We respect pro-Kannada activists, but they can’t take law into their own hands: D K Shivakumar

News Network
December 28, 2023

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said the government will not allow anyone to take law into their own hands in the state in the name of fighting for the Kannada language.

He was reacting to the large-scale vandalism in Bengaluru by the activists of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction) targeting shops and business establishments which did not have Kannada signboards, advertisements and name plates.

"We are not against the pro-Kannada activists but they should not take law into their hands. We are not ready to accept damage caused to the properties in Bengaluru," Shivakumar told reporters here.

"We have to save Kannada and we respect those who fight for saving Kannada but that should not mean that the government will shut it's eyes to vandalism," he added.

The Deputy CM said the government directions are clear that signboards, advertisements and name plates should have 60 per cent Kannada and there is a way to implement it such as issuing notices to those violating this norm.

The protesters can stage protests and raise slogans but damaging property is not acceptable, he said.

"We are committed to save Kannada. Even the CM has directed us to have all the communications and our official business in Kannada. He had said that the government is committed to save Kannada," Shivakumar told reporters.

To a question that T A Narayana Gowda, KRV convener, has given a warning to the government that it will face the music during the Lok Sabha elections if it did not respect the sentiments of Kannadigas, Shivakumar said let them do whatever they want in a democratic manner but vandalism is not accepted.

"Investors have come here from different parts of the world. People are living here to make their livelihood. They should not be threatened," he added.

Meanwhile, a Magistrate Court in Bengaluru has sent over 29 Kannada activists including Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president TA Narayana Gowda, to 14 days judicial custody till January 10.

They were arrested by the police on Wednesday after their protests demanding that 60 per cent of nameboards in commercial establishments to be in Kannada turned violent with destruction of boards that were in English.

Police had detained nearly 500 activists of the KRV who went on the rampage across Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka.

Gowda was arrested along with some of his aides in Yelahanka. On Thursday at around 5 am, he was produced before a Magistrate at his residence in Devanahalli who ordered the judicial custody of the arrested persons.

The police have registered three separate FIRs at the Chikkajala Police Station against Gowda and 28 others under Sections 188, 283, 341, 353 and 427 of the Indian Penal Code.

The allegations include assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty, wrongful restraint, mischief, cause danger, obstruction or injury to any person and disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.

After their detention on Wednesday evening, Gowda and others were kept at the Police Driving and Maintainance School in Yelahanka before being taken for medical examination and produced before the Magistrate.

Sources said they will be shifted to the Central Jail at Parappana Agrahara in the city. 

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
November 27,2025

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Authorities at Pakistan’s high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Wednesday dismissed speculation about the condition of imprisoned former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, rejecting rumours that he had been moved out of the facility or was in danger. Officials said Khan was in “good health” and described the viral death claims as “baseless.”

“There is no truth to reports about his transfer from Adiala Jail,” the Rawalpindi prison administration said in a statement, according to Geo News. “He is fully healthy and receiving complete medical attention.”

Amid swirling rumours on social media, Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), urged the federal government to issue an official clarification and demanded that authorities allow his family to meet him immediately, Dawn reported.

The frenzy began after Khan’s three sisters called for an impartial probe into what they described as a “brutal” police assault on them and other PTI supporters outside Adiala Jail last week. Soon after, several social media handles circulated unverified claims alleging that Khan had been “killed” inside the prison.

The rumours intensified when a handle named “Afghanistan Times” claimed that “credible sources” had confirmed Khan’s “murder” and that his body had been moved out of the jail — allegations that have not been verified by any credible agency.

Imran Khan, PTI’s patron-in-chief, has been lodged in the Rawalpindi prison since August 2023 in multiple cases. For over a month, an undeclared restriction has prevented family members and senior PTI leaders from meeting him. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has reportedly been denied access despite making seven attempts.

In a letter to Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar, Khan’s sisters — Noreen Niazi, Aleema Khan, and Dr. Uzma Khan — said they were “peacefully protesting” outside the jail when police allegedly launched an unprovoked assault after streetlights were switched off.

“At 71, I was seized by my hair, thrown to the ground and dragged across the road,” Noreen Niazi said, alleging that other women present were also slapped and manhandled.

Adiala Jail officials reiterated that speculation over Imran Khan’s health was unfounded and insisted that his well-being was being ensured, Geo News reported.

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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.
 

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