Tue. Jun 23rd, 2026

Editorial

Bengaluru: Bommai, DK Shivakumar trade barbs over PM Modi’s ‘infiltrator’ remark

ರಾಜಸ್ಥಾನದ ಬನ್ಸ್ವಾರಾಡ್ ನಡತಿನ ರ್‍ಯಾಲಿಡ್ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ಮೋದಿ ಅರೆನ ‘ನುಸುಳುಕೋರ’ ಹೇಳಿಕೆಗೆ ಬೊಮ್ಮಾಯಿ, ಡಿ.ಕೆ.ಶಿವಕುಮಾರ್ ವಾಗ್ದಾಳಿ ಮಲ್ತೆರ್.

Bengaluru: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the state, the BJP and the Congress is Karntaka on Monday engaged in a bitter war of words over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘infiltrator’ remark made at a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on Sunday.

Bommai, DK Shivakumar trade barbs over PM Modi's 'infiltrator' remark

“The Congress manifesto says they will calculate the gold held by the mothers and sisters, and distribute that property. Distribute it to whom? Among ‘infiltrators’ and families with more children. Manmohan Singh’s government had said that Muslims have the first right on the country’s assets,” the Prime Minister had said during the rally.

Attacking the BJP over the PM’s remarks, Karnataka Deputy CM and state Congress President D.K.Shivakumar accused the party of torturing the minority community.

Rebutting Shivakumar’s claims, former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP candidate for the Haveri Lok Sabha seat, Basavaraj Bommai, claimed that the population in the Muslim countries is on the decline, but it is increasing in Bharat.

“Our state is a home to all religions. Yet, the BJP is creating a situation where one community is tortured to such an extent that they are forced to leave the country,” Shivakumar said in Bengaluru.

“The BJP leaders are claiming that they will change the Constitution. We are acting as per the Constitution. In this background, there is no room for protecting anyone who commits a crime,” he added.

Commenting on ‘appeasement’ politics, Shivakumar said the Prime Minister took oath in the name of the Constitution, and he should know that all people are equal in this country. Any discrimination will send out a bad message to the country and the world.

Reacting to Shivakumar’s remarks, Bommai said that if Muslims feel safe anywhere in the world, it is in Bharat.

“The population of Muslims is increasing in India, but decreasing in the other Islamic nations. Shivakumar must understand this first and not make remarks to appease one particular community for votes,” Bommai said.

The number of communal clashes in the state was the highest during the Congress rule which can be proven with evidence, Bommai claimed.

Udupi: BJP stages protest, says ‘women have no protection under Congress govt’

ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿಡ್ ನಡತಿನ ಕಾಲೇಜು ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿನಿ ನೇಹಾ ಹಿರೇಮಠ್ ಕೊಲೆನ್ ಖಂಡಿಸಾದ್ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತೆರ್ ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನೆ ನಡಪಾಯೆರ್.

Udupi: The BJP workers in Udupi who staged a protest on April 22, condemning the murder of college student Neha Hiremath in Hubballi a few days ago, alleged that women have no protection under the Congress government rule in the State.

The BJP workers in Udupi who staged a protest on April 22, condemning the murder of college student Neha Hiremath

Speaking on the occasion, president of the Udupi district unit of the party Kishore Kumar Kundapura alleged that the appeasement policy of the Congress government was responsible for such murders. Women have no protection under the Congress rule and anti-social elements are having a field day without the fear of law, he added.

The Congress has taken the murder lightly to appease a certain section of society for the sake of votes in the Lok Sabha elections, he said.

He said that the accused in the murder should be hanged to death.

Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna, in-charge of Mangaluru Division of the BJP K.Udaya Kumar Shetty were present.

 

Udupi: Actor Rajkumar who refused the chance of Chief Minister: Former CM Veerappa Moily

ಉಡುಪಿ:ನಟ ರಾಜ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ಅರೆಗ್ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಆಪಿನ ಅವಕಾಶ ಒದಗ್ ದ್ ಬತಿತ್ತ್ಂಡ್. ಆಂಡ ಡಾ.ರಾಜಕುಮಾರ್ ಯಾನ್ ರಾಜಕೀಯಗ್ ಬರ್ಪುಜಿ ಪಂದ್ ಈ ಅವಕಾಶನ್ ನಯವಾದ್ ನಿರಾಕರಣೆ ಮಲ್ದೆರ್ ಪಂದ್ ಮಾಜಿ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ವೀರಪ್ಪ ಮೊಯ್ಲಿ ದುಂಬುದ ನೆನಪುನು ಸ್ಮರಿಸಿಯೆರ್.

