BJP has 'mortgaged' Karnataka's future to mafia: Rahul Gandhi

May 1, 2013
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Mandya, May 1: Stepping up his offensive against the BJP Government in Karnataka, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today accused it of having "mortgaged" people's future to "mafia" and "sold" the state to mining barons Reddy brothers.

Going ballistic against the BJP in the third lap of his campaign for the May 5 Assembly elections, Gandhi charged it with having "built" the Reddy brothers-- G Janardhana and G Karunakara -- to come to power in the state.

"The BJP people talk about corruption. Yesterday in Parliament, they spoke about corruption. But they will not talk about Karnataka. They will not mention the corruption in Karnataka. They will not say a Chief Minister went to jail. They will not say Reddy brothers who they sold the entire state to....they talk about corruption," Gandhi said.

The BJP leaders "who have built" the Reddy brothers, "who have taken their money" and "who are responsible for corruption" in Karnataka go to the rest of the country and talk about corruption, he said.

Gandhi said there was a time when Karnataka used to shine and be talked about as a progressive and leading state but "the sad part is that in the last nine years, (when Congress was out of power), Karnataka's shine has disappeared."

For the first time in history, a Chief Minister had gone to jail, said Gandhi, apparently referring to B S Yeddyurappa, who is facing corruption charges and had to quit as Chief Minister on graft charge after his indictment by Lok Ayukta in its report on illegal mining.

".. and your future has been mortgaged to mafia," Gandhi said.

He said Karnataka had a lot of natural resources, among them huge iron ore reserve. "This wealth does not belong to one individual. It belongs to everybody in Karnataka. It belongs to the youth and old people of Karnataka.'

The resources were supposed to be used to build a future for the youth of the state but "what had happened in the last nine years is this wealth has been given to a single family," he said in an obvious reference to Reddy brothers.

Janardhana Reddy, a former state minister, has been lodged in a jail in Andhra Pradesh since his arrest in an illegal mining case by CBI in 2011. "In order to come to power, BJP had got the support of Reddy brothers. They have given legislative future to the two brothers," Gandhi said.

Asking where this money came from, he told the gathering, "from your resources."

"So BJP used your money to give your Vidhana Sabha to Reddy brothers," he said.

Gandhi said instead of exporting iron ore to China, steel plants should have been set up creating jobs.

"Instead, you got a corrupt Vidhana Sabha. You got no jobs. Your national resources were directed to China. This is the type of government that the BJP offered for the last five years. Your natural resources were given away to groups of people and Vidhana Sabha was handed over to the mafia."

Charging BJP government with failure to provide drinking water and electricity to farmers, Gandhi said the "game" in Bangalore and Karnataka was "not about you (people).It is about your money. It is not about your future. It is about how to take your money away from you and loot it."

In his earlier campaign rounds, Gandhi had charged the BJP government with having created a "world record" in graft and being a "champion" of corruption.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 7,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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News Network
December 16,2025

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Melkar (Bantwal): The 9th Annual Day celebration of SMR Public School, titled “EXCELLENTIA”, was held on December 15 with great enthusiasm and dignity, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey towards academic excellence and holistic development.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. U. T. Iftikar Ali. The chief guests were Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Mr. P. Moosabba Beary, Mr. Zakaria Jokattre, and Dr. T. M. Abdul Rahuf—whose inspiring addresses motivated the students and appreciated the school’s contributions to education.

Mr. Abdul Nasir, Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar, Mr. Razak Golthamajal, Mr. Sali Koya, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Mr. Ismail Balanoor, Mr. Feroz Bawa, Mr. Sahul Hameed, Mr. Abubakkar, Mr. Hameed K. Mani, Mr. Abdul Majeed (Principal, Melkar Women’s College), and Mr. Abdul Lathief (Former Principal, Melkar Women’s College) were the guests of honour.

The Annual Report was presented by the Headmistress, Ms. Fathimathul Zaheera, highlighting the school’s achievements and progress during the academic year. The Presidential Address was delivered by the Chairman of SMR Public School, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasised the vital role of education in shaping students’ futures and stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and consistent effort in achieving 100 per cent academic results.

Secretary of SMR Public School, Mr. Rifath Ahmed, and PTA President, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, were also present on the occasion.

The Annual Day celebration showcased the collective efforts of students and teachers and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to quality education and all-round development. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, parents, and well-wishers for their support. The 9th Annual Day—EXCELLENTIA—was a memorable and successful event, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. 

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