CM slams BJP leaders for refusing to eat food prepared by Dalits

May 21, 2017

Mysuru, May 21: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has slammed former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and BJP leaders for disrespecting Dalits by refusing to eat the food prepared in a Dalit’s house in Chitradurga. They had ordered idlis and vadas from a hotel instead.

“Why couldn’t BJP leaders, who profess commitment to the welfare of the Dalits, eat the pulao prepared for them in the Dalit’s house?” he asked.

As Mr. Yeddyurappa had announced that he would have food in a Dalit’s house during his tour ‘Janasampark Abhiyan’, he along with other party leaders, including Shobha Karandlaje, decided to eat in a BJP leader’s house. Though the Dalit family had prepared pulao, the BJP leaders ordered from a hotel.

Meanwhile, a social activist has urged the State government to conduct an investigation against the BJP leaders under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for “practising untouchability”.

D. Venkatesh of Bellur in Nagamangala taluk submitted petitions to Home Minister G. Parameshwara and Superintendent of Police C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy.

“Refusing food prepared by the Dalits and having hotel food at their residence is nothing but conveying a message that the Dalits are not part of mainstream society,” Mr. Venkatesh told presspersons.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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