Prohibitory orders in Mangaluru following back-to-back murders
Mangaluru(PTI): Prohibitory orders have been clamped in the city following back-to-back murders of two people belonging to different communities in the last couple of days.
Security has been beefed up in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts in view of the tense situation, police said on Friday. Schools and colleges in Suratkal, Bajpe, Mulki and Pannambur police station limits will remain closed today.
While BJP Yuva Morcha activist Praveen Nettar was hacked to death on Tuesday night, Mohammed Fazil was murdered by four unknown assailants on Thursday night.
Two residents of Bellare have been arrested in connection with Nettar's murder, investigation is on to nab the assailants of Fazil.
Meanwhile, a large number of people took part in the funeral procession of Fazil here today. The prohibitory orders have been imposed from Thursday night till July 30 morning, Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said.
All liquor shops will remain shut and 19 check posts have been set up including the Karnataka-Kerala border, where all the vehicles will be searched, the official said.
He added that no one will be allowed to roam in the city beyond 10 pm.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gnanendra in a statement condemned the killing of Fazil and said the perpetrators will be brought to book. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai met Nettar's family members in Mangaluru on Thursday evening and offered their condolences.
The communally sensitive coastal district is tense following the murders in the past few days.
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Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
