Action against Darshan after discussion with artists' union, says Karnataka Film Chamber
Bengaluru, Jun 12: Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) President N M Suresh on Wednesday said that a decision regarding taking action against Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who has been arrested in connection with a murder case, will be taken after discussion with the artists' union.
He indicated that action will most likely be taken only after the police file a charge-sheet in the case.
Suresh was responding to members of some pro-Kannada organisations, who met him, demanding that KFCC take strong action against Darshan.
They demanded that Darshan's movies should not be released and he should be boycotted, as they also questioned the film industry and federation for their "silence" on the issue.
Darshan, popularly known as "Challenging Star", and 12 of his close associates were arrested on Tuesday for the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor.
ALSO READ: Actor Darshan arrest: Chilling details of murder over lewd messages emerge
Renukaswamy, a resident of district headquarters town of Chitradurga, allegedly commented on the social media account of Pavithra Gowda, a close friend of Darshan and small-time actress, accusing her of creating a rift between the actor and his wife. He also allegedly used "indecent language" and posted offensive messages, according to police sources.
"First of all I express my condolences to the family of Renukaswamy...we too share their grief. It is our duty to respond to the demand placed. Please don't say that the Film Chamber of Commerce is inactive, I don't agree with it," Suresh told reporters.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner (B Dayananda) has said that they will do a detailed probe in the case in accordance with law and bring the truth out, he said. "We too are saying that the guilty should be punished mercilessly as per law."
"We too have got certain complaints, but there is a 'Kalavidara Sangha' (artistes' union) for it. The Film Chamber of Commerce is for producers, distributors and exhibitors, but still we have tried to respond. We have spoken to the 'Kalavidara Sangha', we are trying to hold a discussion with artists. We cannot decide unilaterally. I will call a meeting to discuss. Until the police investigation is over and they file a charge-sheet the accused (culprits) will not be known, once that's done, we will take necessary action. We too have responsibility," he added.
Sa. Ra. Govindu, film producer and former President of KFCC, condemned the murder and said one should stand with the parents of Renukaswamy in their grief.
He said such incidents cause disrepute to the film industry. "Let the guilty be punished. No one is above law."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
