Latest news with #Puttur
Hans India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Govt ignoring coastal Karnataka, claims BJP
Mangaluru: Accusing the Congress-led state government of apathy and administrative failure in addressing public issues in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a large-scale dharna satyagraha in front of all Gram Panchayat, Town Municipal and City Municipal Council offices across the two districts on June 23. The protest, scheduled between 10 am and 1 pm, aims to highlight what the party describes as 'deliberate neglect' of people's basic civic needs and pending welfare schemes. District BJP presidents, MLAs, MLCs and MPs from both districts are expected to participate in the demonstration. Among the key issues flagged by BJP MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur, who released a statement on Tuesday, are: Delays in plot approval: Residents are allegedly being forced to travel to other taluk headquarters and wait for months to get approvals for residential plot layouts, particularly for Form 9 and 11E. Staff shortages in local bodies: Gram Panchayats continue to face acute staff crunch, with no remedial action from the government. Stalled housing under Ashraya scheme: Approval of houses has been on hold for over two years, and even ongoing works are not receiving sanctioned funds. Rejection of Akrama-Sakrama applications: Widespread dissatisfaction is brewing over what the BJP terms as 'arbitrary' rejection of regularisation applications without proper scrutiny. Non-disbursement of pension schemes: Elderly citizens and beneficiaries under the Sandhya Suraksha scheme are allegedly not receiving their entitled pensions. Threats to Gruha Lakshmi scheme: The government is reportedly considering rolling back the flagship women's welfare scheme, citing fiscal constraints. Misuse of public funds: BJP has criticised the ongoing re-enumeration exercise under the name of census as a misuse of public money. Terming the protest 'a people's movement rather than a political campaign,' Puttur stated that the dharna would be peaceful but firm in conveying the grievances of ordinary citizens to the government.
Hindustan Times
16-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru lecturer asked to resign for speaking in Kannada, issue later resolved
A Bengaluru lecturer's video alleging he was compelled to resign for speaking in Kannada during a classroom session sparked outrage on social media over the weekend, before the matter was resolved amicably between the teacher and the institution. In the now-viral video, Rupesh Puttur, a faculty member at a city-based college, claimed he was removed from his position after responding to a student's question in Kannada. (Also Read: 'Difficult to learn 200 local words?': Mohandas Pai reacts to row over SBI manager's refusal to speak Kannada) 'One student asked me something in Kannada, and I replied accordingly. Another student objected, saying he didn't understand the language and requested that I speak in English. I told him that Kannada is the local language and must be respected,' he said in the video. Puttur alleged that the college principal took disciplinary action against him the next day, allegedly pressuring him to resign. In a serious accusation, he also claimed that the institution threatened to withhold the academic records of his daughter, who studies at a different branch of the same college group. 'This is Kannada land. No one should lose their job for using their mother tongue. The incident is captured on the college CCTV,' he said emotionally in the video. The video quickly gained traction online, triggering a wave of support for Puttur and renewed calls for linguistic rights in Karnataka. According to a report by Udaya Vani, in response to the backlash, the college principal, Venkatesh, issued a statement clarifying the institution's position. 'We regret the misunderstanding surrounding the Kannada language. The college has always stood by Kannada and Karnataka. Such incidents will not happen again,' he said. Later that evening, Puttur released a second video retracting his earlier allegations. He stated that the issue had been resolved amicably and that his earlier remarks stemmed from anxiety over his daughter's future. (Also Read: 'Refuses to speak Tamil or Kannada': Bengaluru man calls out neighbour's English-only parenting)
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur slams Karnataka govt over closure of Janaushadhi centres in hospitals
MANGALURU: MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur has criticised the Karnataka government's decision to shut down Janaushadhi centres in government hospitals, calling the move 'an assault on the common man'. Speaking to reporters, Puttur said the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Yojana , a flagship initiative of the Union Government , had enabled access to affordable, high-quality generic medicines for millions of economically weaker patients across India. 'There are countless cases where people were forced to skip treatment because they couldn't afford expensive medication. Janaushadhi centres helped bridge this gap by providing essential medicines at minimal cost,' he said. The legislator questioned whether government hospitals currently had 100% availability of essential drugs. 'If not, how can we justify removing a scheme that acts as a crucial support system?' he asked. Calling the decision politically motivated, Puttur said the scheme had become a source of national pride and helped lakhs of people. He accused the state government of acting irresponsibly and demanded the immediate restoration of the centres. 'The right to affordable healthcare should not be denied to the poor. Instead of shutting down these centres, the state should cooperate with the Centre in opening more,' he added. The Janaushadhi Yojana was launched in 2008 and expanded in recent years, with centres operating across the country to offer low-cost medicines as an alternative to branded drugs. The state government has yet to issue an official response to the criticism.
