Karnataka

Court

The state government was given two weeks to provide interim relief to residents and a period of one month to come up with a scheme to rehabilitate residents.

Prajwal Bhat

The Karnataka High Court directed the state government to rehabilitate and provide relief measures for residents of migrant settlements in Bellandur and Whitefield in Bengaluru which were demolished over fears that Bangladeshi immigrants were staying there. The demolitions were carried out on January 18 and 19 after police officials at the Marathahalli police station issued notices to the landowners to evict residents living in tin and tarpaulin sheds. Police then oversaw the demolition of sheds in Kariyammana Agrahara, Devarabeesanahalli and Kundanahalli despite appeals from the residents. "As it all began due to the notice issued by the police inspector, it is the state government which takes responsibility to rehabilitate the persons who lost their homes in the demolition. We direct the state government to come up with a scheme for rehabilitating the residents and for grant of interim relief," Chief Justice Abhay Oka stated. The state government was given two weeks to provide interim relief to residents and a period of one month to come up with a scheme to rehabilitate residents. The court was hearing the plea filed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties which challenged the demolition. When the demolitions were carried out, another letter written by Narayan Swamy, the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of the BBMP's Mahadevapura zone sought permission from the Marathahalli police to carry out demolitions. But the counsel appearing for BBMP in the high court distanced the civic body from the demolitions stating that even though a letter was sent by the AEE, the demolitions were not carried out by them. But CJ Oka stated that the demolitions were a result of the actions of Marathahalli police officials, who were present along with an excavator when the demolitions were carried out. "The counsels appearing for the state government and BBMP have both denied that they initiated any due process to evict residents in the settlements," CJ Oka said. Police officials present during demolition of migrant settlement near Mantri Espana Apartment, Bellandur The High Court also rejected the statements made by two landowners that the residents left the settlement after they were politely requested to do so. Read: ‘Can you identify Bangladeshi by looking at face’: Karnataka HC slams state In the week prior to the demolitions, a video was shared widely on social media claiming that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were sheltered in the migrant settlements in Bellandur. The video was also shared by the BJP's Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali. A news report by Suvarna News had also claimed the presence of Bangladeshi immigrants staying in Bellandur. This was despite the fact that most residents of the settlement were from different parts of India including Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and even north Karnataka. The residents in the settlement work as housekeepers, cooks and cleaners in high-rise apartments nearby on daily wages. The residents who saw their homes demolished in January are now living in sheds nearby. "We will be collecting information on the list of residents whose homes were demolished last month. We will be providing this list to the state government," Maitreyi Krishnan, the petitioner told TNM. Read: After video claims 'Bangladeshi immigrant' settlement in Bengaluru, BBMP razes 100 huts

Body 2:

Politics

Ramesh Jarkiholi bagged the coveted Water Resources portfolio, while K Sudhakar got the Medical Education ministry.

TNM Staff

The much-awaited allocation of ministerial portfolios for the newly appointed ministers in the Karnataka cabinet finally came through on Monday. On February 6, ten turncoat MLAs who had quit the Congress- JD(S) and joined the BJP were sworn in as ministers in BS Yediyurappa’s cabinet. On Monday, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa finalized the list of ministries to be allocated to the 10 turncoat MLAs. Ramesh Jarkiholi, the MLA from Gokak, who kick started the rebellion in the Congress has bagged the Water Resources portfolio. Ramesh Jarkiholi had demanded this particular ministry as he wanted the same portfolio that his political nemesis DK Shivakumar had bagged when he was a minister in the coalition government. Although all four of the MLAs from Bengaluru were eyeing the coveted Bengaluru Development Ministry, none of them bagged it as Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has decided to retain the portfolio himself. KR Puram MLA and a prominent politician in Bengaluru – Byrathi Basavaraj, however, bagged the Urban Development portfolio. Although Narayanagowda from Mandya wanted the Agriculture Ministry, he had to settle with the Horticulture and Sericulture portfolios along with Municipal Administration. BJP sources say that only Ramesh Jarkiholi and Dr K Sudhakar got the portfolios they wanted. Dr K Sudhakar has been made the Minister for Medical Education from Health and Family Welfare. “Some important portfolios must be set aside for the next round of cabinet expansion. Some ministers are likely to be shuffled as well in July,” the source added. Here is the full list of newly allocated ministries: Ramesh Laxmanrao Jarkiholi: Major and Medium Irrigation for Water Resources Anand Singh: Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Srimanth Patil: Textile from Commerce and Industries Byrathi Basavaraj: Urban Development (excluding Bengaluru Development, BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, BMRDA, BMRCL, KUWSDB, KUIDFC & Directorate of Town Planning from Urban Development). ST Somashekar: Cooperation Department BC Patil: Environment, Forests and Climate Change Dr K Sudhakar: Medical Education from Health and Family Welfare KC Narayana Gowda: Municipal Administration, Horticulture and Sericulture Shivaram Hebbar: Labour Department

Body 2:

Coronavirus

A viral message claimed that infected chickens had spread the coronavirus in the city, officials confirmed to TNM that this was not true.

Dr Nimeshika Jayachandran

Representative Image

“High alert: Chicken infected from corona virus found in Bangalore today, kindly circulate the message and avoid consumption of chicken. Spread to your dear ones,” reads the latest forward message circulating in WhatsApp groups in Bengaluru. This message is not true. “From a scientific and medical point of view, whether it is in India or elsewhere, the virus doesn’t spread from chicken. Please do not forward or share such messages,” stated Dr G Devegowda,President, Institution of Veterinarians of Poultry Industry. He stressed that spreading such news only resulted in more fear mongering and panic spreading. Speaking to TNM, Bengaluru District Health Officer (DHO) reiterated that the virus is spread via air droplets from infected individuals or carriers (who are infected with the virus but do not show any symptoms of being unwell themselves). Several such fake advisories and warnings have been shared on WhatsApp and circulated on social media extensively since the coronavirus outbreak started. A similar message that was circulated was debunked after officials from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) issued a statement. “For the past few days we have seen fake messages/posts on social media claiming that broiler chickens are spreading coronavirus are getting viral. As such there is no scientific evidence to back this claim,” reads the statement which has been signed by Dr P Venkateshwar Reddy Chief Veterinary Officer of GHMC. The coronavirus outbreak began in China’s Wuhan city, located in Hubei province. Over 40,000 individuals are reportedly infected with over 800 deaths having occurred in China alone. India has reported three positive cases from Kerala, with one individual no longer showing the virus in the lab samples. The virus belongs to the same family of viruses which caused the 2003 SARS outbreak and the sporadic outbreak of MERS in 2012. The WHO has recommended that individuals follow stringent hand hygiene measures and wash hands frequently with soap and water.

