Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday announced that 100 new police stations would be established in the state, while 10,000 police quarters would be constructed by 2025.

Siddaramaiah was speaking at the police remembrance day where he paid homage to 216 policemen who laid down their lives in line of their duty in the country including 12 in Karnataka.

"It is the government's duty to provide houses for policemen. We will build 10,000 residential quarters by 2025 for which Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated," the CM said.

He added that 100 new police stations will be built for which Rs 200 crore has been sanctioned.

The Chief Minister also announced opening seven new public schools and promised setting up more such institutions in the coming years.

Underscoring the importance of law and order to maintain peace in society, Siddaramaiah said peaceful society attracts investment, creates more job opportunities, increases per capita income and improves the economy.

To curb unlawful activities and for quick response in the event of accidents, 200 vehicles are patrolling Highways and 6,000 CCTV cameras are used for monitoring public spaces, he informed the gathering.

On the occasion, the CM assured the policemen that the state government will provide all the facilities to them to discharge their duties.

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New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.

Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."

"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.

Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.

"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.

He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.

"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.

Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.

"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."

Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.

"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.

"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".

Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.

"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.

He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.

"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.

Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.

Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".