Udupi: Actor Rajkumar was given an opportunity to become the Chief Minister of Karnataka. But Dr.Rajkumar politely declined this opportunity saying that he will not join politics. Former Chief Minister Veerappa Moily recalled this old memory in the presence of Shivraj Kumar.

Former Chief Minister Veerappa Moily recalled this old memory in the presence of Shivraj Kumar.

At that time NT Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh, MGR in Tamil Nadu had entered politics. Similarly, in Karnataka too, there were rumors that Dr.Rajkumar would join politics and become the Chief Minister. For that we took Dr.Rajkumar and Parvatamma to Delhi and met Indira Gandhi. But Dr.Rajkumar refused this opportunity saying that he will not join politics.

If Rajkumar had entered politics, he would have been ruling the politics of Karnataka even today. Later, Indira Gandhi asked him to accept Rajya Sabha membership. Moily said that Dr.Rajkumar was a sacrificer who politely rejected that too.

 

 

Student Neha Hiremath murder case to be handed over to CID: CM Siddaramaiah

“ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿದ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿನಿ ಹತ್ಯೆ ಪ್ರಕರಣನ್ ಸಿಐಡಿಗ್ ಒಪ್ಪಿಸಾಯೆರೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ನಿರ್ಧಾರ ಮಲ್ದ್ಂಡ್” ಪಂದ್ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯ ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್ 22ಕ್ಕ್ ಪಂಡೆರ್.

Shivamogga: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on April 22 said his government has decided to hand over the Hubballi student murder case to the Crime Investigation Department and that a special court will be set up for its speedy disposal.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

Neha Hiremath (23), daughter of Congress councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was allegedly stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on Thursday. The accused Fayaz Khondunaik, who fled from the scene, was arrested by the police subsequently. Neha was a first year Master of Computer Application (MCA) student and Fayaz was earlier her classmate.

“We have decided to give it to the COD (CID). We will set up a special court for it. Charge sheet has to be filed in a time-bound manner and the case has to be disposed off, so the special court,” Siddaramaiah said.

Responding to a question from a reporter, he said, “I have not been able to go to her (parent’s) residence. Our district in-charge Minister and party workers had gone. Also H K Patil (Law Minister) is going. I will go when I go there (Hubballi).”

The murder case, which sparked widespread outrage, has snowballed into a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP. While the ruling party has tried to project it as an incident with a personal angle, the saffron party has called it a “love jihad” case and said it’s a testimony of the deterioration of law and order in the state.

BJP’s student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and other organisations aligned to Hindutva outfits have staged protests demanding justice, and called for severe punishment for the accused. Similar protests have been reported in various other places.

Crime cases have come down during Congress rule, the Chief Minister claimed, “In 2023 (Congress rule) it was 1,295 (crime cases). From 2019-2022, during four years of BJP, it was 1,300, 1,318, 1,342 and 1,370 respectively.”

“We will give protection to everyone during our tenure. I strongly condemn Neha’s murder. We are forming a special court, and we have given the matter to COD (CID to investigate). Neha’s father has spoken about involvement of four more suspects, I have asked for it also to be investigated,” he added.

Bird fever in Kerala prompts alert in Dakshina Kannada; special monitoring along border

ಕೇರಳದ ಅಲಪ್ಪುಳ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆದ 2 ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತ್ ಡ್ ಹಕ್ಕಿ ಜ್ವರ ದೃಢ ಆತ್ಂಡ್. ಅಂಚಾದ್ ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕನ್ನಡ (ದ.ಕ) ಜಿಲ್ಲೆ ಬೊಕ್ಕ ಕೇರಳದ ಗಡಿಟ್ ವಿಶೇಷ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆ ವಹಿಸಾದೆರ್.