Body 2:

Bidar sedition case

The school CEO told TNM that the girl did not attend a preparatory examination on Monday.

Prajwal Bhat

An 11-year-old girl in Bidar district's Shaheen Primary and High School is eagerly waiting for the verdict in the bail petition hearing of her mother and her teacher. The court will be hearing their bail pleas on Tuesday. The mother, Nazbunnisa, and the teacher, Fareeda Begum, were booked for sedition and arrested after a school play voiced dissent against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). "We are hoping that this ordeal is over tomorrow. We still cannot believe that a school play attracted a charge of sedition and that the police visited the school five times to question students," Touseef Madikeri, the school's CEO says. The play was held on January 21 in Shaheen School following which Nilesh Rakshala, an activist from the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) filed a complaint with the police officials in Bidar's New Town Police Station. He accused the school management of sedition and 'insulting' the Prime Minister through the play. Nazbunissa's daughter Ayesha* (name changed) was alleged to have delivered the dialogues which 'insulted' Prime Minister Modi."In the days after the arrest, Ayesha attended school and was questioned by the police three times but on Monday, she missed her prepartory examination and she has now stopped attending school," Touseef says of the 11-year-old whose father passed away earlier and is now under the care of a teacher at the school. He further defended the play saying that it was satirical and not hateful. But Nazbunnisa and Fareeda were arrested on January 30 and are lodged at the Bidar District Prison currently. The judge at the district court was on leave till February 4 and upon returning, he gave the public prosecutor one week's time to file objections to the bail petition. Police officials in Bidar led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Basaveshwara Hira visited the school five times to question students. The police also arrested the two women and booked them for sedition. The police's actions were heavily criticised after a photograph of the police questioning students in uniform was shared widely. "The police visited the school five times and spoke to students they were not able to speak to earlier. They collected information about the play," Bidar SP DL Nagesh says. Students in the school, however, told TNM that they were intimidated by the police's repeated questioning. "We were repeatedly asked similar questions like who scripted the play, what our roles were, where we practiced, whether our parents attended," a student said.

Body 2:

Protest

"We began this 4 months ago after buses were burnt in Ramanagara. We felt the need of making protesters responsible for public property and life," DCP Chetan Rathore told TNM.

Prajwal Bhat

Image for representation: Protest against CAA, Bengaluru

Activists and citizens in Bengaluru are furious with the city police's decision to ask protesters in the city to sign indemnity bonds of up to Rs 10 lakh to obtain permission to stage protests. Police in the city are seeking bonds and are invoking section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. This gives powers to the police to seek a bond from persons who they have information will commit a breach of peace."Earlier the police did not seek bonds from protesters. This practice by the city police violates the law," Maitreyi Krishnan, an advocate in the city and activist taking part in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) told TNM. Lawyers and activists say that the police have made signing an undertaking with a bond attached as a prerequisite for staging protests in Bengaluru."Section 107 of the CrPC is invoked when a magistrate receives information about a possible breach of peace. A show-cause notice is then issued and the person will get an opportunity to be heard. But in Bengaluru, police are asking us to take an undertaking failing which permission is not given for protests," says Avani Choksi, an advocate and activist in the city. The city police however defended its decision and argued that the bond does not involve paying any money upfront. "We began this four months ago after buses were burnt in Ramanagara district. We felt the need of making protesters responsible for public property and life. They need not pay any money and only if an inquiry proves that the protesters were responsible for damage, it will cause trouble for them," Bengaluru Central DCP Chetan Singh Rathore told TNM. He added that the bond of Rs 10 lakh is not a fixed amount and could vary depending on the protest. "It varies with the tone, sensitivity, number of people and duration of the protest. The bond may be Rs 1 lakh depending on the protest. When we know that the protesters are harmless, it can come down to Rs 50,000," the DCP added. Protests in the city against the CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC) are mainly taking place at Maurya Circle, Freedom Park and Town Hall, within the jurisdictions of DCP Central and DCP West. Earlier, police in Mangaluru asked Rs 2 crore as a cautionary deposit from activists planning to stage anti-CAA protests. Meanwhile, lawyers and activists are planning to challenge the police's decision in court and say that their actions are 'undemocratic'. Read: Mangaluru cops asked for Rs 2 crore as 'deposit' for anti-CAA protests, allege activists

Body 2:

Death

Police officials told TNM that they do not suspect any foul play and have registered a case of unnatural death.

TNM Staff

Rescue workers fished out the body of a software engineer after he had drowned in Bengaluru's Kalkere Lake in the early hours of Saturday morning. Sachin Machaiah and his friend Ullas ventured on a coracle ride in the lake at 2:30 am on Saturday after partying till late in the night. However, when the duo were in the middle of the lake, the oars slipped out of their hands and the coracle capsized. While Ullas, who knew how to swim, reached the shore to call for help, Sachin reportedly drowned in the lake. The lake's security guard Rajesh Dindi was alerted about the duo's misadventure at this point but by the time rescue workers could arrive at the lake, Sachin was nowhere to be found. This commenced a marathon search operation which ended on Sunday when Sachin's body was found, the Times of India reported. Police officials at Ramamurthy Nagar police station told TNM that they do not suspect any foul play and have registered a case of unnatural death. The duo Sachin and Ullas, were former colleagues and close friends. They attended a party at Kundalahalli Gate and decided to explore the lake since it was close to Ullas' home. Ullas also knew where a coracle was kept in the lake. The security guard later informed the police that the coracle is used to clean the lake, Deccan Herald reported. Sachin worked in a company out of Manyata Tech Park. He was a native of Virajpet in Kodagu district.

