Ex-Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar apologises for controversial British proverb

News Network

December 17, 2021

Bengaluru, Dec 17: A day after he courted controversy over his remarks on rape, former Karnataka Speaker and senior Congress leader K R Ramesh Kumar issued an apology on the floor of the House on Friday.

Speaking at the start of the Assembly session on Friday, Kumar said, “If my remarks have hurt women, (or) if their feelings are hurt, I regret my remarks.” Kumar said that he had "just referred to a proverb" and his goal was not to insult women or the Assembly or to speak lightly (about rape).

He said that the video of his comments in the House was aired out of context and "only a part was highlighted".

Kumar pointed out that even Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri was a “co-accused”. But, Kageri did not apologise.

“We’re one family. We also have family ties in our respective lives. I did say, “Let’s enjoy the situation”, to which Kumar said something that has become the subject of a controversy. This House, all of us, have respect for women. We’re committed to protecting that and increasing that,” Kageri said.

Kageri did not allow Muzrai Minister Shashikala Jolle and other MLAs to speak on the issue. Congress MLA Anjali Nimbalkar, meanwhile, sought an apology to women from the entire Assembly for the remarks.

On Thursday, Kumar stirred a controversy on Thursday evening at the Assembly after he he told Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, “There’s a saying... when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That’s exactly the position into which you are."

"If anyone is hurt…I am not ashamed to apologise," he said.

Following his remarks, Speaker Kageri said, "We are bound to uphold their (women's) dignity." He requested members of the House not to drag the controversy further.

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Why Mangaluru Could Become India’s Next Offshore Wind Energy Hub

News Network

February 3,2026

Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta has urged the Centre to give high priority to offshore wind energy generation along the Mangaluru coast, citing its strategic importance to India’s green energy and port-led development goals.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, Chowta said studies by the National Institute of Oceanography have identified the Mangaluru coastline as part of India’s promising offshore wind ‘Zone-2’, covering nearly 6,490 sq km. He noted that the region’s relatively low exposure to cyclones and earthquakes makes it suitable for long-term offshore wind projects and called for its development as a dedicated offshore wind energy zone.

Highlighting the role of New Mangalore Port, Chowta said its modern infrastructure, multiple berths and heavy cargo-handling capacity position it well as a logistics hub for transporting and assembling large wind energy equipment.

He also pointed to the presence of major industrial units such as MRPL, OMPL, UPCL and the Mangaluru SEZ, which could serve as direct buyers of green power through power purchase agreements, improving project viability and speeding up execution.

With Karnataka’s peak power demand crossing 18,000 MW in early 2025, Chowta stressed the need to diversify renewable energy sources. He added that offshore wind projects in the Arabian Sea are strategically safer compared to the cyclone-prone Bay of Bengal.

Calling the project vital to India’s target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, Chowta urged the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to initiate resource assessments, pilot projects and stakeholder consultations at the earliest.

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