In Assembly Siddaramaiah?dares BJP MLA on knowledge of Kannada grammar

Bengaluru, Jun 10: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday surprised members cutting across parties in the Legislative Assembly when he displayed his hold over Kannada grammar.

When BJP MLA Y A Naray¬anaswamy complained in the Assembly that Kannada was suffering as a result of the trend of parents admitting their children to private English schools, Siddaramaiah sought to know whether his children studied in a private or government school.

“Do you have children? Where did your children study?...Why do you think only your children should study in convents?” he asked. Members burst into laughter when the BJP MLA mumbled an answer.

When BJP members, including Narayanaswamy, said it was a question of protecting Kannada, the chief minister, who is known for his witty retorts, then sought to know how many of them knew Kannada grammar. “A majority of you don't know Kannada grammar...Do you (Narayanaswamy) know what is a sandi (in Kannada grammar)?” he asked.

Siddaramaiah proved Narayanaswamy wrong when the latter replied saying that are two types of sandis. The chief minister dropped complicated names of all sandis and even explained some of them. “I have studied in a government school. My Kannada teacher taught grammar so well that even today I clearly remember it...But I am aware that the quality of teaching is not up to the mark now,” he stated.

K?S?Puttanaiah (Ind) jocularly said, “You (Siddaramaiah) passed through many sandis (also means passages) to become chief minister.” The chief minister retorted saying, “You too do the same.”

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

Comments