Karnataka CM promises to table anti-superstition Bill will by year-end

June 6, 2017

Bengaluru, Jun 6: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has promised that the long-pending law against superstitious practices would be introduced within this year-end, even as he made a case for “drawing a demarcating line between faith and superstition.”

Responding in the Legislative Assembly to objections raised by Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar on the 'parjanya homa' (ritual to appease rain gods) performed by Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil, he said: “It is necessary to draw a line of demarcation between faith and superstition. Anything that encourages and promotes exploitation of society is superstition. But faith is personal and it will not harm society in any manner. For instance, somebody visiting Tirupati or performing a puja will not harm society.”

When Mr. Shettar chided him over the pending Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifices and other Inhuman Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2016, Mr. Siddaramaiah said: “The Congress government will table the Bill at the earliest, before the end of the year.”

When Mr. Shettar questioned the “socialist credentials” of Mr. Siddaramaiah for defending Mr. Patil, who performed the parjanya homa at Bhagamandala and Mahabaleshwar, the Chief Minister said: “Personally, I am against conducting homa to appease rain gods. But it is the personal belief of Mr. Patil. He spent his money in the interest of the State.”

Turning the tables on the Opposition BJP, he asked: “Are you opposed to performing puja?” To this, MLA and former Minister C.T. Ravi said he did not have any objection to Mr. Patil performing a puja, but was surprised by Mr. Siddaramaiah defending Mr. Patil.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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