Finance Bills passed in Karnataka Assembly amid din over sex scandal

News Network
March 24, 2021

Bengaluru, Mar 24: Finance Bills were passed by the Karnataka Legislative assembly on Wednesday amid din over the sex scandal allegedly involving BJP leader and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, which continued to rock the proceedings for the third consecutive day.

Opposition Congress members who have been protesting from the well of the House since Monday, continued to disrupt the proceedings today as well under Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah's leadership, demanding a court-monitored probe into the sex scandal, and to book Ramesh Jarkiholi for rape. They also demanded that six ministers, who moved the court for an injunction against the publication or broadcast of any unverified news about them, resign, saying they are "morally unfit".

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa whose reply on the Budget discussion was continuously disrupted by the protesting legislators, condemned Congress's conduct and said people were watching the developments and will teach them a lesson in the days to come.

As the House met for the day, Congress members trooped into the well of the House to continue with their protest by raising slogans against the government. Senior BJP MLA K G Bopaiah, objecting to the protest, questioned the Opposition as to how the government can ask the Chief Justice to monitor any probe. "Can the government write such a letter to the Chief Justice, Judicial probe is a different matter."

As Congress members continued their protest with slogans like "Down Down BJP government" "Down Down CD government", some BJP legislators questioned the grand old party's morality. Intervening, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the Congress was unnecessarily disrupting the proceedings and infringing on the rights of the other members who want to participate, and called it 'anti-democratic', 'anti-constitutional' and against the law. Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar too said Congress should be ashamed of their conduct as he questioned their morality by accusing them of hushing up the sex scandal, involving former minister H Y Meti, while in power.

As his repeated requests for cooperation in conducting the business of the House went unheard, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said that he was tabling the answers of the question house, and requested the Chief Minister to begin his reply on the Budget discussion.

Yediyurappa read out his reply to the Budget discussion amid continued sloganeering by Congress MLAs from the well, against the government. At the end of his reply on the Budget, Yediyurappa hit out the Opposition Congress and its leaders for unnecessarily protesting and wasting time, aimed at disrupting the budget session. "As they don't have any issue they are doing it, I condemn it. People of the state are watching you and will teach a lesson in the days to come, you can't achieve anything from it," he said.

After the CM's reply, the Speaker put the appropriation bills, supplementary estimates, and related financial bills including Fiscal Responsibility (Amendment) Bill 2021 that were tabled, to vote, and they were passed amid the din.

The Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was also passed by the assembly. Announcing that the Budget and related finance bills have been passed, the Speaker said he was pained as the Congress MLAs are not cooperating in conducting the proceedings of the House. Noting that the passage of the Budget and making the legislations are the most important responsibilities on the members of this House, he said, "You not cooperating for is unfortunate. If you have a difference of opinion with the government you can do anything outside the House, allow the House to function." As his repeated appeals went in vain, the Speaker then adjourned the House for post-lunch.
 

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News Network
March 22,2024

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday produced Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before the Rouse Avenue court and sought a 10-day custody in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. "Kejriwal was the kingpin of the scam," the ED reportedly told the court after the AAP chief was produced before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja around 2 pm amid tight security. 

ASG S V Raju was appearing for the agency, while Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi is representing Kejriwal. 

Raju in his argument said Kejriwal was "directly involved in formulation of the (liquor) policy... he was involved in handling of proceeds of crime as well in the Goa election campaign."

"The expert committee was constituted but it was a sham committee. The policy was made in such a manner that it would enable the taking of bribes and recoupment of people who gave the bribes," the ED counsel said. 

Kejriwal was produced in the trial court shortly after he withdrew from the Supreme Court his plea against arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. Kejriwal's counsel said he would contest the remand proceedings before the trial court and then come back to the apex court with another petition.

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News Network
March 14,2024

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The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says at least five people, including a staff member, were killed and 22 others wounded after Israeli forces targeted a food distribution centre in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini in a statement on Wednesday said that the strike hit one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centers in the eastern part of Rafah.

“Today’s attack on one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centers in the Gaza Strip comes as food supplies are running out, hunger is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine,” Lazzarini said.

“Every day, we share the coordinates of all our facilities across the Gaza Strip with parties to the conflict," he continued.

He said the attack was carried out even though "the Israeli Army received the coordinates including of this facility yesterday."

Lazzarini further urged the protection of the UN, its staff, and its premises and called for an independent investigation.

Israel acknowledged an airstrike on a food aid distribution center in southern Gaza, which it claimed targeted and killed a high-ranking member of Hamas. 

Meanwhile, the statement by the UNRWA head added that since October 7, at least 165 team members have been killed while in the line of duty and more than 400 people sheltering in UN buildings also lost their lives due to Israel's attacks.

More than 150 of the agency’s facilities, including schools and shelters, have been hit in the war, with some destroyed, and UNRWA staff have reportedly been mistreated and humiliated while in Israeli detention centers, according to the UNRWA.

Six aid seekers killed in Israeli attack

Separately, the health ministry in the Gaza Strip said six people were killed in the latest attack on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City.

The Wafa news agency said some 83 people who were wounded in the attack have been transferred to the al-Shifa Medical Complex in the city.

Over the past weeks, Israeli forces have increased their offensives on the Kuwait Roundabout, an area where large groups gather to wait for aid deliveries.

Israeli forces killed 11 people waiting for food aid at the roundabout on Monday night.

The Israeli military has restricted the delivery of humanitarian supplies to northern Gaza for weeks, and thousands of children are going without sufficient food and medication.

The prevention of aid convoys comes as humanitarian officials have already issued a dire warning, stating that unless a ceasefire is implemented and aid is significantly increased, the toll of malnutrition and disease is expected to rise, leading to an alarming loss of lives.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 31,272 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 73,024 others.

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News Network
March 27,2024

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Hassan: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda has announced that his son, former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will contest from state's Mandya parliamentary seat as NDA candidate.

Deve Gowda told reporters on Tuesday that the decision to field Kumaraswamy, who is also JD(S) state president, in Lok Sabha polls from the Mandya seat was taken amid mounting public demand. "People are demanding that Kumaraswamy should contest from Mandya. In the core committee meeting as well, all members suggested that he should contest from Mandya," Deve Gowda said.

The former Chief Minister's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy had lost to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The JD(S) supremo further said that the name of senior leader Mallesh Babu has been finalised from the Kolar seat.

Deve Gowda's grandson and former Karnataka Minister H. D. Revanna's son sitting JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna will be contesting as the NDA candidate from the Hassan seat.

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy in a media briefing indicated that he would contest from Mandya amid mounting public pressure on him.

Congress has fielded Venkatarame Gowda popularly known as ‘Star Chandru’ from the Mandya seat dominated by Vokkaligas. Star Chandru is a close associate of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

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