Body 2:

Politics

Let people who wear chaddis, pants and dhotis come here and speak, it doesn't matter," DK Shivakumar retorted

Theja Ram

The RSS on Sunday held a rally in Karnataka’s Ramanagara against the installation of the Jesus statue at Harobele. Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, the organisation's south-central region executive committee member led the rally and made several statements against the Muslim and Christian communities. The row over the Jesus statue began after Kanakpura MLA DK Shivakumar laid the foundation stone for the installation of a 114-feet statue at Harobele on December 26. Currently, there is a 12 feet statue of Jesus on top of the hill. Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat accused the Christian community of forcefully trying to convert Hindus in the region. He said previous governments had decided to allot the land only to members of the Christian community. “They have allotted the land to over 200 people who live around the hill. It was allotted to those who belong to the Christian community. One name is there, Victoria Rani, daughter of Puttappaiah Achar. Why should Victoria Rani live here, her time is over. You (referring to the Christian community) are forcefully converting people. Religious conversion is a big problem in this country,” Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat said while adding, “How many more people will you convert? Pakistan was created, now are you trying to create a Christian place? They (Christian community members) are out to install a huge statue of Jesus Christ on that temple. Why? Because they want this place to become the biggest spot for Christians to visit.” The RSS leader went on to claim that the statue of Jesus would be installed over an idol of a Hindu god – Muneshwara. “The people of the village located just a few meters away from the hill have been worshipping god Muneshwara. On top of this hill, there are stones, which have engravings of the figure of Muneshwara. These people have installed the Jesus statue on top of that. Are you planning to stamp Hindu religion by doing this?” he added. Reacting to Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat’s statement, Kanakapura MLA DK Shivakumar said that the RSS leader’s statements would not deter him from pushing for the installation of the statue. “Let people who wear chaddis, pants and dhotis come here and speak. The BJP is operating here through the Sangh Parivar. The party has won 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state and yet they are doing all these things to keep their support base. People of Ramanagara will never back them. I will continue to fight for the installation of the statue,” he said. RSS leader calls two victims of police shooting as terrorists Addressing the rally at Ramanagara, Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat also called the two victims of police firing in Mangaluru on December 19 as terrorists. Kalladka Bhat alleged that the anti-CAA protesters in Mangaluru tried to attack a police station due to which the Commissioner had ordered the police force to shoot at protesters. “Around 50 policemen were injured and 30 policemen were admitted to the hospital. It was then that the Commissioner issued an order to shoot. Two terrorists died. After that all protesters ran away,” he said. He went on to say that members of the Muslim community were trying to turn Mangaluru into “another Pakistan”. “There was no need for us to hold such an event as this one in Ramanagara if they (referring to members of the Muslim community) had not resorted to such violence. They want to make Mangaluru a second Pakistan. Lad ke lenge Hindustan is their agenda. We will not allow the place to become like Pakistan. If you (Muslims) want to live here, live with Hindus. Live by the vibrant culture of Hindus,” he said while adding, “Muslims in this country say Pakistan ki Jai but they never go to Pakistan. This is because among all countries in the world, Muslims are happy only in India.”

Body 2:

Crime

The man, one of the directors of Fun World and Resorts India Private Limited, was arrested and let off on bail.

TNM Staff

A Lamborghini Gallardo crashed into the traffic police kiosk at CTO Circle, right across from Cubbon Park Metro Station in Bengaluru at around 5.15 pm on Sunday. Though the kiosk was empty and no one was injured, the owner of the car had abandoned the Lamborghini and fled. A couple of hours after the accident occurred, the man behind the wheel, Sunny Sabharwal (28), one of the directors of Fun World and Resorts India Private Limited, went back to pose for a picture in front of the severely damaged kiosk and posted it on social media. The post has now been taken down, a senior police official said. On Sunday evening, Sunny Sabharwal was driving from MG Road to RT Nagar and was on his way to the road leading to Raj Bhavan when he rammed the Lamborghini into the traffic kiosk. Luckily, no police personnel were inside the kiosk. The impact of the crash caused severe damage to the front wall of the police kiosk as well as to the chairs inside, and left a gaping hole in the building. Soon after the crash occurred, senior police officials say that passers-by and other commuters gathered around the kiosk to see what had happened and Sunny allegedly slipped away in the crowd. When pictures of the crash went viral on WhatsApp on Sunday evening, Sunny allegedly received several queries from his friends and family members about his condition. “He went back to the spot and clicked a picture of himself with a thumbs up sign at the damaged kiosk,” the police official said. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ravikante Gowda formed a team to investigate the matter. DCP Traffic (East) M Narayana, the lead investigating officer gathered CCTV footage and tracked down Sunny. On Monday, the investigating team went to Sunny’s residence in RT Nagar and informed his family members that he had been booked for rash and negligent driving. “His family initially denied it. We showed them the CCTV footage and also the picture where he posed in front of the kiosk. He was arrested and we imposed a fine of Rs 2,000. Since section 279 is bailable, he was let go after the arrest as he obtained station bail,” a senior police official said.

Body 2:

Crime

Police say that another man came to the police station and surrendered saying he was the one who drove the Bentley.

TNM Staff

A Bentley car, which was speeding on Bengaluru’s Bellary Road on Sunday rammed into two vehicles near Mekhri Circle, and ended up injuring four people. Soon after the accident, the driver had abandoned the car and no one knew who was responsible for the accident. Bengaluru Traffic Police now say that the driver of the Bentley was Mohammed Haris Nalapad, the son of Shantinagar Congress MLA NA Haris. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ravaikante Gowda told TNM that the man behind the wheel was Nalapad and that he has been summoned for questioning. "Soon after the accident, on Monday a man came to the police station and surrendered saying he was the one driving the Bentley. Investigation revealed that it was not true and that the man who was driving the car was Mohammed Haris Nalapad. We have issued summons to him for questioning, once he appears for questioning, we will continue with the investigation," Ravikante Gowda said. @AddlCPTraffic says that Mohammed Haris Nalapad was the one driving the Bentley that rammed into an auto and a bike at Mekhri Cirlcle on Sunday afternoon. @thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/hjELitVLmR — Theja Ram (@thejaram92) February 11, 2020 At around 2.30 pm on Sunday, the Bentley Continental GT (TS 09 UC 9), which was speeding along the Mekhri Circle underpass rammed into a bike bearing the license plate number KA 03 EV 8346 and later rammed into an autorickshaw bearing the license plate KA 05 AD 4756. The two-wheeler rider Praful Kumar, an engineer, and the autorickshaw driver Abdul sustained injuries and were admitted to a nearby private hospital. A woman named Sabiha and her six-year-old son also sustained minor injuries and were administered first aid. Police officials say that CCTV footage and several videos of the incident were recovered from which the police identified Mohammed Haris Nalapad as the man who was driving the Bentley. DCP East (traffic division) M Narayan had earlier said that the Bentley belongs to a private company and that representatives of the company were questioned on Monday. A case of rash and negligent driving has been registered at the Sadashivnagar Traffic Police Station. This is not the first time that Mohammed Haris Nalapad has been accused of breaking the law. He was arrested by the Cubbon Park Police on February 19, 2018, two days after he and his associates assaulted Vidvat, the son of a prominent businessman, in an uptown cafe in Bengaluru. The chargesheet filed by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) revealed that Nalapad initiated the incident and provoked his aides with the intention of murdering Vidvat. He was denied bail by the sessions court multiple times and was in jail for 115 days before he finally procured bail in June 2018.

