready.     The first success of the movement came in August 2017 after suburban train service between Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield was inaugurated by then Rail Minister Suresh Prabhu. With this, a journey of 15km could be covered in just 25 minutes. Recently, the state government had given approval to contribute Rs 350 crore towards the project.