<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">Bengaluru: <span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">Ruling BJP in Karnataka on Saturday demanded an immediate apology from Congress MLA and spokesperson of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Priyank Kharge over his remark that young men have to bribe and young women have to sleep with someone to get government jobs in the state.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">“Thousands of women, talented, educated pass exams with struggle and get jobs. Mr Priyank Kharge, don’t you think you have insulted all those women with your words? Apologise immediately,” BJP Karnataka unit said in post on its social media handle.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">“There are secret CDs, tales on nightlife of so called Congress leaders. Mr Junior Kharge you will find it difficult to defend if the dual face of Congress leaders who pose to society as good leaders is exposed,” the BJP said.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">“A helpless woman was sexually assaulted by Minister Meti during the tenure of Congress government. What about ‘Digvijay’ and ‘Abhishek’ CDs that came out during the tenure of UPA government,?” the BJP’s post said.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">The BJP claimed that Priyank Kharge, son of Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge, “does not know that his house is not in order”.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">“When he (Priyank) is levelling allegations on BJP, the corruption scandal of Jayamala, former minister in Congress government has come out in the state,” the BJP said.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">Attacking the ruling BJP in Karnataka at a press conference on Friday, Priyank Kharge had said that the state government’s achievement in creating employment in the state for the last three years is zero. The BJP is not filling the vacant posts, he alleged.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">“To get government jobs, the young women will have to go to bed and men will have to bribe in Karnataka.” He demanded a probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into recruitment scams and Fast Track Courts (FTC) have to be set up,” Priyank Kharge had said.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">“A minister had asked a young woman to sleep with him to get a government job and later resigned when the scandal broke out. It shows how the ruling BJP is functioning in the state,” Priyank Kharge had alleged.
<span style="color: rgb(34,34,34);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 15px;font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">He alleged that a deal has been done for a total of 600 posts and there is a scam to the tune of Rs 300 crore with posts of the Karnataka Power Transformation Corporation Limited (KPTCL). About 3 lakh candidates have applied for posts and the BJP is playing with their future, he had alleged.&nbsp;
—IANS

Ruling BJP in Karnataka on Saturday demanded an immediate apology from Congress MLA and spokesperson of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Priyank Kharge over his remark that young men have to bribe and young women have to sleep with someone to get government jobs in the state.

 K'taka BJP urges Cong MLA to apologise to women for 'job over bed' remark

Karnataka

Bengaluru: It is going to be a fight between aggressive Hindutva agenda and common minimum programme and development in the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka scheduled in less than eight months time.
The ruling BJP is trying to consolidate its position by pursuing an aggressive Hindutva plank, after giving forced rest to former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. 
This will be the first Assembly elections the saffron party will contest without the lead role of Yediyurappa in a long time.
The party is not bothered about the probable consequences as it is fully focusing on winning the elections on Hindutva and development planks, sources in the BJP said.
On the other hand, the opposition Congress is brimming with confidence. It is confident that the anti-incumbency factor and growing inflation will ensure a debacle for the saffron party in the upcoming elections.
The party leaders and workers, who were demoralised with infighting, are now charged after Opposition leader Siddaramaiah's recent birthday bash. 
Siddaramaiah and state Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar have proclaimed that they will bury the hatchet until the elections are over in the presence of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
While the Congress is banking on the anti-incumbency factor, an internal survey conducted by the BJP shows some worrying trends. 
The party is plugging its holes on a war-footing and the high command is monitoring the developments in Karnataka very closely, said party insiders.
After the Covid pandemic, the state hit the headlines for the hijab crisis, boycott calls of Muslims, murders of Hindu activists followed by revenge killings, and the textbook row. 
The Congress, on the other hand, staged massive agitations demanding the implementation of the Mekedatu project.  
Along with the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the JD(S) are also coming down heavily on the ruling BJP over Hindutva, urging people to support them for development.
Basavaraj Sulibhavi, an activist and political analyst, told IANS that there is a direct flight between communalism and secularism. It is also a confrontation of diversity and oneness.
"Diversity has been the nature of Karnataka. There is a political party which is trying to change the very nature of this land," he said.
The Congress can emerge victorious only if it puts up a united fight, he feels. 
"The Congress leaders, though appearing to be united at the outset, try to finish off the other side within the party. Earlier occasions have shown that Congress is defeated by Congress leaders," Sulibhavi said.
Congress MLA and former minister Priyank Kharge told IANS that people are going to reciprocate to the good things that the party is assuring them. 
"People are going to vote for the Congress to secure their future, to get employment, and to beat price rise," Kharge said.
"We have always expressed our stand to follow pluralism and fight for economic and political equality and Constitutional values. Karnataka is a progressive state, but the BJP is trying to turn it into a regressive state. 
"At a time when Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh want to follow the model of Karnataka, talks are doing the rounds about adopting the UP model here. We will not let the agenda of BJP succeed here," he said.
Tanveer Ahmad, national spokesperson of JD (S), told IANS, "Firstly, we need to understand that Hindutva or Hinduism is not the domain of just one party. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity - they all belong to the individual who follows them. 
"The religion which preaches 'Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu' cannot really be a hardliner. The line of projection by the BJP is indeed anti-Hindutva and anti-Hindu ideology. We are prepared to tell the people what they really need.
"Do they need murders such as the killings in Mangaluru? Do people want development to build the country or do they want divisive politics in the name of religion? Do they want a conducive environment for their children or do they want to make their children goons," Ahmad asked.
"H.D. Kumaraswamy is the single face for the post of CM from JD (S). Will the Yediyurappa faction allow present CM Basavaraj Bommai again for the post? Absolutely not.
"In the BJP, its national general secretary C.T. Ravi, higher education minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan -- all want to become the CM. In Congress, everyone is the CM face," Ahmad added.
Meanwhile, Arun Singh, the BJP's Karnataka in-charge, has said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is doing very good work, adding that under his leadership, the BJP is going to retain power by winning 150 seats in the state.&nbsp;
—IANS

