JD(S) rallies to woo Muslims; seeks to clear doubts about its secular credentials

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Suresh Vamanjoor)
July 16, 2012

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Bangalore, July 16: Targeting ruling BJP and Congress and with an eye on assembly polls next year, JDS today sought to clear doubts about its secular credentials after it formed a coalition government in Karnataka with BJP in 2006.

Addressing a Muslim Convention, organised by JDS, party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said his son H D Kumaraswamy committed a mistake by forming the government with BJP. Kumaraswamy committed the mistake of forming government with BJP as the Congress attempted to divide JDS, Gowda said. "I am not after a chief minister's or any other post. Fighting for secular credentials is important for me than vouching for power," he said.

He described the day as the day of 'shapa vimochane' (redemption from curse) and asked Muslims and their religious heads, who were on stage in large numbers, to 'bless' his son and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Mr. Gowda said that he had advised his son 'never to betray trust'. The octogenarian politicians said that he now has no further ambition except to ensure that the secular base of his party does not collapse.

Gowda slammed the BJP government for not appointing a member from minority community in the Karnataka Public Service Commission. Gowda said during his tenure as the chief minister, he took the decision to introduce four per cent reservation for minorities in government jobs.

He said his family did not appease Vokkaliga community alone when he was chief minister, but had given five per cent reservation for Lingayat community. "I gave four per cent reservation for Vokkaliga," he said.

Gowda said his party had come to the rescue of the minority people whenever they were in trouble and had written to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to conduct an inquiry into the Sabarmati Express tragedy.

Kumaraswamy said he took several measures to protect the interests of Muslims even after joining hands with BJP. He said that some parties and individuals were projecting the youth in the Muslim community as fundamentalists and made no honest efforts to give the community its due in education and employment. It was an organised ploy to keep the community out of the mainstream and the Muslims should not fall for vote-bank politics, he said.

He sought to emphasise that it was a decision that his father was always opposed to and hurt by.

MLA and JDS leader Zammer Ahmed Khan, the main organiser of the event at Palace rounds, described Mr. Kumaraswamy as 'the future chief minister' and appealed to Muslims not trust the Congress which had 'betrayed' them repeatedly.

He alleged that Congress were misleading Muslims and using them as vote bank.


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December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 16,2025

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Melkar (Bantwal): The 9th Annual Day celebration of SMR Public School, titled “EXCELLENTIA”, was held on December 15 with great enthusiasm and dignity, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey towards academic excellence and holistic development.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. U. T. Iftikar Ali. The chief guests were Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Mr. P. Moosabba Beary, Mr. Zakaria Jokattre, and Dr. T. M. Abdul Rahuf—whose inspiring addresses motivated the students and appreciated the school’s contributions to education.

Mr. Abdul Nasir, Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar, Mr. Razak Golthamajal, Mr. Sali Koya, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Mr. Ismail Balanoor, Mr. Feroz Bawa, Mr. Sahul Hameed, Mr. Abubakkar, Mr. Hameed K. Mani, Mr. Abdul Majeed (Principal, Melkar Women’s College), and Mr. Abdul Lathief (Former Principal, Melkar Women’s College) were the guests of honour.

The Annual Report was presented by the Headmistress, Ms. Fathimathul Zaheera, highlighting the school’s achievements and progress during the academic year. The Presidential Address was delivered by the Chairman of SMR Public School, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasised the vital role of education in shaping students’ futures and stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and consistent effort in achieving 100 per cent academic results.

Secretary of SMR Public School, Mr. Rifath Ahmed, and PTA President, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, were also present on the occasion.

The Annual Day celebration showcased the collective efforts of students and teachers and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to quality education and all-round development. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, parents, and well-wishers for their support. The 9th Annual Day—EXCELLENTIA—was a memorable and successful event, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. 

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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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