Body 2:

Politics

In the latest change, Anand Singh was made the Minister of Forest, Ecology and Environment instead of BC Patil, who was allocated the Agriculture Department, a major ministry.

TNM Staff

In a surprise move, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa reshuffled his Cabinet just one day after portfolios were handed to the ten turncoat MLAs who had quit the Congress-JD(S) and later joined the BJP in 2019. The decision was taken after several MLAs expressed unhappiness over the ministries that were allocated to them. In the latest change, Anand Singh was made the Minister of Forest, Ecology and Environment instead of BC Patil, who was allocated the Agriculture Department, a major ministry. Gopalaiah, who was allocated the Small Scale Industries portfolio on Monday was allocated the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department on Tuesday in another major change. Shivaram Hebbar who was allocated the Labour Department earlier on Monday was handed the additional charge of Sugar from the Commerce and Industries Department. Byrathi Suresh, meanwhile, was handed two urban development boards — Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) and Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC). Shrimant Patil was given additional charge of Minority Welfare Department, which was earlier handled by Prabhu Chauhan, who also heads the Animal Husbandry Department. Prabhu has been given additional charge of the Haj and Waqf Department. On Monday, the long-pending allocation of ministerial portfolios for the newly-appointed ministers in the Karnataka Cabinet was announced. Ramesh Jarkiholi, the MLA from Gokak, who triggered the rebellion in the Congress was allocated the Water Resources department. This is the same portfolio that was allocated to his political opponent DK Shivakumar when he was a minister in the coalition government.

Body 2:

Politics

People are questioning the need for the Chief Minister of Karnataka to administer the city, when he already has his hands full with the entire state and its problems.

Alithea Stephanie Mounika

On Monday, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa allocated portfolios to 10 MLAs who won bye-elections, after getting the nod from the BJP leadership. A day later, he reshuffled some of these portfolios. However, the Bangalore Development and Town Planning portfolio was retained by the Chief Minister himself. During the Kumaraswamy regime, the portfolio was handled by Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara. Under Siddaramaiah, it was Congress leader KJ George who became the minister for Bengaluru Development, although it was a highly controversial tenure. While most of Bengaluru’s civic activists agree that the Chief Minister should not retain the portfolio, a few believe the ministry itself should be scrapped. “Bengaluru needs a dedicated minister. The city is too big and too complex and has several issues like infrastructure, mobility, waste, water, air pollution, environment and lakes are all crying for attention. It needs to be carefully headed by someone very conversant and proactive about solving urban issues. The CM may have had his compulsions. I hope he will pay attention to this and dedicate a very relevant person to this role. The city is the golden goose for the state in terms of tax collection, collecting over 60% of the state taxes. Special attention needs to be given, otherwise investments will move away and the rest of the state will also bear the brunt of it,” says Revathy Ashok, the CEO of Bangalore Political Action Committee or BPac. Others say that instead of the Chief Minister getting involved in local governance, the people’s representative, the BBMP Mayor, should be the one who is in charge of administrative duties. “The Bangalore Development Ministry must be abolished, and instead, the Mayor should be empowered to administer the city,” says Srinivas Alavilli, from Citizens for Bengaluru. He adds, “They should give the Mayor a full term of five years and give him the duties as he or she is elected to do. Instead, there is lobbying for the Bangalore Development ministership. The previous minister in this post, KJ George, introduced the Steel flyover project which no one in the city asked for or wanted. Ministers should focus on the state and let the city be run by BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the city’s civic body.)” Tara Krishnaswamy, co-founder of Shakti, a women’s political movement, says that the state government already holds too many powers related to the city, and this is already unconstitutional. “Local planning should happen at various different levels, and the current issue is that a locally elected person is not working for the local problems,” she says. She says the way things function has ensured that people’s power is marginalised. “The BBMP is submitting its budget of garbage and roads to the State government. This is like the State government submitting its budget to the Centre and seeking approval. Instead, the city should be declared as a district and we should have district level planning. What is happening instead is the person in charge of the Bengaluru BBMP is the BBMP Commissioner, a bureaucrat appointed by the minister (in this case, the Chief Minister). The Mayor should take charge of the city. The Chief Minister should administer the state and not the city.” Tara concludes.

Body 2:

Bidar Sedition Case

The mother of the 11-year-old student and the head-teacher of a Bidar school were arrested under charges of sedition on January 30 over an anti-CAA school play.

Balakrishna Ganeshan

The mother of the 11-year-old student and the head-teacher of a Bidar school, arrested over a school play, will remain in prison till February 14, which is when the district court will pronounce the order on their bail plea. The two women were arrested on January 30 over charges of sedition after a school play voiced dissent against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) last month. Appearing for the two women, advocate BT Venkatesh argued that this was a politically motivated case and that two women, living in a little town like Bidar, were not a threat to the state. He added that the slogans in the play did not create any unrest and promote any disaffection towards the government. The judge questioned who wrote the script of the play. Venkatesh refrained from answering the question and stated that the contents of the play did not amount to sedition. The judge also stated that it is the responsibility of the elders to read the script before children stage it. Opposing the bail, the public prosecutor argued that the women would leave the country and possibly destroy the video evidence. He cited the recent case of Kris Chudawala, who was booked along with 50 others for sedition in Mumbai. Kris was booked for shouting “anti-national" slogans in support of JNU scholar Sharjeel Imam at Mumbai's Pride March. Sharjeel Imam was arrested last month for allegedly making inflammatory speeches at Shaheen Bagh. On Tuesday, Kris was granted interim relief from arrest by the Bombay High Court. Nazbunnisa, the mother of a student of Shaheen Primary and High School, and Fareeda Begum, the headteacher of the school's primary section, were arrested on January 30 after a video of the anti-CAA school play went viral. The court took cognizance of the fact that the said video was not sent to a forensic science laboratory for probing its authenticity. The sessions court on Tuesday was also hearing the anticipatory bail plea filed by the headmaster of the school. Hearing this plea, the public prosecutor sought more time to file objections and the court will hear this case further on February 17. The public prosecutor opposed bail to the two women despite the fact that Pravin Sood, Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP), had reportedly promised a delegation of lawyers recently that the state will not oppose the bail plea of the two women. (Read more here: How is Bidar school play sedition? Bengaluru lawyers pose 20 questions to state DGP) The two women, Nazbunnisa and Fareeda Begum, have spent the last two weeks lodged in the Bidar district prison. They were arrested after a police complaint from Nilesh Rakshala, an activist from the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) seeking an investigation into the school play. In his complaint, Nilesh accused the school management of sedition and 'insulting' the Prime Minister through the play. Nazbunissa's daughter Ayesha* (name changed) was alleged to have delivered the dialogues which 'insulted' Prime Minister Modi. Nazbunnisa and Fareeda were arrested on January 30 even as police officials visited the school five times to question students connected to the play. The judge at the district court was on leave till February 4 and upon returning, the public prosecutor was given one week's time to file objections to the bail petition. Basaveshwara Hira, the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Bidar district led the investigation into the play. He visited the school five times including once when he was accompanied by police officers in uniform. The police's actions at the school were heavily criticised after a photograph of the police questioning students in uniform was shared widely. Bidar police defended the repeated questioning of students in the school stating that they were interviewing students in batches and that they were "collecting information about the play". Students in the school, however, had earlier told TNM that they were intimidated by the police's repeated questioning.

