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Friday, Jun 18, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Briefly

Lokayukta's visit

DAVANGERE JUNE 16. The Lokayukta, M.N. Venkatachala, will visit Davangere between June 30 and July 6.

He will inspect the functioning of the various Government offices in the different taluks of the district, during his stay.

According to a press release, he will visit Harihar on June 30, Chennagiri on July 1, Harapanahalli on July 2, Jagalur on July 3, Honnli on July 5 and Davangere city on July 6.

He will also listen to complaints from the public at the Inspection Bungalow in Davangere city on July 6, the release said.

Naturopathy clinic

BIDAR JUNE 17. A Yoga-naturopathy clinic will be inaugurated at the Anubhav Mantap premises in Basavakalyan on June 19.

Bronze statues of the Late Sri Channabasava Pattaddevaru and the founder of the Vishwa Basava Dharma trust, Late B.V. Patel will also be unveiled on the occasion.

The Minister for animal husbandry and waqf, Mirajuddin Patel, and Sri Basavalinga Pattaddevaru will be present, a press release said.

Meeting

BIDAR JUNE 17. Mirajuddin Patel, Minister for animal husbandry and Waqf, will chair a meeting of the Karnataka Development Project in Bidar on June 23.

This is his first visit to the district after he joined the Dharam Singh Cabinet.

According to another press release, Janata Dal (Secular) members will organise a reception for the Humnabad MLA for making it to the Cabinet.

Felicitated

BIDAR JUNE 17. The State Bank of India, Bidar, felicitated meritorious students of class 1 to class 10 of the Guru Nanak Public School in Bidar on Wednesday.

N. Chandrashekar, Chief Manager of the bank, appreciated efforts of the Guru Nanak Foundation in promoting health and education services in Bidar.

Vinod Jadugar, a magician from Pune, performed at the function.

Results

BIJAPUR JUNE 17. Women's University, Bijapur has announced the results of the second semester examinations conducted for various postgraduate courses.

The Registrar (Evaluation), R.S. Yeli, said in a statement here today that the students could get their results from the University's website http://www.womenunive rsity.kar.nic.in.

Selection test

BIDAR JUNE 17. The selection test for recruitment of civil police and armed police constables has been postponed to July 4.

According to a press release, hall tickets will be sent by post to all candidates.

There will be no change in the examination centres except the Government Boys Junior College.

This venue has been changed to BVB College. Candidates, who do not get their hall tickets on time, can get them from the office of the Superintendent of Police on all working days from June 22 to June 30.

They should bring along two recent photographs and an attested copy of the marks sheet.

Power cut

BIDAR JUNE 17. There will be no power supply between 10 am and 5 pm on Friday in all taluks of Bidar as emergency maintenance work will be taken up at the 220 kv distribution centre in Humnabad.

The maintenance is a routine exercise before the onset of the monsoons.

Scholarships

GURUVAINAKERE JUNE 17. The Labour Welfare Department has invited applications for scholarships from the children of beedi workers.

In a press release, B.K. Parameshwara Rao, secretary of the Nagarika Seva Trust, said the children of beedi workers attending schools or colleges were eligible for the scholarship.

BJP to back JD(U) candidate

Bangalore June 17. The State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has kept the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alive in the State and decided to support the Janata Dal (United) candidate, M.P. Nadagouda, in the elections to the Legislative Council from the Northwest Graduates constituency. The State BJP President, H.N. Ananth Kumar, has appealed to the graduate voters to elect Dr. Nadagouda who was the candidate of the NDA. BJP workers should ensure his re-election. The elections to the Council to fill four vacancies in the seats reserved for graduates and teachers will be held on June 24. The BJP and the JD(U) were allies in the recent Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections.

Pulled up for `talking in class'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE JUNE 17. The Legislative Council turned into a schoolroom for a few mirthful minutes today, when the acting Chairman, V.R. Sudarshan, found himself reprimanding the former Minister Nafees Fazal for "talking in the class." When Ms. Fazal sat down next to the Minister for Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, M.P. Prakash, and engaged him in a whispered conversation that went on for several minutes, Mr. Sudarshan gently chided her. "The Minister has to reply to the members who have asked him questions and want clarifications on the subject of the rice scam. He will need to make notes and listen to them; let him not be distracted," he said. Ms. Fazal, who took the admonition very cheerfully, returned to her seat, but took the permission of the Chair to explain that though she was talking to the Minister, she was not to be dismissed as of "nuisance value." After all, she was a former Minister, and a very senior member of the House, and she had been sharing with Mr Prakash some valuable tips about the issue under discussion.Her statement that she was guiding the Minister left everyone laughing.

