Latest news with #Siddaramaiah
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Gandhian ideals to find place in Dasara tableaux, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru: As this year's Vijayadashami coincides with Gandhi Jayanti , Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday directed officials that tableaux prepared for the Mysuru Dasara celebrations must reflect Mahatma Gandhi's ideals. He said Gandhi's philosophy should be suitably represented alongside the government's welfare schemes and achievements. "This year Dasara is falling on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. So I have instructed officials that Dasara should be celebrated in a manner that makes Gandhi Jayanti meaningful. Especially the tableaux should reflect Gandhi's ideals," the CM told reporters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Siddaramaiah briefed reporters after presiding over a high-level committee meeting at Vidhana Soudha on the preparations for Dasara-2025. The CM said the historical and cultural significance of the festival should not be overshadowed by sheer extravagance. Live Events He emphasised that unnecessary spending does not amount to grandeur and that public safety and convenience must be the top priority. "This year, Dasara will begin on September 22 and culminate with the Jamboo Savari on October 2, making it an 11-day event instead of the usual 10," the CM said. He emphasised that the programmes should be designed to uphold the rich cultural, religious, and historical traditions of the Mysuru Dasara, which is globally renowned. He stated that while Rs 40 crore was allocated last year, adequate funds will be provided this year as well to organise a grand celebration. He asked departments to plan meaningful exhibitions and displays to showcase government initiatives and guarantee schemes in a way that connects with the public. He also called for people-centric policies to be effectively communicated during the festivities. With more than 10 lakh people expected to attend, including foreign tourists, the CM directed officials to give the utmost attention to crowd management and safety measures. He said police personnel must be people-friendly and law and order should be maintained without any lapses. The number of seats in front of the Mysore Palace will be reduced this time to manage crowding during the Jamboo Savari. Officials were asked to ensure that there is no overcrowding at any of the programme venues.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid fresh disquiet in Karnataka BJP, rejig buzz as Vijayendra faces turbulence
The recent flurry of visits by senior Karnataka BJP leaders to Delhi to meet the central leadership has again set off speculations in party circles about the possibility of an impending restructuring of the state unit, which may include the appointment of its 'full-fledged chief' and changes in key posts to accommodate rival groups. The performance of current Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly R Ashoka is said to have come under the scanner of the central leadership for 'putting up a weak front' against the ruling Congress. Vijayendra, son of BJP heavyweight and ex-chief minister B S Yediyurappa, was appointed as the state party chief on an ad-hoc basis in November 2023. Ahead of the upcoming monsoon session of the state Legislature, the BJP leaders have ruffled the central leadership for their perceived 'adjustment brand of politics' with the Congress on several public issues, sources said. In recent weeks the state BJP has been perceived to have let the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government get away lightly over various rows, including the bid for a new caste survey, corruption cases, and a stampede at the Bengaluru cricket stadium involving the deaths of 11 people in the wake of alleged overenthusiasm shown by Congress leaders to felicitate the IPL winning RCB team. There has been a perception in state political circles that the Siddaramaiah government has faced more resistance from within the faction-ridden Congress rather than the principal Opposition. Some BJP leaders had even felicitated Siddaramaiah in February this year – while seeking funds for development of Bengaluru ahead of the state Budget – in a sign of camaraderie. There have also been concerns in a BJP section that the party is not geared to 'effectively counter pro-minority policies' of the Siddaramaiah dispensation, which has always been at the centre of the party's attack against the Congress. Following the BJP leadership's recent crackdown against a vocal state faction, including the expulsion of dissident leader and ex-Union minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, the leadership of Vijayendra and Ashoka was seen as 'unchallenged'. However, various recent developments indicate that the state BJP leadership issues have yet to be fully settled. Former state party chief and CM D V Sadananda Gowda said this week that the situation in the state unit was like a 'tinderbox' waiting to explode. 'Anything we speak is seen in the wrong light even by our own leaders. All our leaders are caught up in their own small spheres. Every day goes by in listening to the voices from these echo chambers. It creates an impression that everything is fine. I would say that everything is not okay. There is bubbling unhappiness in the party in Karnataka,' Sadananda Gowda told reporters. 'We have to come out of this factionalism and disgruntlement. Once we emerge out of this, only then will we have the strength to counter the Congress government,' he said. 'If there has to be a unanimous decision on a party leader for the state, then there should be widespread consultations, which should not be restricted to a few leaders. The state BJP core committee's existence currently is only notional. There are no issue-based discussions in the committee,' Gowda claimed. He also said the practice of the state president holding consultations with the core committee to firm up the party's strategies has come to a halt. 