Thakur takes dig at Rahul Gandhi at BJP Yuva Jagruti Samavesha

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

May 22, 2012

Mangalore, May 22: Congress' youth icon Rahul Gandhi is least bothered about the development of the country and it shows in his absence in parliamentary proceedings, said Anurag Thakur, National President, BJP Yuva Morcha.

Addressing the gathering at a youth convention organized by the state unit of the BJP Yuva Morcha in Mangalore on Tuesday, Mr. Thakur took continuous digs at Rahul Gandhi, the Congress poster boy. “Rahul Gandhi hardly comes to the Parliament. Aae bhi toh peeche baith ke gappe maarte rehte hain (Even if he does, he sits in the back benches and would be busy chit-chatting). Today, the UPA has completed three years of its second term. Congress in its long tenure has only looted the country. Right from the time of Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh, their tenure has been marred with scandals. When Manmohan Singh was chosen Prime Minister, people said that a clean man had been given the post. But his government has broken the record of all past scams”, Mr. Thakur said.

Stating further that scams pertaining to 2G and Commonwealth Games reveal how corrupt Congress is, Mr. Thakur, who is also the joint secretary of the BCCI and President of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Academy, said that his cricket stadium at Dharmasala “cost just Rs. 60 crore to be built but Suresh Kalmadi needed RS.900 crore to renovate a stadium for Commonwealth Games”.

The BJP Yuva Morcha National President said that during the five year term of NDA government, 62 million jobs had been created in contrary to the 20 lakh jobs created by UPA.

Recalling the struggle that he and other BJP Yuva Morcha members pursued during the national flag hoisting movement at Lal Chowk in Kashmir, Mr. Thakur congratulated the Karnataka Yuva Morcha members for their active participation. BJP was the only party in the country to oppose the scrapping of AFSPA law in Kashmir, he added.

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda in his address said that youth must take up the responsibility of supervising and keeping track of the money being set aside by the government in its budget for various projects. He revealed on the occasion that about Rs. 4.5 thousand crores had been provided in the budget for youth under various projects.

Stating that Congress has been inefficient in handling terrorism in the country, Mr. Gowda said that it has been playing vote bank politics. “The Congress is feeding biryani to a terrorist like Kasab with the tax payer's money”, he said.

Chakravarti Soolibele was the main speaker. Minister Jagadish Shettar also spoke. Anurag Thakur was presented with a memento and a portrait of Basavanna by the state Yuva Morcha members on the occasion.

Navya R Shetty, the state SSLC topper from Bantwal, was felicitated by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda.

K S Eshwarappa, State BJP President, R Ashok, State Home Minister, Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, State Education Minister, Narayanaswamy, State Social Welfare Minister, S A Ramdas, Medical Education Minister, Yogish Bhat, Deputy Speaker, Karnataka Assembly, Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, C T Ravi, Spokesperson, BJP, Padmanabha Kottary, President, BJP, DK, were present among others.

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Respiratory illnesses rise in Karnataka’s capital as air quality deteriorates

News Network

February 5,2026

Bengaluru: As air quality continues to worsen across several parts of the city, hospitals in Bengaluru are reporting a steady rise in patients suffering from respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), health officials and doctors said.

Data from the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST) shows that 3,891 patients received treatment for respiratory ailments between April and November 2024. The figure rose to 4,187 during the same period in 2025.

Private hospitals, too, are witnessing a 10–15 per cent year-on-year increase in such cases.

While doctors caution that the rise cannot be attributed solely to air pollution, a significant number of patients are non-smokers with no prior history of respiratory disease.

“Nearly 70 per cent of the patients we see are non-smokers with no previous respiratory issues. When other causes are ruled out, air pollution emerges as the most likely factor,” said Dr Manjunath PH, consultant interventional pulmonologist at a hospital in Kengeri.

Doctors noted that patient footfall spikes during the winter months and around Deepavali, when air quality typically worsens.

“There is a clear correlation between poor air quality and the rise in cases. People commonly present with persistent cough, breathlessness and irritation of the respiratory tract, indicating the impact of polluted air on their health,” said Dr Sheetal Chaurasia, consultant in pulmonary medicine at a private hospital in Whitefield.

Dr Chaurasia added that respiratory tract infections are also on the rise.

“Poor air quality leads to chronic airway inflammation, making the airways more vulnerable to infections. We are seeing an increase in both upper and lower respiratory tract infections,” she said.

Patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions remain the worst affected.

“For those already diagnosed with respiratory illnesses, deteriorating air quality significantly worsens the condition. Both the frequency and severity of attacks increase sharply,” said Dr Vandana P, a pulmonologist at a hospital on Bannerghatta Road.

Doctors also flagged a worrying trend of rising respiratory problems among younger adults and children.

To reduce exposure, they advised people to wear masks while travelling on two-wheelers or autos and ensure adequate ventilation at home to minimise indoor air pollution.

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NRI from Udupi wins Rs 50 crore in Abu Dhabi’s big ticket draw

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February 4,2026

An Indian resident who won the Dh20 million (approximately Rs 50 crore) jackpot in Abu Dhabi's Big Ticket draw has told of his joy at sharing his life-changing fortune with a friend.

Shanthanu Shettigar, a shop manager in Muscat, regularly buys tickets for the monthly grand prize draw with one of his closest friends – and the pair won on February 3.

Mr Shettigar, 33, who is from Udyavar in Udupi district of the southern state of Karnataka and has lived in the Omani capital for eight years, said he was left speechless after learning of his success.

“When I first moved to Muscat, many of my colleagues were purchasing Big Ticket, which encouraged me to give it a try,” he said.

“I started buying tickets on my own, and later began sharing tickets with a close friend. The ticket that brought me this win was one we purchased together.”

“Like most people, I receive a lot of spam calls, and I was fully absorbed in my work as well. I knew the live draw was taking place tonight, but I never imagined my name would be announced,” he said.

“When I realised it was real and that I had won, I was honestly speechless. It still hasn’t fully sunk in, but I’m extremely happy.”

Mr Shettigar is not sure how he will spend his share of the money, but encouraged others to take part.

“This win was completely unexpected, so I want to take some time to think things through before deciding what to do next,” he said.

“I would definitely encourage others to participate with Big Ticket, whether with family or friends – you never know when your moment might come.”

The Big Ticket was established in 1992 with an initial first prize of Dh1 million. It is one of the most popular monthly raffles in the UAE.

It has transformed the lives of many people across the Emirates and beyond.

Entry to the Big Ticket Millionaire is Dh500. Tickets can be bought online or at counters at Zayed International Airport and Al Ain Airport.

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