Unfair deal for the fair caste? Brahmins of Karnataka threaten to hit NOTA

Shaastra Bhat | coastaldigest.com 
April 26, 2018

Bengaluru, Apr 26: Angered by the major political parties’ apathy over their demands, the leaders of Brahmin community in Karnataka have threatened to hit NOTA (none of the above) on the Electronic Voting Machine in the May 12 state assembly polls.

On condition of anonymity, a representative of the Akhila Bharatiya Brahaman Mahasangha (ABBM) told coastaldigest.com that the federation may advise the community members to register their protest by rejecting the candidates of all the parties.

Nearly a month ago, the ABBM had put forth its demands for the upcoming polls and vowed to support any political party that would include them in its poll manifesto.

The demands of the ABBM included setting up a 'Brahmana Welfare Foundation', launching an honorarium of Rs 5,000 for poor priests, and enacting Prevention of Atrocities against Brahmins Act.

None of the political parties, however, have considered these demands seriously. Hence, the ABBM has helplessly decided to choose NOTA option, he said.

According to Govinda Kulkarni, the president of ABBM, a considerable number of people in the Brahmin community are lagging behind in all sectors and many Brahmin families are struggling for a livelihood. 

“The economic condition of the community is in a bad state. In spite of this fact, the Brahmin community is often being targeted by all,” he lamented.

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Canute D’Souza
 - 
Thursday, 26 Apr 2018

When did this coastaldigest.com become a voice of janivara? They already have so many mouthpeices across India. I request the editor to stay away from them. 

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News Network
November 22,2025

Udupi, Nov 22: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has officially confirmed Narendra Modi’s visit to Udupi on November 28 and shared his detailed schedule with the Karnataka chief secretary.

According to the itinerary, the Prime Minister will land at Mangaluru International Airport from Delhi at 11:05 am and depart for Udupi by helicopter at 11:10 am. He is expected to arrive at the Adi Udupi helipad at 11:35 am.

The earlier plan for a roadshow has been cancelled. Instead, PM Modi will proceed directly to Sri Krishna Math at 12 pm, where he will have darshan of Sri Krishna and address participants of the Laksha Kanta Geetha Gayana event.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to depart from the Adi Udupi helipad at 1:35 pm, returning to Mangaluru Airport before leaving for Goa at 2 pm.

The state administration has been directed to make all necessary arrangements for the visit.

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News Network
November 26,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 26: Assembly Speaker and local MLA U.T. Khader has initiated a high-level push to resolve one of Mangaluru’s longest-standing traffic headaches: the narrow, high-density stretch of National Highway-66 between Nanthoor and Talapady.

He announced on Tuesday that a formal proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) seeking approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the widening of this crucial corridor.

The plan specifically aims to expand the existing 45-meter road width to a full 60 meters, coupled with the construction of dedicated service roads. Khader highlighted that land for a 60-meter highway was originally acquired during the initial four-laning project, but only 45 meters were developed, leading to a perpetual bottleneck.

"With vehicle density rising sharply, the expansion has become unavoidable," Khader stated, stressing that the upgrade is essential for ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving safety at the city's main entry and exit points.

The stretch between Nanthoor and Talapady is a vital link on the busy Kochi-Panvel coastal highway and connects to major city junctions. The move to utilize the previously acquired land for the full 60-meter width is seen as a necessary measure to catch up with the region's rapid vehicular growth and prevent further traffic gridlocks.

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News Network
November 22,2025

The Karnataka government has announced a 50% rebate on pending traffic and transport fines. The discount is available from November 21 to December 12.

The rebate applies to all traffic e-challans and violation cases booked by the RTO between 1991–92 and 2019–20. Officials clarified that the offer is not applicable to pending tax dues and is restricted only to traffic-violation fines.

Across Karnataka, more than 4 lakh RTO cases remain pending, including those involving transport vehicles. While thousands of vehicle owners have already cleared their dues, the department expects to generate substantial revenue through this limited-period rebate.

How to Pay and Avail the Discount

There are three ways to check and pay your pending fines:

1. Through Mobile Apps
Available on both Play Store and App Store:
•    Karnataka State Police (KSP) app
•    KarnatakaOne app
•    ASTraM app

Steps:
•    Enter your vehicle number in any of the above apps
•    Verify the photo/details of your vehicle
•    Pay the fine with the 50% discount applied

2. Visit a Traffic Police Station

You can pay your pending fine at any nearby traffic police station.

3. Visit the Traffic Management Centre (TMC)

•    Location: First Floor, Infantry Road, near Indian Express, Bengaluru

Transport Commissioner Yogeesh A M said, “We don't issue e-challans, so there's no online payment system.”

The department estimates ₹52 crore in pending RTO fines up to March 2020. “With the 50% rebate, we expect to collect around ₹25 crore if all dues are cleared,” he added.

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