It is going to be a fight between aggressive Hindutva agenda and common minimum programme and development in the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka scheduled in less than eight months time.

 BJP embraces aggressive Hindutva in K'taka, Cong banks on economic woes

Bengaluru: The Idgah Maidan row appeared to be escalating as the ruling BJP was all set to celebrate festivals at the controversial site located in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet. 
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday stated that festivals and national events will be lawfully held on the ground. Congress MLA and former Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan had earlier said the celebration of the Ganesh festival will not be allowed at the controversial site. 
National General Secretary and BJP MLA C.T. Ravi challenged Khan, saying, “Who is Zameer Ahmad Khan to give permission to celebrate a Hindu festival? The property is not owned by his father.”
“We will celebrate Ganesh festival with all fervor. No one can stop us… This is a Hindu nation and not an Arab country where we need permission to celebrate Hindu festivals,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the intelligence authorities have suggested that the celebration of any festival could lead to disturbance in the region. The report has been submitted in this regard, police sources stated.
Meanwhile, the police have filed an FIR against Bhaskaran, an activist of a Hindu organisation for stating that he would destroy the Idgah tower at the controversial site.
CM Bommai clarified that the Idgah Maidan belonged to the revenue department. When asked about Congress MLA Zameer’s statement, the Chief Minister maintained that “no matter what statement is given, law is important”.
The police have held peace meetings with the Muslim community leaders and requested them not to get provoked with social media posts. 
—IANS

The Idgah Maidan row appeared to be escalating as the ruling BJP was all set to celebrate festivals at the controversial site located in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet. 

 Idgah Maidan row: BJP all set to celebrate festivals, confrontation feared

Shivamogga (Karnataka): In connection with abetting the marriage of a minor girl in Karnataka's Shivamogga district, the police have booked her parents and the groom, as well as a priest, photographer and a cook.
The police said on Wednesday that the marriage of the girl studying in Class 12 had taken place on July 31 at the Balasubramaniyam temple in Santhekadur village. Following information of the incident, members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) conducted raids on August 1 during a ceremony called 'Beegara oota', a post-wedding feast.
Upon inquiring, the girl told the CWC members that she was a minor.
The authorities have lodged FIR against parents of the girl; Santhosh, the groom; his paternal uncle and aunt; the priest who conducted the marriage; a cook; two persons who printed the marriage invitation; and two photographers.
Tunganagar police in Shivamogga district have taken up the investigation.
The case had been registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 under Sections 9, 10 and 11.
According to the police, the girl was in love with Santhosh, her distant relatie.
She was caught red handed while speaking to him, after which the elders decided to get them married.&nbsp;
—IANS

In connection with abetting the marriage of a minor girl in Karnataka's Shivamogga district, the police have booked her parents and the groom, as well as a priest, photographer and a cook.

 Parents, priest booked in K'taka for minor girl's marriage

Bengaluru:&nbsp;The Karnataka police have arrested a man on charges of having unnatural sex with cows in Bengaluru, police said on Monday.Identified as Manjunath, the 34-year-old is a resident of Gejjalagere village near Maddur town in Mandya district. Chandra Layout Police arrested him on a complaint by his friend who caught him red-handed.According to police, the accused had developed the habit of having unnatural sex with cows for which he would travel to Bengaluru University Jnanabharathi campus from his village.He would take cows grazing in the fields of the campus to isolated places, bushes and indulge in the crime.Owing to his sadistic mindset, Manjunath’s family had disowned him. The jobless accused, then came to Bengaluru and stayed at his friend’s place.While staying with Shashikumar, who kept cows at home, the accused had cut off the tails of the cows and had unnatural sex. On getting suspicious, Shashikumar watched his movements and caught him red-handed.Later, the accused was dragged to the police station. The police have booked the accused under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and sent him to judicial custody.—IANS

The Karnataka police have arrested a man on charges of having unnatural sex with cows in Bengaluru, police said on Monday.