Four arrested in Bantwal murder case, further action will follow: Home minister G Parameshwara
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said that four people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 32-year-old muslim man in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district and further action will follow based on information gathered from them.
He said that the government has taken the killing very seriously and that it will not rest unless it suppresses such communal activities and murders.
The home minister also said that government order has been issued with regard to forming anti-communal force with immediate effect.
"Four people have been arrested after the murder, and based on their statements we have got some serious information, using which further investigation and action will follow," Parameshwara said.
Stating that the government has taken the incident in Dakshina Kannada district very seriously, he said, "we will take merciless action irrespective of whoever it is, because if such things keep happening every time, we cannot sit quietly with our eyes shut. We will make the law stricter without any mercy."
Speaking to reporters after meeting Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister Dineh Gundu Rao here, the home minister said, the region consisting Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga and other places with communal activities will be considered as "sensitive", and merciless action will be taken against those involved in such activities.
"We will not rest unless we suppress such communal activities and murders ."
Stating that the atmosphere got spoiled there, he further said, "If one side carries out murder, the other retaliates, such things repeat. If there is such a feeling of hate, how can the society survive, can anyone lead life? The government will not sit quietly as a mute spectator, we will stop it."
The victim Abdul Rahiman and his 29 year-old co-worker Kalandar Shafi were unloading gravel when two motorcycle-borne youth made a murderous assault on them with a sword on Tuesday.
While Rahiman succumbed to his injuries, Shafi is undergoing treatment.
Rahiman's murder comes close on the heels of Suhas Shetty's killing on May 1 in the communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district.
Parameshwara also said, a government order has been issued regarding formation of an anti-communal force that was announced earlier to deal with such incidents, with immediate effect.
"How to structure it, who will head it, what powers should be given --working out all those things took time, and we have finally issued an order. We planned to disband the anti-naxal force, half of that anti-naxal force has been converted into anti-communal force, all the necessary powers and amenities required will be provided to them," he said.
"They will begin in three districts--Shivamogga, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada-- with more focus," he added.
To a question whether attempts are on to instigate communal feelings in Dakshina Kannada, the Home Minister said, instructions have been given to also hold peace and community meetings, along with maintaining the law and order.
"Situation cannot be allowed to deteriorate in Dakshina Kannada like this, it is a district with good people, educated and intelligent people, it is a district with a lot of potential for development, so there is a need to focus more on the district. We have to put an end to such incidents there, with a hope that such things will end. We will put an end to it," he added.
Responding to a question, the Home Minister called for restraint among public representatives.
"If they instigate, how can things be stopped? As public representatives, we too should try to bring peace," he added.
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
