1. Two Held for Posting Communal Remarks Against Woman on WhatsApp Group
Continuing their crackdown on moral policing, Dakshina Kannada district police arrested two men, including a WhatsApp group admin, for communal and offensive posts on the social media platform against a married woman on Friday.
CH Sudheer Kumar Reddy, superintendent of police, Dakshina Kannada, said that arrested persons have been identified as Balakrishna Pujari, 25, a KSRTC bus driver by profession and Satish Shetty, 30, resident of Ira in Bantwal taluk. Shetty is also the admin of the WhatsApp group on which he posted the message.
Reddy said that the complainant, a Hindu woman, had updated her whatsApp status as 'I Love Muslims'. A screenshot of the message was taken by a person known to the complainant. The arrested persons who received the same, started sharing it on the group called 'Mauri and Pannolibail'.
(Source: Times of India)
2. ‘Make Bengaluru Second Capital’: RV Deshpande
Large and Medium Industries Minister RV Deshpande appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make Bengaluru the second capital of the country.
In a letter to Modi, the minister explained that the city has a diverse population which few cities could match. “India needs a second capital urgently and Bengaluru is best place as it is safe from external forces, away from international borders and a gentle climate all year round. Bengaluru is the only city in the country where one can find as many software engineers and language scholars,” he said.
“This move is integral to create a decentralised system and delegate decision-making. By making it another capital city in the country, it will help create new opportunities in trade, cultural exchange and scientific prowess,”he said.
(Source: Bangalore Mirror)
3. Doubting Husband Stabs Wife; Kills Self Thinking She Is Dead
An auto driver (37) repeatedly stabbed his wife at his residence in Ramamurthynagar and then committed suicide thinking that she was dead.
Henry Fernandes, a resident of Devasandra, married Chitra about ten years ago. The couple, who married between faiths, has two children. Suspecting Chitra of having a relationship, Fernandes quarreled frequently with her. Chitra went back to her parent's residence in Devasandra ten days ago.
But Fernandes talked her into getting back home and be with their children. On Friday, he dropped the children at school at 9 am and returned home by noon. He had heated arguments with Chitra over the nagging doubt that she was in a relationship with someone.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
4. Actual Reason Behind Vitriol Is the State of Joblessness in Karnataka
Two incidents over the past two days have amply demonstrated that the elections this year will be hard-fought, bitter and divorced from reality. One was Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s remark that the BJP and RSS and Bajrang Dal members are like ‘terrorists’; the other, more worrying one, was the assault on a man in Mysuru because he was canvassing against the CM as part of the “no job, no vote” campaign.
Chandra Mishra was attacked by a local corporator Prashanth and his goons who took exception to the CM’s picture being used for the protest when he was about to visit the city. Mishra called it ‘an attack on democracy’ and lodged a police complaint.
Mishra’s case may be an isolated one but joblessness is an issue that has caught the youth’s fancy in Karnataka – they comprise 59 percent of the state’s population; in absolute figures, that’s 2.74 crore voters. Politicians clearly do not know how to address this issue, which will balloon when the state goes to polls later in 2018.
(Source: Bangalore Mirror)
5. Aadhaar Protest: Citizens Question Linkage, Raise Privacy Concerns
Citizens from various parts of Bengaluru and other districts of Karnataka braved the heat on Friday to register their protest against Aadhaar, claiming their access to welfare schemes like pension and ration had been restricted ever since the 12-digit number was made mandatory for various services.
Town Hall, the protest venue, saw around 100 people displaying placards and banners calling fellow citizens to 'break Aadhaar chains'. The demonstration-cum-discussion was organized by several NGOs working for the welfare of disadvantaged citizens who are unable to avail of several Aadhaar-linked schemes and academic scholarships. It was a platform for citizens to discuss the exclusive nature of Aadhaar, ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on its validity beginning 17 January.
"The Karnataka cabinet on 9 January approved a central legislation that allows government departments to make Aadhaar a must for citizens to avail of subsidies," a statement from the NGOs said.
(Source: Times of India)
6. Youth Abducted, Assaulted for Questioning Road Digging
A 25-year-old man was abducted and assaulted in JP Nagar last week for reportedly questioning workers who were digging up a road in the locality. The workers were laying OFC cable for a private service provider.
V Chethan, a resident of Puttenahalli in JP Nagar, claimed he was abducted in a car, taken to a room in the BBMP office in JP Nagar and assaulted. JP Nagar police claimed Chethan was terrified and traumatised by the incident, but gathered his wits after local leaders came to his support. He filed a complaint on 7 January, two days after the incident.
The horror began when Chethan, an employee of a private company, found that 23rd Main Road near his home was being dug up. Vehicular traffic was barred, inconveniencing the public. Chethan questioned the workers and asked them to show the permission letter from the BBMP to carry out the work.
(Source: Times of India)
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