‘Why should I not become CM? Dalits must stay united’: Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara

News Network
June 13, 2023

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Bengaluru, June 13: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said several Dalit leaders, now and in the past, including him, were deprived of opportunities despite "having all the ability to become the chief minister", and called on the community to stay united. He also spoke about him not being given credit for Congress's victory in the 2013 Assembly polls, despite the "party coming to power under his presidency", and pointed out that it is not the case now.

"The inferiority complex amongst us (Dalits) has to go -- that's the reason I openly say I will become chief minister. Why should I not? K H Muniyappa (Dalit leader and Minister) should also become, why should he not? What is the shortcoming in the ability of Muniyappa or Parameshwara or Mahadevappa (minister) or (among veteran past leaders like) Basavalingappa or N Rachaiah or Ranganath?" Parameshwara said.

Addressing an event here, he said, "opportunities were deprived." He then called on Dalits to raise their voice for their rights and use their vote in a right way, and reminded them of the importance of the Constitution. Parameshwara had openly expressed his chief ministerial ambitions in the past, and on Congress choosing Siddaramaiah for the coveted post after the poll results last month, he had cautioned the party's central leadership that if a deputy chief minister post is not given to a Dalit, there would be adverse reactions and it would spell trouble for the party.

The 71-year-old Dalit leader was deputy chief minister during Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy. He was also the longest-serving Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief (eight years). He had lost the 2013 Assembly polls from Koratagere, when he was KPCC president. He was a contender for the chief minister's post then, but as he was defeated, he was made an MLC and a minister in the Siddaramaiah government (2013-2018).

Noting that Congress came to power in 2013 after a gap of nine years, Parameshwara said he was then the Pradesh Congress Committee President and it was under his leadership that the party came to power, but no one gave him the credit. "No one spoke about it. I too did not speak about it. Contrary to that, today people give and leaders claim credit for the party coming to power (in 2023) under their leadership," he said, without taking Siddaramaiah or D K Shivakumar's names. Parameshwara also claimed that Congress lost the 2018 polls for neglecting certain communities. He did not name any community, but he seemed to indicate the Dalit community.

The 2018 Assembly poll defeat taught Congress a lesson, as to what would be the result of neglecting the communities that stood by it, he said, adding that's the reason in 2023 polls some leaders got together and came up with a strategy to get back the support of communities that were neglected by the party. Recalling that the party leadership gave him the responsibility of celebrating Ambedkar Jayanti, while K H Muniyappa was given the responsibility of observing Babu Jagjivan Ram's birthday celebrations, ahead of the Assembly polls, Parameshwara said both of them discussed and decided not to accept it, as it was a continuation of the "divide and rule" against Dalit community.

"We too understand, it was divided as Jagjivan Ram is Dalit-Left (to which Muniyappa belongs) and Ambedkar is Dalit-Right (to which Parameshwara belongs). Look at the way we are seen," he said, adding that it was then decided to orgainse a "Ikyatha Samavesha" including all SCs and STs in Chitradurga, which sent out a message to the state ahead of polls.

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News Network
November 24,2025

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Israel has launched a new act of aggression on a residential neighborhood in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, killing and injuring about two dozen civilians.

The Israeli regime's military said in a statement that its forces carried out a so-called precise strike in a residential apartment in Dahiyeh in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday.

The aggression targeted residential areas, killing at least five people and injuring more than 28 people, Lebanon's Health Ministry said. 

Hezbollah announced the martyrdom of senior Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai and four resistance fighters.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun condemned the airstrike, calling it a clear demonstration of Tel Aviv’s disregard for repeated international calls to halt violations on Lebanese soil.

“Israel refuses to implement international resolutions and all efforts aimed at ending the escalation and restoring stability,” Aoun said, urging the international community to take action to prevent further aggression.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement also condemned the attack, holding the international community accountable. 

“The international community bears responsibility and continues to provide cover for these attacks as long as it does not restrain the occupiers,” said Ali Abu Shahin, a member of the group’s political bureau.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the Israeli army carried out a strike “in the heart of Beirut."

Netanyahu reportedly approved the operation following recommendations from top Israeli security officials.

Two senior US officials commented on the Israeli strike.

The first official said that Israel did not notify Americans in advance about the attack. "We were informed immediately after the strike was carried out."

The second senior official said that the "US knew for several days that Israel was planning to escalate its strikes in Lebanon, but did not know in advance the timing, location, or target of the strike."

Speaking from the site of the Israeli strike, Lebanese MP Ali Ammar condemned the attack as part of a broader campaign of aggression that has targeted "all of Lebanon since the Washington-sponsored ceasefire."

He stated that "any attack on Lebanon is a violation of red lines; this aggression is part and parcel of the entity that targets Lebanon's dignity, sovereignty, and security of citizens."

Ammar went on to say the resistance is responding with "utmost wisdom, patience, and will confront the enemy at the appropriate time."

"Unfortunately, the enemy is emboldened to commit its aggression by voices within Lebanon that have turned themselves into tools that support its aggression," he added.

The Israeli attack on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital is the latest blatant violation of the ceasefire Israel signed with Hezbollah in November 2024, which was intended to end hostilities that had escalated into full-scale war.

An Israeli strike on the Ain al-Hilweh camp near Sidon in southern Lebanon late Tuesday killed at least 14 people. It wounded several others, including young students, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

The military claimed the attack targeted “a Hamas training compound” used to plan and carry out attacks against the regime -- a claim that has frequently been made without evidence.

Hamas rejected the allegations as “a blatant lie aimed at justifying the massacre,” stating it had “no military installations in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon” and that the targeted site was merely “an open sports field.”

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks have killed approximately 4,000 people and displaced more than 1.2 million residents across the country since October 2023.

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News Network
November 21,2025

Bantwal: A domestic dispute appears to have led to a violent confrontation in BC Road area, where the owner of a textile shop was allegedly attacked with a knife by his wife on Wednesday evening.

Krishna Kumar Somayaji, the owner of Somayaji Textiles, sustained serious injuries in the incident and was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. He is currently receiving care in the intensive care unit and is reported to have survived the assault, according to police.

The Bantwal Town police have registered a case against Somayaji's wife, Jyothi KT, who has since been taken into custody.

Police stated that the complainant, Namita, an employee at the shop, reported the sequence of events. She stated that around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, the suspect entered the shop, wearing a burqa and disguised as a customer, before attacking Somayaji with a knife. The employee then transported the injured owner to a local hospital via an autorickshaw.

Superintendent of Police Arun K confirmed that an ongoing domestic dispute between Somayaji and his wife reportedly preceded the attack. Police noted that Jyothi KT had previously visited the shop and issued threats.

Based on the complaint, Bantwal Town police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Indian Arms Act-1959. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

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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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