1. Gujarat Effect: Local Issues, Not GST Woes, to Drive K’taka Polls
After a hard-fought campaign, the Gujarat verdict is out. Now all eyes are on Karnataka, the last standing bastion of Indian National Congress.
Though victorious, BJP getting less than 100 votes has given the Congress party a morale boost in Karnataka. The drop in the figures, Congress says, stands testimony to the fact that the Modi regime is not invincible. However, for the BJP, the Gujarat elections are reassurance that Modi can make do with his last-minute appearances.
On the strategy front, the effects of issues such as GST and demonetisation and the influence of Patidar movements have been watched closely by Karnataka’s politicians. By the end of the day, the consensus is that Karnataka elections will be fought on local issues more than national ones.
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2. Sunny Leone Event Organiser Moves HC for Permission
Three days after the Karnataka government denied permission to Bollywood actor Sunny Leone to perform at a New Year's Eve show in Bengaluru, the event organiser on Monday moved the Karnataka High Court seeking a direction to authorities to give permission for it. The petition may come up before a vacation bench.
The petitioner, The Time Creations, organisers of 'Sunny Night in Bengaluru', claimed that due to pendency of police permission, it's unable to forward requests and submit necessary clearances of other authorities such as BBMP, fire department, KSPCB, traffic and police.
(Source: Times of India)
3. Professors to Boycott the Evaluation Process
Professors in government and private aided first-grade colleges which come under Department of Collegiate Education have received the same old shocker.
The department’s joint director has issued a circular to professors who have got the University Grants Commission (UGC) 6th commission pay in the year 2006 to return their Dearness Allowances (DA).
The reason, according to the government, is that the state government had paid their arrears as a hike in the salary and they now want the money back. As a result, professors are going to boycott the degree examinations evaluation.
(Source: Bangalore Mirror)
4. Six Bangladeshis Get Aadhaar Through Tout, Govt Doc
Six Bangladeshis are among eight people arrested on Sunday for securing Aadhaar cards by forging papers.
Rubiulla (23), Riyad Khan (25), Mohammed Khokon (20), Ohidulla (29), Mohammed Kalam (34), Robin Althar (23) and Zakir Hussain (28) – all from Murel Ganj Thana, Bangladesh – are said to have illegally entered India by crossing rivers a few years ago. They travelled from Kolkata to Bengaluru by train and settled in labour colonies in Iblur and Marathahalli. They landed housekeeping jobs in IT firms near Whitefield, a senior police officer.
They took the help of Saifullah, a tout from NS Palya, BTM Layout, to get Aadhaar cards. Saifullah got Dr Lokesh, who works at a primary health centre in Bommasandra, to attest documents for the Bangladeshis. He managed to secure Aadhaar cards for all the six men and charged them Rs 500 apiece.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
5. BBMP to Replace 4.85 Lakh Street Lights Without Spending a Paisa
If all goes according to plan, by 2019 all streets in Bengaluru will be brightly lit up with LED lights, which will be replacing the power-consuming sodium vapour lamps. And guess what, while reducing power consumption and thereby the power bill by more than half of its present level, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) would be investing nothing on the project.
The private company that will bag the contract will have to invest and replace around 4.85 lakh sodium vapour street lights, but will recoup their investment over the next 10 years, taking a majority share (75%) of the amount of power dues that is saved. BBMP will benefit from a reduced power bill (the remaining 25%).
Every month, the BBMP pays ₹12 crore for street lights. What will be the power bill with LED lights? Around ₹6 crore.
(Source: The Hindu)
6. Man Driving Lorry Runs Over Mother, Kills Her
A 45-year-old woman has died under mysterious circumstances after coming under the wheels of a six-wheel lorry that was reportedly being driven by her son. Police have booked a case of murder against her son.
The incident happened at Kempammathimmanahalli village in Vishwanthapura police station limits on Monday afternoon. The victim, Jayashree, was a resident of Yeshwanthpura. Her son, who is suspected to have killed her, has been identified as Arun, 22. After the death of the woman, Arun is said to have fled from the spot.
“The victim is a widow. Her husband had married twice. Jayashree had left her two children with her husband’s second wife about 15 years back. On Monday, she had come for a pooja and is said to have had some altercation with the family members. Her son, who started the lorry, ran over his mother while reversing, killing her on the spot. Since there was an altercation before the death, we suspect that there could be some motive behind the killing. A case of murder under section 302 of the IPC has been registered against the victim’s son,” Superintendent of Police (Bengaluru Rural) Amit Singh told BM.
(Source: Bangalore Mirror)
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