Karnataka woman confined illegally in UAE returns home safely after NRI’s timely intervention

Mangaluru, May 30: Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee minority cell president Shahul Hameed KK has urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to order a reinvestigation into the murders of Masood of Bellare, Fazil of Mangalapete, Jaleel of Katipalla and Dinesh of Kanyadi that rocked the state.

In a letter to the chief minister, that was submitted through legislative assembly speaker UT Khader on Monday, Hameed demanded that all accused in the four murders should be booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. 

“All communal murders in the district should be reinvestigated and a special investigation team (SIT) should be constituted for the purpose. Compensation of Rs 25 lakh should be paid to the kin of Masood, Fazil, Jaleel and Dinesh on the lines of support extended by the state government to the family of BJP worker Praveen Nettaru,” Hameed told reporters.

Welcoming the decision taken by chief minister Siddaramaiah to reinstate Nuthana Kumari, wife of Praveen Nettaru, in the government job, Hameed said that the kin of Masood, Fazil, Jaleel and Dinesh also should be given government jobs. Further, he demanded the arrest of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sharan Pumpwell in connection with the murder of Fazil. 

“Appropriate action should be taken against Sharan in connection with Fazil’s murder. The VHP leader had claimed at a public meeting in Tumkur that ‘our people murdered Fazil in Surathkal’. However, only an FIR was registered against him, but was not arrested,” he said.

“The government should ensure stringent action in all communal murders. The government should also ensure that there will be no disparity in the distribution of compensation to the kin of those who died in retaliation attacks. The government should consider all the five murders seriously and ensure equal justice to the families,” he said.

Bengaluru, May 30: In connection with the hijab ban in schools and colleges in Karnataka, state Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa on Tuesday said the Congress government will take a decision which would benefit all students.

Speaking to reporters, Bangarappa admitted that were a few legal roadblocks over the hijab issue, but "we will take a decision which will benefit the whole student community".

"We will also pursue the matter legally keeping the interest of all students in mind," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the Congress had vehemently stated that including the ban on hijab, all laws made on communal basis by the former BJP government would be withdrawn once the Congress assumed power in the state.

Cabinet Minister Priyank Kharge has also maintained that the Congress will withdraw the ban on hijab, halal cut and cow slaughter laws.

The hijab row, which was initially started by six students of the Udupi Pre-University Girls College, quickly turned to a fulll blown crisis in the state last year.

The students refusing to attend classes without hijab still maintain that they will wait until a final verdict is given by the Supreme Court.

The issue had taken a communal turn and resulted in revenge killings in the state.

In his address to the reporters on Tuesday, Bangarappa further said that there was no confusion over textbooks and uniforms.

"All preparations are made to commence the schools for the academic year. I am visiting a school in Shivamogga and welcoming students to schools. The Department of Education is ready. The children can come to schools with all the joy and without any concerns," he said.

Following Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's firm words that he wouldn't allow texts and lessons that poison children's minds, Bangarappa stated that the textbook revision exercise would be taken up in a phased manner.

The Congress party had assured textbook revision in its manifesto.

"The revision exercise would be taken up in a phased manner. Whichever lesson threatens to poison the minds of children would be changed," he said.

Bangarappa further stated that the future course of action would be initiated after getting guidance from Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

"I have already discussed the matter with the Chief Minister and he has given suggestions," he added. 

Mangaluru, Jun 3: The Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) has switched over all its conventional lights to the energy-efficient lighting system in a phased manner, achieving yet another milestone ahead of the world environment day on June 5.

By replacing 1,111 conventional lights spread across various functional areas with as many LED lights, the airport has achieved 100 per cent conversion of lights with the new lighting system, a release from the MIA said on Saturday.

The changeover will help the airport overall save 188,558.96 kWH per year. The biggest saving will be seen in the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) building area where the airport will save 1.17-lakh kWH per annum using 752 LED lights.

In the new integrated terminal building, the MIA will save 56,467 kWH per year with 261 LED lights and 14,673 kWH per annum by changing the 98 conventional lights to LED lights in the airside, old terminal building and NATS area.

The switchover will help in the reduction of 148.962 tonne of CO2 emission per annum, including 92.761 tonne of CO2 in the NATS area. The emission of CO2 is primarily recognised as the primary driver of global climate change.

The airport has proactively gone in for a controlled lighting system, enabling it to switch off lights wherever not required. The use of timers too ensures that the street lights are switched on at specified times, the release said.