Mangaluru: In two gram panchayats in Kerala’s Alapuzha district, bird fever has been confirmed. Along Kerala’s border with the Dakshina Kannada (DK) district, Special monitoring is being conducted.

Bird fever in Kerala prompts alert in DK

To address this, special check posts will be established at Talapady, Jalsoor, and Saradka, starting from Monday. These measures are aimed at sanitizing vehicles transporting poultry from Dakshina Kannada to Kerala upon their return to Dakshina Kannada after delivering poultry products.

Dr Arun Kumar, deputy director of the animal husbandry and veterinary services department, stated, “Bird fever has been confirmed in Alapuzha district, Kerala, approximately 400 km from Mangaluru. This is the second reported case in this district. While no cases have been reported in Dakshina Kannada so far, we remain vigilant and will establish check posts at three strategic points.”

He further explained, “Bird fever typically affects migrating birds, but as it is currently summer, migration is less common. The virus can spread from infected chickens to other birds and even to humans, especially those working in poultry farms and meat processing units. However, it does not spread from person to person.”

Big and powerful people in India, abroad joined hands to remove me from power: PM Narendra Modi

“ಭಾರತ ಬೊಕ್ಕ ವಿದೇಶಡ್ ಮಲ್ಲ ಬೊಕ್ಕ ಶಕ್ತಿಯುತ ಜನಕುಲು ಎನನ್ ಅಧಿಕಾರರ್ದ್ ದೆಪ್ಪೆರೆ ಕೈಜೋಡಿಸಾದೆರ್” ಪಂದ್ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ನರೇಂದ್ರ ಮೋದಿ ಪಂಡೆರ್.

Chikkaballapura: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 20 said big and powerful people in India and abroad have joined hands to remove him from power.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Addressing a mega public meeting here, he said, “Mothers and sisters have come in a large number here. Your struggle and the challenges you face to nurture your family, Modi has seen this in his house. These days big and powerful people in the country and abroad have united to remove Modi.”

“But, because of Nari Shakti and Maatru Shakti’s blessings and Suraksha kavach (safety armour), Modi is able to move on fighting challenges.”

“Serving mothers, sisters and daughters and protecting them is Modi’s priority,” he said, listing out measures taken by his government for women’s welfare in ten years, like supporting their self help groups and creating ‘Lakhpati Didis’.

Former Minister K Sudhakar is the BJP candidate from Chikkaballapur, while its alliance partner JD(S) has fielded M Mallesh Babu from the neighbouring Kolar. The prime minister said the first phase of voting for Lok Sabha on April 19 has gone in favour of NDA and ‘Viksit Bharat’.

Targeting the INDIA bloc, he said the opposition alliance doesn’t have a leader at present, and has no vision for future, and “their history was of scams.”

Praising JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda who shared the stage with him, for his energy and commitment at the age of 90, Modi said he too draws inspiration from him.

“His (Gowda) commitment towards Karnataka, the pain in his heart for the plight of Karnataka today and the ‘josh’ in his voice, is the testimony for Karnataka’s bright future,” he said, as he thanked Gowda for his “blessings”.

The JD(S) joined the NDA in September last year. Karnataka is going to the polls in two phases. While 14 Lok Sabha segments in the southern parts of the state will vote on April 26, the remaining 14 constituencies in the northern parts will vote in the second phase on May 7.

Student Neha’s murder not a case of love jihad: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: On April 20, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the murder of MCA student Neha Hiremath is not a case of “love jihad”.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

“I strongly condemn the act. The killer was arrested immediately. This is not a case of love jihad. The government will make sure that stringent punishment is being given to the killer,” the Chief Minister told media persons in Mysuru.

He said that it is unfortunate to use one’s death for political reasons.

“The case is being politicised unnecessarily. The protests will not affect the government,” the Chief Minister said.

Neha, the daughter of a Congress corporator in Hubballi, was stabbed to death inside the college campus in Hubballi city by Fayaz Kondikoppa on Friday.

However, other students caught Fayaz and handed him over to the police. Meanwhile, the parents of Neha claimed that their daughter’s murder is a case of “love jihad”.

Niranjan Hiremath, the father of Neha, has warned that his entire family will commit suicide if the investigation is misled and botched up.

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