Body 2:

Karnataka bandh

The bandh call has not got much traction, Namma Metro and BMTC are expected to function as normal.

TNM Staff

Representative image

The Karnataka bandh called for by the Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkuta on February 13, Thursday, is unlikely to hit many services in Bengaluru. The bandh has been called to demand the implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi report, which recommends job reservations to Kannadigas in the state in both the private and government sectors. Public transportation including the Namma Metro and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will function as normal. Indian Express reported that the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) staff and workers associations are yet to decide if they will participate in the bandh. However, cab services may take a hit from 6 am to 6 pm as cab owners and auto drivers who are part of Adarsha Auto and Taxi Union and Jai Bharatha Vehicle Owners and Drivers Association are set to take part in the bandh."Association of Ola and Uber drivers in the city have extended support for the bandh. We agree that the recommendations laid down in the Sarojini Mahishi report should be implemented. It will be a boost for Ola and Uber drivers too," says Tanveer Pasha, President of Ola, Uber Drivers and Owners Association, Bengaluru told TNM. “There are over 90,000 auto drivers in our union and all of them are supporting the bandh. There are around 1.5 lakh auto drivers and we have urged all of them to be a part of the bandh. We don't know how many other autos will operate tomorrow but our union members will not," said Manjunath, President of the Adarsha Auto-rickshaw Drivers' Union. However, it is unclear how many cabs will continue to ply in Bengaluru as they are not part of the union or association. Many other organisations have also supported the bandh called on February 13. This includes the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Lorry Owners Association, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) among others. A large rally will be taken out from the Town Hall to Freedom Park, with participation from pontiffs of over 40 mutts across the state, said Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkuta President HB Nagesh to Times of India, who added that farmers unions will also participate in the strike. However, ToI quoted Police Commissioner Bhasker Rao saying that no organisation had applied for permission from the police for a protest or bandh. The Karnataka government under Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde had in 1983 appointed a committee led by four-time MP Saojini Mahishi to look into reservation for Kannadigas in the state. The Sarojini Mahishi report was prepared in 1986 and it recommended job reservations for Kannadigas in government jobs, public sector units and even in the private sector. Many of the 58 recommendations made in the report have been implemented by successive state governments in power in the state. Many pro-Kannada organisations have pointed to the recommendations made in the report asking for a greater share of jobs in Karnataka for Kannadigas.

Body 2:

Fire

A short-circuit in the building triggered a fire, which in turn caused a gas cylinder explosion.

TNM Staff

Madhuri Rao on Twitter

At least eleven people were injured with 2 persons critical after a fire broke out in a restaurant in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening. The fire took place at Sardarji Londonwaley restaurant in Bengaluru’s Koramangala Fourth Block at around 7.30pm. According to reports, a short-circuit in the building triggered a fire. This was followed by a gas cylinder explosion in the restaurant. Fire, police, and rescue officials rushed to the restaurant, which was near the Wipro signal. Four fire tender vehicles and fire fighters battled the fire for over an hour before it was doused. Visuals show the restaurant on fire, with the flames bringing down its roof. #Koramangala #sonyworld signal #fire pic.twitter.com/8QSKhlihpm — Madhuri Rao (@theredditgirl) February 11, 2020 According to Deccan Herald, the fire originated in the ground floor at around 7.20pm due to a short-circuit and spread to the rest of the building. The fire spread to the first floor where the restaurant, and its kitchen were located. At least gas cylinders exploded in the blaze. The fire also affected another restaurant Ambur Biriyani, paan shop and a kulfi shop located in the same building. #WATCH Cylinder blast at a food outlet in Bengaluru's Koramangala. 10 injured, one serious.@CPBlr @BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM @justbarundas @ByBvRao #Bengaluru #cylinder #blast #accident #karnataka #Koramangala pic.twitter.com/LmGOaSVeVZ— Ashish Pareek (@pareektweets) February 11, 2020 The Deccan Herald reported that the injured have been admitted to a private hospital. Rajan, a 30-year-old restarant staff has been admitted with severe burns. Meanwhile, traffic in the surrounding areas was affected, with many vehicles stopping to watch what was happening with the fire. Times of India reported that people in the neighbouring buildings were also evacuated following the fire as a precautionary measure. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for South East Bengaluru, Isha Pant, said the police will file a case against the building owners as they had not taken adequate fire safety measures, which lead to the incident.

Body 2:

Poetry

The poem will be part of the fourth semester Kannada paper at Kuvempu University.

