HDK shoots off missive to Defence Minister, asks not to shift Aero India out of Bengaluru

Agencies

August 13, 2018

Bengaluru, Aug 13: The Karnataka government today stepped up pressure on the Centre to conduct the 'Aero-India 2019' edition at Bengaluru itself, amid reports that the venue for the prestigious air show hosted by the city for over two decades might be shifted to Lucknow.

As a political slugfest broke out, state chief minister H D Kumaraswamy dashed off a missive to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, insisting that Bengaluru would be the "best choice" for the biennial event.

"Bengaluru being the hub for defence and aviation majors of the country, is certainly the most suitable place to conduct the show," he said in the letter.

There are reports that the event, organised by the Defence Ministry, would be held in Lucknow but the defence minister had made it clear a few days ago that no announcement had been made, but added that "people in many places are asking for that (the show)."

Ever since its inception in 1996, Bengaluru has been playing host to Asia's biggest air show, in which 549 global and Indian companies from 51 countries participated at the 11th edition, held in February 2017. Reports about shifting the venue have triggered a public spat between the Congress and BJP.

The KPCC has written to Sitaraman, telling her that as a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, she had to protect the interests of the state and ensure that Aero India show was retained in Bengaluru.

A miffed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara had said last week that under the NDA regime, the state was losing key defence projects to other states. Speaking to reporters at Gadag in north Karnataka, opposition BJP leader in the Assembly B S Yeddyurappa today said the party, its MPs and central ministers from the state would make all efforts to retain the show in Bengaluru by bringing pressure on the Centre.

He accused Congress leaders of creating "unnecessary confusion" over the issue. When the defence minister had made it clear that no formal announcement on the venue had been made yet, it would not be proper to discuss the change now, the state BJP chief said.

In his letter, Kumaraswamy noted that Bengaluru has become synonymous with Aero India. In order to aid and assist the defence ministry, the state has also suitably upgraded its infrastructure in terms of roads, public amenities and smooth flow of traffic, he said.

Kumaraswamy said Bengaluru, with its past experience in conducting the show successfully, "beautiful" weather conditions and favourably located defence and aviation industries would be the best choice to conduct Aero India. "As chief minister of the state, it will be my bounden duty to ensure best possible assistance by Team Karnataka," he added.

More grist was added to the reports about shifting the venue after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged the defence minister to hold the event in his state as it would benefit the defence production there.

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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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