CM promises Rs 1,000 cr for welfare of backward classes, urges to remove their 'backward' tag

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar)

February 12, 2012

Mangalore, February 12: In a rare gesture Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Sunday promised the people of backward classes that his government would allocate Rs 1,000 crore exclusively for their welfare in the 2012-13 budget.

Participating in the Billavas convention as part of the centenary year celebration of the All India Billavas' Union at Town Hall in the city, the CM said that Billavas need not feel inferior as many people from the community had now excelled in different sectors, including medicine and engineering.

Reiterating his government's commitment for the overall development of the backward communities, Mr Gowda said that one should not aspire to be identified as 'backward'. People should come to the mainstream of society to ensure that the tag “backward class” was removed, he said.

The Chief Minister said that the Billavas' Union should make efforts to bring Billavas in rural areas, who were dependent on toddy tapping, to the mainstream of society.

Mr. Gowda said that a “medicinal garden” would be developed at the Koti-Chennaya Theme Park which was opened near Karkala recently. He said the Government would promote Enmur, near Panja in Sullia taluk, which is believed to be the birth place of Koti and Chennaya, heroes of the Billava community, as a tourist destination. He, however, did not elaborate on the plan.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister unveiled a plaque to mark the launch of work on a hostel near Kunjathbail for Billava community people.

He said that of Rs. 2 crore announced by the Government for the hostel, Rs. 1 crore would be released. If the project required more than Rs. 2 crore, the Government was committed to sanctioning it, the Chief Minister said.

Presiding over the programme President of the Union Naveenchandra D Suvarna, mentioned the problems faced by the community over the years and how it moved in the path of progress.

On the occasion former minister R L Jalappa released a special edition of 'Brahmashree Guruvani'. Deputy speaker of Legislative Assembly N Yogish Bhat, AICC secretary Vinay Kumar Sorake, Sagar MLA Belur Gopalkrishna and MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, among the present at the dais.

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HC refuses to quash probe against Mangaluru WhatsApp admin over offensive posts

News Network

February 1,2026

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash an investigation against a WhatsApp group administrator accused of allowing the circulation of obscene and offensive images depicting Hindutva politicians and idols in 2021.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that, prima facie, the ingredients of the offence under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code were made out. “The offence under Section 295A of the IPC is met to every word of its ingredient, albeit prima facie,” the judge said.

The petitioner, Sirajuddin, a resident of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, had challenged the FIR registered against him at the CEN (Cyber, Economics and Narcotics) police station, Mangaluru, for offences under Section 295A of the IPC and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. Section 295A relates to punishment for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens.

According to the complaint filed by K Jayaraj Salian, also a resident of Belthangady taluk, he received a WhatsApp group link from an unknown source and was added to the group after accessing it. The group reportedly had six administrators and around 250 participants, where obscene and offensive images depicting Hindu deities and certain political figures were allegedly circulated repeatedly.

Sirajuddin was arrested in connection with the case and later released on bail on February 16, 2021. He argued before the court that he was being selectively targeted, while other administrators—including the creator of the group—were neither arrested nor investigated. He also contended that the Magistrate could not have taken cognisance of the offence under Section 295A without prior sanction under Section 196(1) of the CrPC.

Rejecting the argument, Justice Nagaprasanna held that prior sanction is required only at the stage of taking cognisance, and not at the stage of registration of the crime or during investigation.

The judge noted that the State had produced the entire investigation material before the court. “A perusal of the material reveals depictions of Hindu deities in an extraordinarily obscene, demeaning and profane manner. The content is such that its reproduction in a judicial order would itself be inappropriate,” the court said, adding that the material, on its face, had the tendency to outrage religious feelings and disturb communal harmony.

Observing that the case was still at the investigation stage, the court said it could not interdict the probe at this juncture. However, it expressed concern that the investigating officer appeared to have not proceeded uniformly against all administrators. The court clarified that if the investigation revealed the active involvement of any member in permitting the circulation of such content, they must also be proceeded against.

“At this investigative stage, any further observation by this Court would be unnecessary,” the order concluded.

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