Ramanath Rai called Poojary “Ra***maga”: Harikrishna Bantwal

CD Network | Sumedha V
June 28, 2017

Mangaluru, Jun 28: Expelled Congress leader Harikrishna Bantwal has accused Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai of abusing Congress veteran B Janardhana Poojary in public and igniting communal clashes in Bantwal for political gains.

harishkrishna

Speaking to media persons in the city on Wednesday, Mr Bantwal, “revealed” that Mr Rai had used Tulu Nadu’s extreme derogatory words like “‘ra***maga’ and ‘nayisoo***maga’” against Mr Poojary in a fully crowded wedding hall nearly five months ago.

“MR Rai had attended a certain Rajesh’s wedding in Surathkal Buntara Bhavana on February 6, 2017. Local Congress leaders Arun Coelho and Tejaswi Raj too were present there. Mr Rai asked them where Mr Poojary was using the above mentioned words and further abused him in Tulu,” he said.

Interestingly, Mr Bantwal revealed the five month old incident for the first time a day after Harish Kumar, a leader of Billava community was made the president of Dakshina Kannada district Congress Committee. The appointment was seen as an apparent attempt by the Congress to woo Billavas in the coastal district in the wake of community stalwart Janardhana Poojary’s dissidence with the party leaders.

Lashing out at the Bunt stalwart, Mr Bantwal said that Mr Rai owes his political position today to Mr Poojary. “Back in 1985, when Mr Rai was nobody in the party, he secured the ticket to contest from Bantwal constituency because of Mr Poojary,” he said.

“Billawas and Bunts are the majority and strengths of this region. They cannot be without each other. We do not believe in seeing them as different communities. But some people always get caste into politics”, he said.

He also said that national leaders like Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, A K Anthony always praised Mr Poojary and called him an honest politician, but Rai never valued him.

Justifying Mr Poojary’s recent outburst against his own party men in the state, Mr Bantwal said: “This is a democracy. People are allowed to criticize others.”

“Though Mr Poojary often criticized the chief minister, the former never used any unconstitutional or derogatory words against anyone”, he added. Calling Mr Rai an unfaithful and ungrateful, he said that Dakshina Kannada doesn’t need a politician like Mr Rai.

Mr Bantwal went on to say that being a follower of Sri Narayana Guru, he believed in being true to his religion, but also being an Indian first. “Nobody likes to fight. Some greedy politicians like Mr Rai create communal clashes for vote bank. Transferring police officers won’t solve problems in Bantwal. It is Mr Rai who needs to be stripped off his power to restore peace here”, he said.

Mr Bantwal also accused Mr Rai of always being on the side of ‘note and vote’. He called him a ‘modern day Shishupala’ and said that ‘Krishna’ had waited long enough and cannot hold it in anymore, it is time to show Mr Rai’s true colors to the people who voted him to power.

Comments

Chidu
 - 
Wednesday, 28 Jun 2017

Ra*** maga means what? Raayara Maga?

ahmed
 - 
Thursday, 29 Jun 2017

Ra***maga means Raithana maga tats all

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 30: A 22-year-old college student succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Mangaluru today, days after she was hit by a goods tempo while crossing a road in Padubidri.

The deceased has been identified as Preksha, a resident of Nadsalu Billitota in Padubidri. The fatal incident occurred as Preksha, who was returning home after completing her examination, attempted to cross the service road towards Mangaluru. She was struck by a goods tempo approaching from the Udupi side, causing her to fall and sustain a severe head injury.

Prompt action from local residents ensured she received immediate first aid before being rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru for specialised treatment. Despite medical efforts, she passed away while undergoing care.

Preksha was a student at Karavali College, Vamanjoor on the outskirts of Mangaluru city. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that she belonged to a financially vulnerable family, having previously lost her father. She is survived by her mother and brother.

A case related to the accident has been registered at the Padubidri police station, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the collision. The incident highlights the growing concerns over road safety, particularly on busy service roads, and serves as a tragic reminder of the human cost of traffic accidents.

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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