Anti-conversion bill: Complaint lodged against Bommai, other BJP bigwigs for insulting SC/ST

News Network

December 27, 2021

Raichur, Dec 27: A complaint has been lodged against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri and all BJP legislators in connection with presenting of the controversial Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 popularly known as the anti-conversion bill.

The complaint has been lodged by a social activist R. Manaiah with Lingasugur police station in Raichur district, police said on Monday. The complainant has sought legal action against all state BJP honchos in his complaint.

The complainant has stated that the ruling BJP while tabling the Anti-conversion Bill has shown the people of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities in poor light.

"The Anti-conversion Bill has shown the people of these communities as vagabonds, beggars and portrayed them to be the ones who get converted to other religions with the lure of money, cloth, enticements and acts of donations," the complainant stated.

The complaint has sought action in this backdrop for portraying particular communities in bad light in the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill recently presented in the Assembly session.

When the Bill was presented by the state Home Minister Araga Jnaendra, all BJP MLA's banged on their desks in the Assembly welcoming the Bill in the House. The complainant has sought in the complaint that action should be initiated against the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and others.

The complainant has asked for registration of the case against all of them under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The controversial Anti-conversion Bill was passed by voice vote in the Assembly on December 23 in the recently concluded Belagavi winter session. The Bill is yet to be presented in the council. Law Minister Madhu Swamy has stated that the government has an option to get the Bill passed in the council during the next legislature session to be held in January or February of 2022. In case of delay of session, the option of promulgating the ordinance will be taken.

The government can promulgate an ordinance of the pending Bill if it is not rejected in any of one of the two Houses. But, it must get the approval of the legislature for the Bill in the immediate next session after promulgating the ordinance.

Meanwhile, the Congress has announced that it would do whatever it takes to defeat the Bill even after promulgation of the ordinance. The party has also stated that it would repeal the Bill as soon as it comes to power.

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RuTAGe smart village centres in DK, Udupi to being technology closer to rural communities

News Network

January 20,2026

Mangaluru: In a major step towards strengthening rural innovation, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India is supporting the establishment of RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across the country through collaborations with academic institutions, civil society organisations and philanthropic partners.

As part of this national initiative, Nitte (Deemed to be University) will set up the first RSVCs in the region at Nitte GP in Udupi district and at the Nitte Health Centre, Sevanjali Trust, Farangipete, in Dakshina Kannada district. The centres will be inaugurated on January 21. In South India, the programme is being implemented by the Section Infin-8 Foundation (SI-8).

Speaking to reporters on Monday, SI-8 founder-director Vishwas US said experts from Nitte University and SI-8 would work closely with farmers, students, youth and local entrepreneurs to adapt and deploy technologies tailored to local needs.

Project head Prof Iddya Karunasagar, representing Nitte DU, said the RSVCs at Nitte and Farangipete would serve as demonstration hubs for a wide range of agriculture, energy, skill-development and assistive technologies. These include solar dryers for fruits, vegetables and crops; soil-testing solutions; power weeders and women-friendly farm tools; wind-powered devices for rural artisans; grain storage systems; grass-cutting and tree-climbing equipment; and liquid fertiliser production using cowshed waste.

SI-8 CEO Aravind C Kumar said the centres would also provide access to digital and knowledge-based platforms such as ISRO applications, government scheme portals, market linkage tools and gamified learning resources, along with assistive technologies for persons with visual impairments.

Highlighting the broader impact of the initiative, Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood said it demonstrated how applied research could bridge the rural–urban divide and help create self-reliant, technology-enabled villages.

The initiative has been made possible through philanthropic support from Dr NC Murthy of ACM Business Solutions, LLC, USA. Dr Sapna Poti, Director (Strategic Alliances) at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, said the long-term objective is to build self-sufficient, technology-driven communities capable of generating sustainable livelihoods on their own.

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