Did BJP become rich by selling tea: Kumaraswamy takes jibe at PM

Agencies
April 19, 2019

Bengaluru, Apr 19: Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday questioned if the BJP became rich by selling tea across the country.

Hitting out at the BJP over its manifesto while addressing media here, Kumaraswamy said, "BJP has stated in the manifesto that they will run a corruption-free government. What corruption free? Did Modi sell tea around the country and make the party rich? This claim of corruption free government of his is fake."

"Around 78 lakhs (rupees) was recovered from one BJP leader in Karwar. Where did this money come from?" he asked.

Kumaraswamy further said that he does not need to take lessons from Modi on patriotism.Kumaraswamy's comments come after Modi slammed Congress and JD(S), which are in a coalition in Karnataka, over the February 26 Balakot air strike, accusing the two parties of misleading the people by "calling Balakot as Bagalkot"."Modi says I am not patriotic. I don't need to learn patriotism from Modi. When Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister, there was not a single blast in Kashmir. That is our heritage. So do not brand me, you have no right," Kumaraswamy said."In speech after speech, he (Modi) talks about Balakot strikes. He says Pakistan is quaking. We know that Karnataka does not border with Pakistan. He (Modi) went to Pakistan and god knows what all he promised there", he added.On Thursday, while mentioning the Balakot air strike, Modi had said: "We had attacked terror camps in Pakistan. But some here were crying (for proof). Some people had even said that it was an attack in Bagalkot and not Balakot. Is your vote bank in Bagalkot or Balakot?"

Responding to a question on whether BJP leader Jagadish Shettar's reported remark that he wanted to bring Gowda's wife Chennamma into politics, Kumaraswamy termed it as "weird" and something which "pained him"."Jagadish Shettar said something which has pained me. He said Deve Gowda wants to bring his wife into politics. This is weird. She is not political. But she has worked for the poor in her 80 years of life with no political ambition," he said.Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Kumaraswamy accused Modi of twisting his comments on the Pulwama terror attack."Modi said I shed tears for Pakistan. That is untrue. I shed tears when I saw the state of affairs in the house of a martyr (who died in Pulwama attack). He twisted even that. He called me a traitor because he wanted to hurt my sentiments," the Karnataka Chief Minister said."What wrong did I say when I stated that some of the soldiers come from poor families? Not all make it to be Generals and not all are from well off families. Is it so difficult for Modi to understand?" he said.Kumaraswamy was referring to the comments he had made in a public gathering in Madduru on April 12, where he came down heavily on Modi for "politicising" the sacrifices made by the armed forces.

"Those who safeguard the borders are not children of rich people. They are children from poor families who cannot afford two square meals. However, here is a Prime Minister who politicises their ultimate sacrifice," he had said in the rally.Asserting that he does not do "politics" like Modi, Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of not letting the government function smoothly.

Further taking a swipe at Modi, Kumaraswamy said, "I have waived off farmers' loans. As a Prime Minister, you should not speak like that (JD-S and Congress have not done anything for farmers). I do not speak lies like Modi."

Calling Modi as an "incapable Prime Minister", Kumaraswamy criticised the BJP government for not creating enough jobs."The Prime Minister yesterday made many allegations against me by saying ours is a powerless government. But, what about his government? We are not running an incapable government like Modi. You are an incapable Prime Minister who is not capable to create jobs," he said.Kumaraswamy also blamed media for giving more importance to Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is an Independent candidate supported by BJP. "Cinema actors like Darshan and Yash started melee trend in Karnataka who stopped their jobs and were campaigning for a lady who was shown as a taller leader than PM Modi," he said.

Out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, 14 constituencies went to polls during the second phase of general elections on April 18.

The remaining 14 seats will go to polls in the third phase on April 23. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 16,2025

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Melkar (Bantwal): The 9th Annual Day celebration of SMR Public School, titled “EXCELLENTIA”, was held on December 15 with great enthusiasm and dignity, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey towards academic excellence and holistic development.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. U. T. Iftikar Ali. The chief guests were Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Mr. P. Moosabba Beary, Mr. Zakaria Jokattre, and Dr. T. M. Abdul Rahuf—whose inspiring addresses motivated the students and appreciated the school’s contributions to education.

Mr. Abdul Nasir, Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar, Mr. Razak Golthamajal, Mr. Sali Koya, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Mr. Ismail Balanoor, Mr. Feroz Bawa, Mr. Sahul Hameed, Mr. Abubakkar, Mr. Hameed K. Mani, Mr. Abdul Majeed (Principal, Melkar Women’s College), and Mr. Abdul Lathief (Former Principal, Melkar Women’s College) were the guests of honour.

The Annual Report was presented by the Headmistress, Ms. Fathimathul Zaheera, highlighting the school’s achievements and progress during the academic year. The Presidential Address was delivered by the Chairman of SMR Public School, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasised the vital role of education in shaping students’ futures and stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and consistent effort in achieving 100 per cent academic results.

Secretary of SMR Public School, Mr. Rifath Ahmed, and PTA President, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, were also present on the occasion.

The Annual Day celebration showcased the collective efforts of students and teachers and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to quality education and all-round development. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, parents, and well-wishers for their support. The 9th Annual Day—EXCELLENTIA—was a memorable and successful event, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. 

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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