Activist demands pending compensation to MRPL PDF with interest

[email protected] (CD Network)
March 9, 2013

mrpl
Mangalore, Mar 9: Fighting for the cause of families of daily wage labourers who were forcefully displaced 20 years ago in Kuttetturu village of Mangalore taluk without any compensation, Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag of Human Rights Protection Foundation (Udupi) has urged Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited to release rehabilitation packages to the 11 Project Displaced Families (PDF) along with interest.

Bringing the matter to light, Dr Shanbhag in a press release said that residents of the Government Colony in Kuttetturu village were forcefully evicted from their homes and their houses were demolished in May 1993 in their absence. Their belongings were mercilessly dumped. The demolition had been initiated by MRPL without prior intimation. The families were not even given compensation. Prior to this, the government had decided to acquire 800 acres of land for the establishment of MRPL in 1989. The house sites of the labourers residing in the colony fell under the land specified by the government for acquisition, said the release.

As per the scheme, a displaced person was promised Rs 20,000, along with monetary compensation, relocation to alternate site in a colony in Chelyaru village, and employment for one person in the proposed MRPL project. For those not opting for employment in MRPL, compensation of Rs 1,50,000 was stipulated. Few other displaced residents who had received the rehabilitation package were relocated to Chelyaru village. However, no compensation or rehabilitation packages were provided to the displaced residents, it said.

Following the demolition, the displaced residents frequented the land acquisition office and MRPL office seeking compensation due to them and some semblance of rehabilitation. However, authorities from both offices refused to provide any rehabilitation unless they furnished the title deeds, which lay under the debris that stood after the demolition. One resident Subraya Acharya was relocated to an alternate site on obtaining a confirmation deed, but the monetary compensation and compensation in lieu of not opting for MRPL employment was not provided. The other residents Appi Poojarthy, Kamala Poojarthy, Balkrishna Naik, Nagappa Moily, Marshal D'Souza, Bhavani Poojarthy and Thimmu Poojarthy were not relocated or provided with any relief. Out of the 11 families, members of five such families have died, said Dr Shanbhag in the release.

For the past 20 years, many public interest organisations have written to MRPL, However, far from responding to the legitimate grievances that these organisations seek to voice, one Deputy General Manager P A Jose has written to the State Human Rights Commission complaining that these organisations were harassing MRPL, said the release, urging the MRPL authorities to release the pending rehabilitation to the displaced families.

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News Network
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
November 29,2025

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New Delhi: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Saturday put up a dramatic display of unity at a closely watched joint press briefing, firmly dismissing weeks of speculation about a power-sharing tussle within the Congress. With the high command nudging both leaders to sit together and settle the dust, the meeting became a political spectacle, ending with the duo declaring that there was “no confusion, no differences.”

Calling the reports of a rift “manufactured confusion,” Siddaramaiah said the talks had gone smoothly, even joking about their breakfast. “Breakfast was very good. All three of us enjoyed it,” he said. “We want to end this confusion once and for all. For local elections and for 2028, our mission is clear — Congress must return to power. There is no difference between me and DKS, not now, not before.”

He blamed the media for fuelling rumours and reiterated absolute adherence to the party leadership. “From tomorrow, let there be no confusion. What the high command says, we will follow.”

Siddaramaiah also assured that the Assembly session starting December 8 would run smoothly and vowed that Congress would take on the BJP and JD(S) “together.”

Shivakumar echoed the chief minister word for word, stressing loyalty and discipline. “People have given us a massive mandate. It is our duty to deliver,” he said. “This government was formed under Siddaramaiah’s leadership. We both have complete trust in the high command. If they tell me to wait, I will wait.”

He added that the two leaders had discussed strategy for the 2028 Assembly elections. “Whatever the CM says, I agree. We are loyal soldiers of the party. The party may be facing challenges nationally, but we will keep it strong in Karnataka.”

Shivakumar also said Siddaramaiah would soon visit his home for lunch or dinner — another symbolic gesture meant to underline their unity.

Both leaders later posted on social media describing the breakfast meeting as “productive” and focused on “Karnataka’s priorities.”

The BJP, however, rejected the show of camaraderie as “pure bunkum,” accusing Congress of trying to paper over an internal power struggle. But Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar insisted their united front would continue — and that there was “no confusion” within the state leadership.

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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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