Case filed against MLA, Corporator and others regarding St Gerosa Incident
Mangaluru : A case has been filed at the Pandeshwar police station here against MLAs of Mangalore South and North Vidhan Sabha constituencies, two corporators, and several others regarding the incident at St Gerosa School in the city.
The case is regarding the unrest created by Sangh Parivar members along with parents of students of St Gerosa School where a teacher has been accused of insulting Hinduism and Lord Ram.
According to reports, on February 12, MLAs Vedavyasa Kamath and Bharat Shetty gathered in front of the school, allegedly attempting to incite students, parents, and the public against the school.
The case names MLAs Vedavyasa Kamath and Bharat Shetty, corporators Sandeep Garodi and Bharat Kumar, Sangh Parivar's Sharan Pumpwell, and others as accused.
The preliminary report states that the accused organised an illegal protest near the school, unlawfully gathered in front of the school chanting slogans like "Jai Shriram," spoke against Christianity, encouraged students to disobey the school management board's rules, and incited a riot between Hindus and Christians.
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Maharashtra government considers tweaks to Ladki Bahin scheme amid fiscal strain: Reports
Mumbai: A day after the Mahayuti coalition secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, attention has turned to the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme that played a pivotal role in attracting women voters.
The scheme, launched in July 2024, offers ₹1,500 per month to economically disadvantaged women aged 18 to 65. The Mahayuti, in its election manifesto, pledged to increase the amount to ₹2,100 per month, a promise now under scrutiny due to fiscal concerns. With the scheme projected to cost the exchequer ₹33,300 crore from July 2024 to March 2025, bureaucrats are exploring ways to revise its provisions to prevent a financial imbalance.
Finance Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar hinted at the challenges, stressing the need for "financial discipline." A senior bureaucrat confirmed that plans are underway to prune the list of beneficiaries, citing the inclusion of ineligible individuals due to incomplete Aadhaar seeding and lack of required ration cards. According to the finance department, nearly one crore women out of the 2.43 crore registered beneficiaries may not qualify for the scheme.
The state’s debt burden is already projected to reach ₹7.82 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Officials warn that continuing the scheme in its current form could impact the government’s ability to pay salaries by January. Despite these concerns, the ruling coalition is hesitant to reduce the beneficiary list, likely due to the upcoming civic elections.
Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik is expected to present renegotiation proposals to the new chief minister soon. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde credited the scheme for increasing the number of women voters and boosting the coalition’s vote share. NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar also acknowledged the scheme’s role in mobilising women voters.
Other welfare measures introduced by the government include an electricity bill waiver for farmers and three free LPG cylinders annually for six million households. However, the financial viability of such initiatives remains a pressing concern.
