Siddaramaiah rejects allegations of his govt funding Cong for Bihar polls
Mangaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday rejected opposition BJP's allegation that the Congress government in the state was funding its party, in the upcoming Bihar polls.
Also, defending his government's decision making "prior permission" mandatory for private organisations to use public premises for their activities, the chief minister rejected that the move was only aimed at restricting RSS activities, and asserted that it was continuation of the decision taken by the earlier BJP regime.
He also clarified that the government's order mandating prior permission, does not mean that the permission has to be given, and that any such decision will depend on the law and order situation locally.
"We have not given even a 5 paise to any state election from Karnataka, we are not giving to Bihar also," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, in response to a question on BJP's allegations, he said, "They (BJP) were doing it, now they are accusing us of it."
He was reacting to BJP MPs B Y Raghavanedra and Jagadish Shettar's allegation that the Siddaramaiah-led government was involved in fundraising for the Congress party for the Bihar elections, a practice they claimed has led to increase in corruption in the state.
Bihar polls will be held over two phases on November 6 and 11. The votes will be counted on November 14.
"In 2013, the BJP government, when Jagadish Shettar was the CM, had issued an order through the education department, why did they do it? We have continued what they have done," he said.
To a question on BJP's circular not making any reference to any organisation such as RSS, Siddaramaiah said, "We too have not mentioned the name of any organisation (in our order). It is applicable to any organisation. We have not mentioned the RSS name."
The state government on Saturday had issued an order making "prior permission" mandatory for any private organisations, associations or a group of persons to use government property or premises for their activities.
While the government order does not specifically name RSS, the provisions of the order are said to be aimed at impacting the activities of the Hindu right wing organisation, including its route marches.
The order is based on a Cabinet decision on Thursday, prompted by Panchayat Raj and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge's letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a ban on RSS' activities in public places.
The Congress government is citing the 2013 circular by the education department, issued under the then BJP administration-led by Shettar, restricting the use of school premises and attached playgrounds for educational purposes only, to defend its order.
The circular was issued in response to a permission sought to organise a private event on the premises of the Fort High School at Chamarajpet in Bengaluru.
To a question on permission not being granted by authorities, despite seeking permissions as per the government order, the CM said, "the order says that prior permission has to be taken. There is nothing that the permission has to be given. It will depend upon the law and order situation."
Authorities in Chittapur, the home constituency of Minister Priyank Kharge, had denied permission for the RSS route march on Sunday, citing the possibility of disruption of peace and law and order.
The Tahsildar of Chittapur had cited that the Bhim Army organisation has also informed, through a letter, that they too will conduct a route march on the same route on October 19.
The Karnataka High Court on Sunday hearing RSS petition asked its representatives to file a fresh application seeking permission to hold its route march in Chittapur on November 2.
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Pak police registers case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on LeT co-founder
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Lahore (PTI): Pakistan's Punjab Police on Friday registered a case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder Amir Hamza, who suffered bullet injuries in the attack in Lahore.
On Thursday, two unidentified gunmen riding on a bike opened fire on the vehicle of the private TV channel 24NewsHD TV, owned by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, on Peco Road in Lahore near the TV channel's office.
In the attack, Hamza suffered bullet injuries.
"The FIR has been registered against unidentified gunmen, but it is sealed forthwith," a senior police officer told PTI.
He said the intelligence agencies have taken over this case from the police, and they are currently investigating the matter.
The channel's religious programme host Justice (retd.) Nazir Ahmed Ghazi and Hamza were in the vehicle when it was attacked. Hamza was shifted to a hospital for treatment.
Punjab police on Friday said that "upon receiving information about the incident, the SSP Operations immediately reached the scene and a high alert was imposed in the area. SSP Operations Tauqeer Naeem also met the affected individuals. Thankfully, all present in the vehicle remained safe during the firing."
It further said senior police officers of the Township and Chung, along with a heavy police contingent, were present at the scene.
"Police collected evidence from the site and initiated an investigation. Efforts to arrest the suspects are underway using CCTV footage and geo-fencing techniques. Search and sweep operations are being conducted at various locations, with scrutiny of suspicious individuals ongoing," police said.
It added that those involved in the incident will be traced and arrested soon.
The police sources said that Hamza has been shifted to his residence in Jauhar Town, Lahore, where police and agency personnel met him.
The leadership of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political front of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's banned Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD), including Hafiz Saeed's son Hafiz Talha Saeed, also called on him.
TV host retired Justice Ghazi, who remained unhurt in the attack, remained a legal counsel for Hafiz Saeed, they said.
The PMML has strongly condemned the attack on Hamza and demanded that those involved in the incident be arrested immediately.
Hamza is regarded as LeT's second most important leader after its chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail since 2019 after getting convicted for several years in terror financing cases.
Hamza has been designated as a terrorist by the US. In the past, he served as the head of LeT's "special campaigns" department.
In 2018, Hamza formed a fundraising group for the LeT following a ban on the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation by the Pakistani government.
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