Bail plea order on Monday

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE JUNE 17. The third additional District Sessions Judge, N.S. Kulkarni, hearing the anticipatory bail petition filed by the owners of private godowns from where the authorities seized rice stored illegally, has reserved orders for Monday. The court will also hear arguments on Monday on a plea for bail filed by Mahadevan, Managing Director of S.S. Maritime, who was arrested by the Corps of Detectives (CoD) in connection with the case. J.I. Kittur, special public prosecutor, said that the owners of the godowns had connived with R. Jagadish, owner of Guru Binny Rice Mills, Hassan, the main accused in the case, and illegally stored rice there. Mr. Jagadish had agreed to supply nearly 12,000 tonnes of rice to Sharp Menthol, a Delhi-based company, for export. The company was now claiming the rice as its own. On the anticipatory bail sought by Mr. Jagadish, Mr. Kittur opposed it and said it was important for the CoD to arrest the accused and ascertain from him the extent of the racket. Releasing Mr. Jagadish on bail would hamper the ongoing investigation, he said. The senior assistant public prosecutor, Venkataramanaswamy, continued his arguments against a plea by Sharp Menthol, seeking possession of the rice, before the first additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Tulasidas. The State Government has urged the court to hand over possession of the seized rice to it.

Case against VHP leader

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR JUNE 17. The Bijapur police have registered a criminal case against the South India convener of the Bajrang Dal and Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad State unit, Pramod Muthalik, for hurting the religious feelings of Muslims. The Sub-Inspector of Gol Gumbaz police station, B.R. Chowkimath, said in his complaint that Mr. Muthalik, while talking to presspersons in a hotel here last Tuesday, made statements against Muslims. This hurt the feelings of the community and had led to tension, he said in his complaint. The case was registered under Section 153(A) of the Cr.P.C. and Section 295 of the IPC a day after the VHP leader obtained anticipatory bail in another case booked against him for allegedly making a provocative speech during the "Save archaeological monuments" rally held in March.

BJP deputy leader in Council

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE JUNE 17. The senior BJP member Ramachandra Gowda will be the deputy leader of the party in the Legislative Council. Madhusudhan will be the party whip, according to an announcement made by the acting Chairman of the Council, V.R. Sudarshan.

Call to strengthen Lokayukta

By Our Staff Reporter

Bangalore June 17. S. Channabasavaiah (JD-U) today urged the State Government to take measures to strengthen the Lokayukta to help it curb corruption among government employees and officers. Speaking in the Legislative Council on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the legislature, he said that the manner in which the Lokayukta was functioning was drawing criticism from the public. The Lokayukta, in raids on government offices, only admonished public servants for accepting bribes and forced them to return the money without taking further action. He also urged the Government to rescind the order placing restrictions on the number of teachers and non-teaching staff in private educational institutions. He said the previous Government, which had cut grants to aided institutions by 15 per cent, restored it following the demand by legislators and teachers' organisations.

Bommai apologises

for outburst

By Our Staff Reporter

Bangalore June 17. The Janata Dal (United) floor leader in the Legislative Council, Basavaraj Bommai, today apologised to the Chair for his heated exchange with S.R. Patil (Congress) on the alleged involvement of Ministers in the previous Government and officials in the rice diversion racket. The altercation between Mr. Bommai and Mr. Patil occurred when L. Hanumanthaiah (Congress) was speaking on the issue. Mr. Bommai alleged that politicians and officials were involved in the racket, which angered Mr. Patil, and there was an argument between the two for quite some time. P. Ramiah, who was in the Chair then, stood up and reminded the members that the Council was known as the House of Elders. But how could they command respect if they did not observe decorum in the House, he asked. The members should not become emotional and make their point by shouting at one another, Mr. Ramiah said. Mr. Bommai, who apologised to the Chair, clarified that he was pained at the misuse of rice meant for the poor, which was a serious matter. His argument with the Congress member only showed how serious the matter was, he maintained.

Zero Hour: The former Minister for Primary and Secondary Education B.K. Chandrashekar expressed surprise over members being allowed to ask questions that normally came up during Zero Hour that followed Question Hour when there was no Question Hour in the present session of the House. He was supported by V.S. Acharya (BJP). Prof. Chandrashekar questioned the basis for allowing Zero Hour when there was no Question Hour. Mr. Sudarshan reminded S.R. Patil and Mr. Ugrappa that Zero Hour was meant to allow members to raise matters of urgent importance that arose during the time that the House adjourned for the day and met the next morning. He wanted the Government tp take steps to protect the sugarcane crop from pests. The Agriculture Marketing Minister, Prakash Hukkeri, said that with the onset of the monsoon, the menace would come down.

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