'The decision on whether a candidate identified to be the state president is good or bad has to be decided by the party cadre. This is not happening. Otherwise, appoint a full time president and we will adjust to working with the chosen candidate, but this is also not happening. We cannot understand this,' he said. On his part, Vijayendra has refuted suggestions that his recent visit to Delhi was linked to any possible leadership change. He however expressed hope that the leadership would soon pick a full-time state president and name him for the post. 'We are a national party. Everyone's opinion has been taken. I am confident that I have done a very successful work in the last one-and-a-half years. Our workers and leaders are confident. So it will be good… for you…and me too,' Vijayendra said Thursday in Bengaluru after his return from Delhi. 'Now the elections of 14 state party presidents across the country have been completed. Very soon a decision will be made on six or seven more states,' Vijayendra said. 'The appointment of the party presidents for Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka have not been made,' he noted, claiming that he had gone to Delhi for 'personal reasons' and that other state leaders had done it too. Even LoP Ashok's multiple visits to Delhi could not be seen as a sign of imminent changes, Vijayendra said. 'Ashok is doing a very good job as the Opposition leader. The MLAs are also satisfied with him. However, there is a discussion in the media about a change of Opposition leaders. This is definitely not right,' he argued. 'Those who were expressing dissatisfaction are now out of the party. Some others have expressed small opinions. Union minister Pralhad Joshi and others are working to resolve issues. Everything will be fine,' Vijayendra said. On Sadananda Gowda's remarks, he said, 'Gowda is a senior. I will meet him and discuss with him. I do not agree that it is a tinderbox situation. It is natural to have minor differences of opinion in a party.' The BJP leadership's decision to name Vijayendra as the state ad hoc chief had come months after the party lost power to the Congress in the May 2023 Assembly polls. This was after the party tried to move away from the shadow of Yediyurappa during 2020-2023. The decision sparked resentment in the state party as senior leaders like Yatnal, Basavaraj Bommai, Shobha Karandlaje and C T Ravi were thus forced to follow Vijayendra, a first-time MLA. In January this year, senior BJP leader and Union minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan had said that an election would be held for the post of the Karnataka BJP president as part of the organisational polls. This resulted in Vijayendra's rivals stepping up their attacks on him. In March, the party leadership expelled Vijayendra's key rival Yatnal, suggesting that it favoured a full three-year term for him. There seems to be a view in a large section of the state BJP that the leadership would not take the risk of dislodging Vijayendra from his post as it could also cost the party a backlash from its main support group — Lingayats to which Yediyurappa and his son belong. There appears to be however some uncertainty about the continuance of Ashok despite the point that he is from the Vokkaliga community, another dominant group in the state.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Centre approves suspension of three IPS officers over Bengaluru stampede incident: Report
The Union government has formally approved the suspension of three senior IPS officers, Dayananda, Vikas Kumar, and Shekhar, in connection with the tragic stampede at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and left several others injured, reported India Today. Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda.(ANI) Also Read - Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah flags decline in police investigation quality, calls for urgent reforms This decision follows the Karnataka government's recommendation to suspend the officers for lapses in crowd management during the June 4 victory celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after their IPL 2025 campaign. The Centre has now backed the disciplinary action and communicated its approval to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), reinforcing the state's accountability move. According to the report (CMO), the Centre has also directed the Karnataka government to initiate charge-sheeting proceedings against the three officials within the next 30 days, marking the next step in the disciplinary process. The development comes in the wake of mounting criticism over police mismanagement during the high-profile event, which led to one of the deadliest crowd incidents in the city in recent memory. Siddaramaiah slams lack of timeliness of police Earlier, during a review meeting held at the office of the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slammed the handling of the situation and questioned the effectiveness of the state's intelligence apparatus. 'I've been an MLA since 1983 and served as Chief Minister before, but never have I witnessed such a tragic and avoidable failure,' he said, expressing disbelief over the lack of timely alerts and preventive measures. Also Read - Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah flags decline in police investigation quality, calls for urgent reforms Siddaramaiah acknowledged that the decision to suspend senior officers was unfortunate but necessary. 'It saddens me to take such steps, but lapses of this magnitude cannot be ignored,' he stated. He further criticized systemic delays in filing charge sheets in criminal cases, calling it a recurring flaw in the law enforcement process that needs urgent correction.
