Somasekhara Commission report has buried the truth: Justice Saldanha

[email protected] (CD Network)
February 13, 2011

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Udupi, February 13: Former judge of Karnataka High Court M.F. Saldanha said on Saturday that the final report of the Justice B.K. Somasekhara Commission, which went into the church attacks in the State in September 2008, “has buried the truth and is a bundle of falsehoods”.

He was speaking at a public meeting against the Somasekhara Panel's Report organised by the Udupi branch of International Federation of Karnataka Christian Associations and Bharatiya Christa Okkoota, near the Deputy Commissioner Office here.



Mr. Saldanha said the police had colluded with the elements of Bajrang Dal in the church attacks. The then Home Minister V.S. Acharya could not escape the responsibility for these attacks. A nun had lost her eye in the attack.

He had conducted a People's Tribunal Enquiry and had gone into all the facts about the church attacks. He would submit his report to the President of India Pratibha Patil in New Delhi on February 14.

Though the Somasekhara panel blamed the saffron groups in its interim report, the findings of the final report contradicted those of the former. “Unless the guilty are punished, they will feel encouraged,” Mr. Saldanha said.

The former Chairman of Legislative Council David Simeon said the attacks on religious minorities in the State began within six months of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coming to power in the State. The BJP was raising the bogey of conversion for its own selfish ends.

Recently a large number of Dalits had been converted to Buddhism in Gulbarga. Did the Government arrest them? It was incumbent upon leaders of all political parties to condemn such attacks, Mr. Simeon said.

General secretary of State unit of Karnataka Komu Sauharda Vedike (KKSV) K.L. Ashok said the Somasekhara Panel's report was fit to be consigned to the dust bin. The Report was tailor-made to save the BJP Government from any embarrassment. “If conversions had to be stopped, why was the Pejawar seer visiting Dalit colonies? Any attack on Muslims or Christians is an attack on democracy and secular fabric of the nation,” he said.

The meeting passed six resolutions. The CBI should be asked to probe the church attacks. Continuous protection should be given to places of worship belonging to minority communities. Proper compensation should be given to the places of worship and individuals during the attacks. Organisations and individuals responsible for the attacks should be punished. Cases slapped against innocent youth should be withdrawn.

Episcopal Vicar of Udupi district Baptist Menezes, Area Chairman of Karnataka Southern Diocese Edward Karkada, president of Udupi district unit of KKSV G. Rajashekhar, president of Catholic Sabha, Mangalore, Walter Pinto, president of District Minorities Forum Khatib Rashid, president of Udupi Muslim Okkoota M.P. Moideenabba, Secretary of Popular Front of India Rafiq Majur, president of DSS Udupi unit Shekhar Hejmady were present.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 29,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 29: Around 12,500 healthcare students from Medical, Dental, AYUSH, Pharmacy, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Allied Health Sciences colleges of Dakshina Kannada, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), took part in a massive walkathon to promote awareness on Organ Donation and Nasha Mukth Bharat.

The inaugural ceremony was held at Mangala Stadium. Dr Bhagavan B C, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of RGUHS, delivered the welcome address. The walkathon was flagged off by Shri U T Khader, Hon’ble Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and presided over by Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada District In-charge. Dakshina Kannada MP Shri Brijesh Chowta also addressed the students.

Music director Guru Kiran, MLA Dr Bharat Shetty (Mangalore North), Police Commissioner Shri Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Shri Manjunath Bhandary and Shri Harish Kumar were among those present.

Institution heads including Dr Haji U K Monu (Kanachur Colleges), Dr Shantharam Shetty (Tejaswini College), Dr Bhaskar Shetty (City Group of Colleges), Mr Abdul Rahiman (Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences), and the District Health Officer, Mangalore, also participated.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Prof U T Ifthikar Fareed, Syndicate Member, RGUHS.

The event was organised by Dr U T Ifthikar Ali and Dr Shiva Sharan (Syndicate Members), Prof Vaishali (Senate Member), Prof Mohammad Suhail (Chairman, BOS Physiotherapy), Dr Sharan Shetty (Former Senate Member), along with principals and faculty of various colleges.

Students marched from Mangala Stadium to Karavali Grounds via MCC and Lalbagh signal. The event set a record as one of the largest gatherings of healthcare students for a social cause in the RGUHS Dakshina Kannada Zone.

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News Network
November 29,2025

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New Delhi: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Saturday put up a dramatic display of unity at a closely watched joint press briefing, firmly dismissing weeks of speculation about a power-sharing tussle within the Congress. With the high command nudging both leaders to sit together and settle the dust, the meeting became a political spectacle, ending with the duo declaring that there was “no confusion, no differences.”

Calling the reports of a rift “manufactured confusion,” Siddaramaiah said the talks had gone smoothly, even joking about their breakfast. “Breakfast was very good. All three of us enjoyed it,” he said. “We want to end this confusion once and for all. For local elections and for 2028, our mission is clear — Congress must return to power. There is no difference between me and DKS, not now, not before.”

He blamed the media for fuelling rumours and reiterated absolute adherence to the party leadership. “From tomorrow, let there be no confusion. What the high command says, we will follow.”

Siddaramaiah also assured that the Assembly session starting December 8 would run smoothly and vowed that Congress would take on the BJP and JD(S) “together.”

Shivakumar echoed the chief minister word for word, stressing loyalty and discipline. “People have given us a massive mandate. It is our duty to deliver,” he said. “This government was formed under Siddaramaiah’s leadership. We both have complete trust in the high command. If they tell me to wait, I will wait.”

He added that the two leaders had discussed strategy for the 2028 Assembly elections. “Whatever the CM says, I agree. We are loyal soldiers of the party. The party may be facing challenges nationally, but we will keep it strong in Karnataka.”

Shivakumar also said Siddaramaiah would soon visit his home for lunch or dinner — another symbolic gesture meant to underline their unity.

Both leaders later posted on social media describing the breakfast meeting as “productive” and focused on “Karnataka’s priorities.”

The BJP, however, rejected the show of camaraderie as “pure bunkum,” accusing Congress of trying to paper over an internal power struggle. But Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar insisted their united front would continue — and that there was “no confusion” within the state leadership.

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