Pooja Prabbhan

24-year-old Shilok Mukkati from Bengaluru is overjoyed. Her Kannada poem titled Kabalisidha Kranthi Kadu —an open letter which addresses the struggles of gender dysphoria— has recently been selected for the undergraduate syllabus of Kuvempu University. The poem will be part of the fourth semester Kannada paper and has been published in the textbook titled Nudi Vihara – 4. A media consultant, dancer and writer, Shilok who identifies the feminine energy in her as “shakti”, believes that she best expresses herself through poetry and athmanatyam (the language of the soul). “The acceptance of the poem feels like a closure, in all honesty. I’ve always had to fight— all these years I’ve had battles with the law, battles with my body, I have fought for my identity as a woman. My body or clothes don’t define what I really am,” begins Shilok. “Particularly because, as a child, there was a moment when a teacher actually bullied me. He insulted me in front of 80 students in class, owing to my style of narration, and that had everyone in splits. I broke down and the insult somehow remains etched in my memory. The acceptance of the poem feels like an acceptance of my closeted identity all through high school,” she adds. Shilok identifies as a queer woman and it hasn’t been an easy journey for her thus far. “Dr Shivalinge Gowda of Kuvempu University got to know about me from my mentor Dr Belururaganandan, a professor from Bangalore University. Dr Beluru has always been supportive of my writing. Dr. Shivalinge was on the lookout for voices that deserve to be heard— gender, sexuality and the like. Dr Beluru suggested my name, and then I presented my works to Dr Shivalinge sir. The poem Kabalisidha Kranthi Kadu caught his fancy in particular. It went through the process of selection and that’s how it became a part of the syllabus,” she explains. Speaking about how she wrote the poem, Shilok says, “I think poetry in itself is like a conversation with myself, when I don’t have people to speak to. It was no different with this poem—it is an open letter which addresses some of my innermost battles, the process, the journey, what has changed and what had to change. I also feel, when words flow from your heart, it resonates with your readers a lot better.” While she’s currently in a better space, Shilok asserts that her struggles have only strengthened her desire to be identified as a woman. “I do not identify myself as a transgender woman. I identify myself as a queer woman. As a child, I’ve always dreamt of being a woman, so that is my identity,” she says. “As any other queer person, it has been very challenging to me—breaking the gender binary, being trapped in a man’s body. Coming from an orthodox family, high school was very depressing. My shift to Bengaluru changed things for the better, that’s where I found my voice. I tried understanding the world. Understanding gender and sexuality. It led me to know what I am,” she adds. As someone who’s always been inclined towards literature and dance, Shilok believes that creativity played a crucial part in her growth. "Poetry has always been therapeutic. Aside from poetry, I use the medium of dance to express myself. When you’re being jailed/trapped in a certain condition and not given a chance to express your gender, art is the only thing that helps you unleash your inner voice. I’ve written so many different poems on gender and sexuality. I started writing in Kannada because there’s a genuine lack of language to talk about the LGBTQ+ communities. I believed there was a need to spread it in Indian languages. The poem was written during the beginning of my transitioning, where I was figuring out what gender is for me. And, how it’s affected by the conditioning of the society and coming to terms with the fact that I am a woman,” she explains. She won a national award for her radio programme Lesbians and the Shadows —which was on the story of a lesbian girl opening up about her sexuality to her mother. “The programme was divided into three segments, and I clinched an award for the same,” she says. Shilok currently works with a Switzerland- based dance production. “I do a show called F_feminity with three other performers. It’s a Swizz-Indo collaboration. I’m also working on a project titled Zubaan with a publishing house. I have choreographed a piece called Unraping Silence—it’s a very personal testimonial, which talks about sexual harassment and impurity. I’ve shed light on the five stages of my life where I’ve faced sexual harassment. The piece doesn’t victimise and yet questions several aspects of gender and sexuality,” she says. After Section 377 was struck down by the Supreme Court, things seemed to have gotten better for the LGBTQ+ communities. But, Shilok says that the battle isn’t over. “There’s the Transgender Persons Act, which has been passed. Yet incidentally, it doesn’t safeguard our rights at all. We still have to fight for our rights. It’s tainted by misogynist power. There is a need for people to be sensitised as the law cannot change people’s minds,” she says. Taking us through her forthcoming projects, Shilok says, “I will be travelling to a festival in Berlin in March. There’s a lot of poetry yet to be released from my end. I’m a full-time student at COMMITS, so my hands are full as life’s a constant juggle between performances and studies.” Giving us a peek into her plan of action for the next five years, Shilok signs off saying, “My journey from political activism to art has been rather insightful. Art has always been a tool for activism. I want to stick to art as it’s powerful and from the business perspective also it makes sense, because money is important. I want to become an entrepreneur, get into art management. I hope to have an art residency and work deeply on gender,” she says.

Body 2:

Crime

Mohammed Nalapad turned teary-eyed and accused the media of portraying him as a goonda.

TNM Staff

Congress MLA NA Haris’ son Mohammed Nalapad on Wednesday appeared before the Sadashivnagar Traffic Police in Bengaluru for questioning in connection with the accident involving a Bentley Continental GT. The Bengaluru Police on Tuesday said that Nalapad was driving the black Bentley along the Mekhri Circle underpass on Sunday afternoon and rammed into a bike and autorickshaw, injuring two people. “I was not the one driving the Bentley. I was in a Lamborghini ahead of the Bentley. Balu (Balakrishna, Nalapad’s bodyguard) was the one who drove the car. Some channels are saying that he does not know how to drive a Bentley and that is not true. He has been my driver for so long. I helped the people who were injured and took them to the hospital and paid the hospital bills. This is a conspiracy against me,” a teary-eyed Nalapad told the media after police questioning. Nalapad claims he did not drive the Bentley, which rammed into a bike and auto on Sunday in Bengaluru. He says his bodyguard was behind the wheel and even resorted to tearing up. @thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/kMgvRilQ6y — Theja Ram (@thejaram92) February 12, 2020 Nalapad questioned the media as to why he was being portrayed as a “goonda”. This isn’t the first time that he has been accused of breaking the law. The MLA’s son was in the spotlight in 2018 after a case of attempted murder was registered against him at the Cubbon Park Police Station. Nalapad was accused of brutally beating up Vidvat, son of a prominent businessman, at an uptown café in Bengaluru. “Why are you people (media) portraying me as a goonda? Goonda, goonda, goonda. That’s all you people say. Haven’t I changed. After that incident, since the last two years, I have tried to change so much and yet you people keep saying goonda. The headlines are so misleading that my father-in-law asked me if I had killed two people. I did not drive the car,” Nalapad said. The Sadashivnagar Police on Wednesday arrested Balakrishna, Nalapad’s bodyguard, who had surrendered to the police on Sunday claiming that he was the one driving the car. The police have booked him under sections 279 (rash and negligent driving) and 337 (causing hurt by act of negligence) and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. “Since it is a bailable offense, Balakrishna has been granted bail,” the police added. This comes after Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ravikante Gowda had on Tuesday said that Mohammed Nalapad was the one behind the wheel. Ravikante Gowda said that Balakrishna had surrendered to the police on Sunday soon after the accident. He, however, claimed that Balakrishna was lying about being the one behind the wheel of the Bentley and that the police had evidence of Nalapad driving the car. At around 2.30 pm on Sunday, the Bentley Continental GT (TS 09 UC 9), which was speeding along the Mekhri Circle underpass rammed into a bike bearing the license plate number KA 03 EV 8346 and later rammed into an autorickshaw bearing the license plate KA 05 AD 4756. The two-wheeler rider Praful Kumar, an engineer, and the autorickshaw driver Abdul sustained injuries and were admitted to a nearby private hospital. A woman named Sabiha and her six-year-old son also sustained minor injuries and were administered first aid. Read: Mohammed Nalapad, MLA NA Haris's son drove Bentley car that rammed bike and auto: Cops

Body 2:

Gender

BMTC drivers and conductors say that the workshop opened up an avenue for them to indulge in dialogue about gender sensitivity.

