Dalit leader urges Pejawar seer to pass for anti-superstition bill

July 1, 2016

Udupi, Jul 1: A Dalit leader has urged Pejawar mutt chief Vishwesha Thirtha Swami to lead a campaign demanding Siddaramaiah-led Congress government clear the anti-superstition bill in the coming Assembly session itself.

Lakshminarayan Nagawar, State co-convener of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (Nagawar faction) in a press meet on Thursday, he said that the DSS favoured such a bill that prohibits the practice of superstition.

“We are not against any belief but there is great different between belief and blind belief. We are appealing the seer to lead the campaign to weed out blind beliefs that degrade the humanity,” he said.

Acknowledging the government decision to provide reservation to SC/ST in allocation of government tenders up to Rs. 50 lakh, he demanded the government to discuss the matter in the coming session and ensure it is cleared in the same session itself.

The Dalit leader also demanded that the government frame rules that proposes criminal proceeding against any government official who fails to utilize funds allocated to the welfare of SC/STs.

Stating that English has become a global language which ensures better employment opportunities, Mr. Nagawar has also demanded the government to make English language mandatory in government schools from Standard 1 to 5.

“Unlike their urban counterparts, without English, the rural students do to find good jobs, if English is made mandatory, they even the rural students can strongly compete with urban students,” he said.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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