MRPL observes 70th Kannada Rajyotsava with cultural programmes
Mangaluru: Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) observed the 70th Kannada Rajyotsava on 22 November 2025 at MERC in the MRPL Township with a series of cultural and formal programmes.
The event began with a procession of Goddess Bhuvaneswari, followed by traditional folk presentations including Dollu Kunitha, Veeragase, Huli Vesha and Gombe Kunitha. A brief stage programme opened with tributes to Captain Pranjal M V and Padma Shri awardee Salumarada Thimmakka.
Renowned academician and historian Dr. Pundikay Ganapayya Bhat attended the programme as Chief Guest. Senior officials present included Nanda Kumar V Pillai, Director (Refinery); Devendra Kumar, Director (Finance); and Krishna Hegde Miyar, GGM–HR, who presided over the function. Employees and their family members were also in attendance.
As part of the programme, MRPL felicitated five retired Kannada teachers for their contribution to the language and to cultural education. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Bhat spoke about the cultural relevance of Kannada and acknowledged MRPL’s efforts to support local linguistic heritage. In his presidential remarks, Krishna Hegde Miyar noted MRPL’s ongoing support to Government Kannada Medium Schools, including infrastructure improvements, provision of basic equipment and sanitation facilities, and said the company would continue these activities.
Prizes were distributed to winners of competitions held in connection with Rajyotsava. The programme concluded with a cultural performance by the Arehole team. B. Prashanth Baliga, CGM–Admin, welcomed the gathering, and Manoj Kumar A, CGM–HR, delivered the vote of thanks.
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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.