Theja Ram

BMTC

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus drivers and conductors have become infamous for their rash behaviour and insensitivity towards fellow passengers. A quick scan of the consumer complaints lodged on the BMTC’s grievance redressal website, shows the myriad instances where drivers or conductors have misbehaved with passengers, or where women commuters have complained of conductors not helping out when faced with harassment from fellow passengers. In order to address these issues and also sensitise the BMTC employees, the agency along with Bangalore Political Action Committee conducted gender sensitisation workshops for over 11,000 BMTC drivers and conductors over a span of one year. The last of the workshops was completed earlier in January. Fifty six crore rupees were allocated by the Union government for the programme under the Nirbhaya Fund, a portion of which was used for the program. Speaking to TNM, Sushma Mahabala, Leader of B.SAFE program for BPAC, says that workshops were conducted twice a week for a batch of 80 to 120 drivers and conductors per batch. “They were three-hour workshops and were in an interactive format,” she says, adding, “There were so many complaints of rash behaviour by drivers and conductors. There were also complaints about sexual harassment by fellow passengers. The workshop was done not only to sensitise the employees about the problems faced by women and the transgender community, but also as to why it is important to change the existing paradigm.” BMTC Managing Director C Shikha says that the BMTC is happy with the workshops conducted for the drivers and conductors, and that the agency is looking at holding similar workshops for all its employees in all divisions this year. What the workshops entailed Pushpa Murthy, a lawyer, who conducted the workshops for BPAC, who is also a B.Clip leader, says that the focus was not only on women's safety but also on how the drivers and conductors must behave and ensure that the buses are safe spaces for commuters. “There were four categories: respect, inviting, safety and ease. We counselled them about how the burden of managing households and also working jobs falls on women and why it is necessary to treat women commuters with respect,” Pushpa says. One of the most widely-reported complaints by women commuters, Pushpa says, was that bus drivers do not stop the buses at the designated bus stations and also resort to using foul language when asked to wait until the women deboarded with their luggage. “We had to explain to them why this is important. We told them about how to manage situations when a fellow woman passenger faces harassment by men on the bus. About how to quickly diffuse the situation and ask the men to step back. We counselled them about keeping calm and treating everyone with respect,” she says. The workshop also informed them of various helplines including the childline and women’s helpline that they could contact. They were taught about the various laws related to sexual harassment and also about zero FIR. What drivers and conductors say Shankar is a 40-year-old BMTC driver who reports to the Kengeri Depot. He has been a BMTC driver for over 15 years now and he says that one of the crucial aspects of the workshop was that it brought about dialogue on women's safety and how it was something that most of the employees were unaware about. “For most of us drivers and conductors who have worked for so long, we become aware of the different types of commuters who come and go and how to deal with them. But so many of us were not aware about why women are always wary and that our behaviour could also help reassure them that the bus is a safe space,” he says. Ambareesh, who reports at the Rajarajeshwarinagar depot, says that during the workshop, most of the drivers complained about the women and the clothes they wear. “That was considered normal. For us to think that the way women dress and expect that they have to dress a certain way. Most of the drivers come from rural communities where these issues are not discussed openly. In the workshop, we learned that women have to suffer a lot more issues than men do. Although we read about it in papers, until someone asked for our opinions and gave us advice, it was something that we never paid attention to,” Ambareesh says. Bhagyalakshmi, a 43-year-old conductor at the Deepanjali Nagar depot says that ever since the workshops began, drivers and conductors have been speaking about various ways to address safety issues within their buses. She says that the workshops have sparked discussions on the way most of the male employees viewed women and transgender persons. “When it comes to transgender passengers, most of us only viewed them as people who come and beg. We were informed about how gender is not only male and female. They taught us why there is a need to view the issue through another lens and that women and transgender persons too are entitled to public spaces as much as men. Before this workshop, so many of us did not know about zero FIR, helplines and other issues. We did not know anything about gender sensitivity. Now after the workshop, most of us talk about these issues,” she adds. Bhagyalakshmi says that they were made to write and enact a short play about how they believe the drivers and conductors must behave or react in different situations. “This helped us think about various scenarios and why being respectful and cordial would also make our lives easier,” she adds.

Body 2:

CAA

The protesters were contacted by the police and told to not continue their protest.

Alithea Stephanie Mounika

“We have been here for five days and nights, and nobody can make us get up and leave from here unless our demands are met,” Syed Imran, one of the leaders of the protest at Bilal mosque, near Tannery road in Bengaluru proclaims, to shouts and applause. The protest at Bilal Bagh against NRC and CAA started on February 8, and is a complete set up with carpets, shamiana, sound systems and lights. It has been ongoing non-stop for the past four days, organised by local Muslim leaders, and has seen people from the community, students and others participating. The police had previously taken down the protesters’ numbers, and contacted them or their families to stop the protest, according to the Deccan Herald. The organisers say they were even called to the police station, and urged to stop the protest. But the protest goes on unabated. Imran says, “This protest movement is the longest that I can remember,” while addressing the group of women and men, who were gathered under a shamiana. “The only time people across the country mobilized like this in protest, was probably only during independence!” Women and men sat in a semi-circle around the stage, dominated by a large tricolour flag. A woman holds the mic and urges the protesters, sitting on blue plastic chairs, to respond after her. They shout in great enthusiasm, even though it is almost lunchtime. Some of the slogans which were called out include:"Gundagardhi nahi chalegi""CAA down down""Inquilab Zindabad" “The mosque has issued in writing that they are not the ones who are supporting this protest. Local leaders are supporting it financially, including Ismail Shariff. There are people here cooking and serving each other, and even students who stay up all night to protest and then sleep here. This is a real 24-hour protest.” Imran adds. View this post on Instagram A post shared by teresa a. braggs (@teresaabraggs) on Feb 11, 2020 at 1:58pm PST The shamiana has been set up on the middle of the road, and though no traffic can pass through, surrounding businesses continue as usual. A construction steel business close-by unloaded some iron from a lorry even as protesters were shouting slogans against the government. Protest organisers say that rather than winding up, they are going to try make the protest even more interactive and educational. “We are planning to have a workshop on how to document these protests on February 13 evening. We are also starting a library of pertinent material to read, and have been asking for donations", said Ahmed, a doctor who said that he quit from one of the two hospitals where he was working at, in order to be more active in the protests. The students who joined the protest have also made a “resistance wall”, a wall complete with posters, with slogans written all over them denouncing Modi, NRC, CAA, Fascism and Communalism. one of the students present there said she was taking a semester break from college to join in the protests. “The people become more active in the evening, and more even people join us for raising slogans after work,” one of the organisers said.

