Free travel for women in buses: In Mangaluru Rahul announces Cong’s 5th big poll promise

News Network
April 28, 2023

mangaluru.jpg

Mangaluru, Apr 27: Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, announced Congress’ fifth big pre-election promise — free travel for all women in public transport — if the party is voted to the helm.

At a campaign meeting in Adyar, Mangaluru, Rahul said: “Not just the four [previous] promises, but we will fulfil all five promises on the first day we form the government. This fifth promise is for women. BJP stole 40% commission from women of Karnataka and our job is to return it to them. After we win this election, women in Karnataka need not pay even a single rupee to travel in government buses. ”

He said Congress zeroed in on these promises after extensive interactions with people, especially women, farmers, and the working class “to know what should be done for them”.

Congress previously announced four guarantees — Griha Lakshmi (financial assistance to women head of families), Griha Jyoti (free electricity), Anna Bhagya (10kg of rice) and Yuva Nidhi Scheme (stipend for unemployed youth).

“There is no dearth of funds in Karnataka, butonly an honest government can implement these schemes,” Rahul said. “This guarantee [free travel for women] will be fulfilled at the first cabinet meeting on the first day of the next government. The Prime Minister has made it a habit not to fulfil promises he makes. We have fulfilled promises made in Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab. ”

He challenged the PM to extend Congress guarantees to the entire nation. “Congress will form the government in Karnataka with 150 seats. No one can prevent this. The BJP is a 40% party, and 40 seats is suitable for them,” he said.

He said 40 crore people have fallen below poverty line while 1% own 40% of the nation’s investment. “Corruption is the religion of BJP,” he said referring to Balehosur Mutt seer Dingaleshwara Swamiji’s statements that officials of the Karnataka government demand 30% commission from mutts to release funds.

“I have a close bond with Mangaluru. The port here was set up during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as Prime Minister. Mangaluru International Airport and MRPL were Congress party’s contributions,” he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
November 24,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 24: The original departure time of 11.10 pm was a distant memory for scores of Dammam-bound passengers at Mangaluru International Airport last Friday night, as their Air India Express flight was abruptly cancelled at the eleventh hour, sparking hours of frustration and chaos.

The flight, IX 885, initially scheduled to depart at 11.10 pm on November 22, was subject to two back-to-back reschedules—first pushed to 11.45 pm and then significantly postponed to 1.40 am—before the final, crushing announcement of cancellation was made. For the travellers, many of whom are likely expatriate workers with tight schedules, the last-minute change marked the beginning of a distressing ordeal.

"There was no drinking water, no food, and absolutely no proper guidance. We were left stranded like refugees," complained a stranded passenger.

According to multiple passenger accounts, the airline's ground staff failed to provide adequate support or essential amenities following the cancellation. Complaints poured in about the total absence of drinking water, food provisions, and any reliable guidance from the carrier's representatives. Travellers alleged they were left stranded for a considerable period, with no immediate arrangements or clear communication offered regarding accommodation or alternative travel to send them back home.

The incident has highlighted serious concerns over the carrier's contingency planning and customer service protocols during flight disruptions at one of India's key international gateways. The airline is yet to issue a comprehensive statement addressing the alleged lapse in passenger care.
 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
November 22,2025

Mangaluru: Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H has warned of strict action against individuals spreading rumours and attempting to create insecurity within the Muslim community and fuel hatred between Hindus and Muslims through social media.

Referring to a recent social media post alleging that police personnel had entered a masjid premises to check whether beef was being cooked, the commissioner said miscreants were attempting to push their communal agenda. 

“A group of people, both from Mangaluru and abroad, are trying hard to spread rumours. For the past 10 days, they have been attempting to rake up old issues, highlight routine matters as controversies, or fabricate news altogether,” he said.

He reiterated that any such attempts to disturb communal harmony would invite legal action. “Cases will be registered and the accused will be brought to book,” he stated.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.