Justice M F Saldanha presents report on atrocities against Christians to PM

March 23, 2011
Mangalore, March 23: “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has given special assurance to the citizens of the state that the central government will ensure the welfare and security of all citizens particularly thise belonging to the minorities and the weaker sections of coastal Karnataka”, said Justice Micheal F Saldanha, Retired Judge of Karnataka High Court.



He was speaking to media persons at a press meet in Mangalore on Wednesday, March 23, briefing about his visit to New Delhi where he presented the People's Enquiry Tribunal Report on the atrocities committed against minorities personally to the Prime Minister and others such as Vice President of India Hamid Ansari, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, and Union Minister for Minorities Salman Khurshid.




Justice Saldanha said that Hamid Ansari expressed deep regret over the use of violence against the minorities and particularly their places of worship and that it will be effectively curtailed.



Of his meeting with P Chidambaram, Justice Saldanha said that the Union Home Minister was concerned about the security in the coastal region and that it needs to be stepped up both externally as well as internally so that the life of people living in the region improves. He has even assured that if required, Central forces would be deployed to safeguard the interests of the minorities, as was done in Mysore, Saldanha said.




Veerappa Moily, Saldanha said, was severe on the subordinate judiciary of the region which has failed to protect the rights of the victims of human rights atrocities. Moily stated that the state government was handin glove with the communal elements who resorted to violence against the minorities, Saldanha said.




Calling Salman Khurshid as a 'well informed' man who was even aware of atrocities that took place in Ullal, Saldanha said that the Minister came out strongly against communal violence perpetrated by police, state administration and communal elements. He stated that his Ministry will go all out to enforce the Constituional guarantees and combat human rights infringements.




S M Krishna termed what happened in Karnataka as something 'intolerable' and the union government would take measures to combat these illegalities, Saldanha said.




Breifing about his meeting with Governor of Karnataka H R Bharadwaj, Justice Saldanha said that the constitutional authority appreciated the report prepared by him. The Governor feels that arrests of Christians are not justified and that trauma has been caused to the Christian community. He has said that cases against the minorities must be withdrawn and also informed that the 338 false cases instituted against the victims would be withdrawn within one month and a direction to this effect has been issued to the state government. Home Minister R Ashok has confirmd that the withdrawal would be done within the next few days. The Governor also assured that he would recommend the Memorandum for appropriate corrective action, Saldanha said.

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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
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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News Network
December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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