Hans India
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
There is no internal dispute in party: CM
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday dismissed remarks made by Minister KN Rajanna suggesting possible political changes in the state, saying it is better to ignore such statements. He clarified that Rajanna only mentioned there may be developments, not that anything specific would happen. Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, Siddaramaiah said, 'There is no internal dispute in the party. Minister KN Rajanna has said that there may be developments in state politics. He said that he did not say that something like this would happen. It would be better to ignore his statement.' On the 516th birth anniversary of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar garland the statue of Kempegowda. The Chief Minister called him a visionary and the founder of modern Bengaluru. Speaking after garlanding Kempegowda's statue located on the eastern side of Vidhana Soudha, the Chief Minister said, 'Kempegowda was an efficient and far-sighted administrator. The global recognition that Bengaluru enjoys today is because it laid its foundation. 'The birth anniversary is being celebrated jointly by the state government, the Kempegowda Development Authority, and the BBMP. Siddaramaiah noted that during his previous term as Chief Minister from 2013 to 2018, his government had identified the exact date of Kempegowda's birth in consultation with Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji, following which the state has been observing Kempegowda Jayanti annually. 'Kempegowda's 516th birth anniversary is being celebrated in collaboration with the government, Kempegowda Development Authority and BBMP. During 2013-18, our government discussed with Nirmala Nanda Swamiji and found out the date of birth, and since then, the government has been continuously celebrating Kempegowda Jayanti. If Bangalore is recognised internationally today, it was Kempegowda who laid the foundation for it,' he said. He added that the state government had taken significant steps to honour his legacy, and that Kempegowda's contributions remain a guiding example for governance and urban planning. 'The government has done the work of commemorating him. Kempegowda, who built towers in four parts of Bangalore, understood what Bangalore should be like and built many towns, including Nagaratpet, Chikkapet, and Balepet, during his administration based on his profession,' he added.
Hans India
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
CM slams police for poor investigations
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed deep concern over the declining quality of police investigations across Karnataka, despite a drop in overall crime rates. Speaking at a high-level police review meeting held at the State Police Headquarters, the CM pulled up senior officers over lapses in key cases and demanded a course correction. Referring to the recent mob lynching incident in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives, Siddaramaiah said, 'In my 40 years of political life, I have never witnessed such a tragic case of mob violence. The CID and intelligence completely failed. Despite deaths being reported by 3:50 PM, senior officers failed to inform me accurately, claiming only one death even by 5:45 PM.' The CM said he had no choice but to suspend top officials, though he admitted the decision saddened him. 'But when mistakes are made, action is inevitable,' he stated sternly. In a strongly worded rebuke, Siddaramaiah questioned officers for their failure to act against hate speech and communal incitement, especially in the Dakshina Kannada region. 'Why are communal incidents happening only in Mangaluru and not elsewhere? Why are you not taking suo motu action against those spreading hatred?' he asked. The CM instructed the police to identify and act against instigators, irrespective of their background. 'We cannot sit back and watch. The police must instill fear of the law in the minds of potential offenders,' he said, urging the force to create a law-abiding, citizen-friendly police environment. Siddaramaiah also announced that the government would begin recruitment to fill vacant posts in the police department within the next two months. He emphasized the government's commitment to providing resources, funds, and infrastructure to the department. "You are entrusted with delivering justice to both the powerful and powerless. The law is equal for all. We have pledged to uphold democracy and the Constitution — act accordingly,' he said.