Body 2:

Politics

Someone must tell him that flyovers don’t always solve traffic problems, activists said.

Alithea Stephanie Mounika

Byrathi Basavaraj on FB

Byrathi Basavaraj, the MLA from the KR Puram constituency in Bengaluru has a big announcement for his constituents stuck in traffic jams, he plans to build a new flyover at a cost of Rs 200 crore. The announcement was made at a meeting in Palace grounds, following the portfolio allocations on February 8. The flyover will be between Indiranagar BDA complex to Medahalli, which is a village that comes after KR Puram, according to Asianet News. The distance between these two points is more than 12 kilometers, and is consistently choked with traffic at all hours of the day. Byrathi Basavaraj was initially given the Urban Development Department excluding Bangalore and Town Planning department, BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, BMRDA, BMRCL, KUWSDB and KUIDFC. These departments would be held by the Chief Minister himself. Read: Does Bengaluru need a minister – and if yes, should the CM even hold the post? However, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa reshuffled the portfolio on Tuesday, and the changes included that Byrathi Basavaraj would get the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB), and the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC). After the announcement of the new portfolio, Byrathi Basavaraj immediately made the announcement regarding the flyover. Read: BS Yediyurappa reshuffles portfolios just a day after allocating them People have been voicing their concerns against the increasing concretization of the city, and have been vocally against new flyovers. Srinivas Alavilli, from Citizens for Bengaluru, says, “Sounds like the minister loves lot of concrete. Someone must tell him that flyovers don’t solve traffic problems but make them worse through induced demand. Use the ₹200 crore to get storm water drains cleared. The upcoming Metro and suburban rail project will solve the traffic problem much sooner than he can build half the flyover.” Urban Development expert from IISc, Ashish Verma underlined the fact the money would be wasted in building a flyover. “Why is the minister jumping to prescribing solutions when there is already a draft CMP (Comprehensive Mobility Plan) being prepared, and is under review? Such point-based road infrastructure measures have little short-term impact, but at a much higher investment cost. In simple words, high investment with low return. No sensible person will make such a huge investment,” he said.

Body 2:

Protests

They are demanding implementation of a three decades-old report of a committee on providing more jobs for Kannadiga youths in the government and private sectors.

PTI

Representational image

Normal life in Karnataka may be disrupted partially on Thursday by a 'bandh' called by some Kannada outfits demanding implementation of a over three decades-old report of a committee on providing more jobs for Kannadiga youths in the government and the private sectors. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa appealed to the organisations not to cause any inconvenience to the general public as he asserted his government was always pro-Kannada."Those agitating, if they are willing to talk to me, I'm always ready to talk to them. We have already done several that are possible (to implement the Sarojini Mahishi report), what other things can be done, I'm ready to talk to them," Yediyurappa said. The committee, headed by former union minister Sarojini Mahishi, was constituted in 1984 to recommend job opportunities for Kannadigas in Karnataka. It submitted the report two years later. The bandh is likely to affect cab and autorickshaw services as unions of drivers, including those in app-based aggregators, are supporting it. The government said bus services will be operated as usual and schools and colleges would also function while the police said no permission had been given for any rally and warned of action against those forcing closure of businesses and shops. The protest call by the "Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkoota", comprising a few factions of "Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV)", has the backing of Ola-Uber cab drivers' association, a few auto unions, associations of farmers, street vendors, trade unions and transporters. Praveen Shetty, leader of one of the factions of KRV, said a mega rally will be taken out from Anekal Toll Gate to the Chief Minister's residence. Later, representatives of various protesting organisations will submit a memorandum to Yediyurappa demanding implementation of the report."We have decided to join the sit-in demonstration because it is about the job guarantee to the children born in Karnataka. It is about employment to those who are born in this soil," Shetty told reporters. Ola-Uber Drivers' Association president Tanveer Pasha said the bandh has his organisation's support. The All India Trade Union Congress and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions have extended their "moral support" to the bandh call. KRVs another important faction led by T A Narayana Gowda and former MLA Vatal Nagarajs organisation Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha have not supported the bandh. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar said there will be no holiday for educational institutions on Thursday. There will be no holiday tomorrow. I believe that the organisations which have given call for Bandh will hold it peacefully, Kumar told reporters. Transport minister Laxman Savadi said buses in the city and elsewhere will operate as usual and appealed to the bandh supporters not to cause any trouble to the passengers. Minister for Kannada and Culture C T Ravi said the BJP government has shown 'commitment' towards implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi report. We have already implemented the report in the government sector."In the private sector, we are trying to implement it step by step. A cabinet decision has been taken to implement it step by step," he said. Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said permission has not been given to the protest and none can forcibly shut shops or businesses.

Body 2:

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Bidar sedition case: Mother, teacher to be in jail for 3 more days, bail order on Feb 14

Karnataka Bandh on February 13: Cab, auto services likely to be hit in Bengaluru

11 injured after fire breaks out in restaurant in Bengaluru’s Koramangala

Queer woman's Kannada poem on gender dysphoria selected for university syllabus

Wasn’t driving the Bentley, claims Mohammed Nalapad: Cops arrest bodyguard

How gender sensitisation workshops are helping Bengaluru’s bus drivers, conductors

Despite police pressure, women at Bengaluru's Bilal Bagh continue protest against CAA

Karnataka's new Urban Development minister announces Rs 200 crore flyover in Bengaluru

Pro-Kannada outfits call for bandh in Karnataka on Feb 13 demanding more jobs