BJP accuses CM Siddaramaiah of 'misleading' public on govt job figures
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday lashed out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing him of "misleading" the public on government recruitment figures and "failing" to address the concerns of unemployed youth in the state.
In a detailed post on his X handle, Vijayendra alleged that the Congress-led government was attempting to deflect accountability by blaming the previous BJP administration instead of initiating concrete steps to fill vacant posts.
“Chief Minister, please refrain from misleading the people. Do not attempt to shift the blame for all your shortcomings onto the BJP and evade responsibility. Your administration has earned a reputation for arrogance, corruption and mismanagement,” Vijayendra said, adding that students and youth were not naïve enough to be swayed by what he termed as "exaggerated claims".
Vijayendra's response came following Siddaramaiah's statement on Tuesday blaming BJP for the huge backlog of government job vacancies.
The CM had said that when Congress assumed office in 2023, over 2.64 lakh government posts were vacant.
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The backlog resulted from prolonged inaction under the previous BJP government, which failed to initiate timely recruitment or create a structured roadmap, he said.
As thousands of government job aspirants staged a massive protests in Dharwad on Tuesday demanding filling the vacant posts immediately, Siddaramaiah accused BJP leaders of "misleading students for political gains" and said recruitment irregularities and alleged corruption between 2019 and 2023 had eroded trust in the system, leading to the current crisis.
Questioning the government’s public statements on employment generation, Vijayendra referred to figures tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
“According to the official figures presented by your own government in the Legislative Assembly, only 8,157 government recruitments have been completed during your three years in office. Yet publicly claiming that 40,000 posts have been filled raises serious concerns. Does this not amount to misleading the unemployed youth of the state?” the Shikaripura MLA asked.
The BJP leader also raised the issue of large-scale vacancies in government departments, claiming that lakhs of posts remained unfilled even after the Congress came to power.
According to him, the state was struggling financially and questioned the delay in initiating fresh recruitment drives despite what he described as legal clarity on proceeding under the existing reservation framework.
Vijayendra further criticised the government for prioritising the accommodation of party workers and disgruntled MLAs in state-run corporations with ministerial rank and perks, while unemployed youth continued to wait for job opportunities.
“At the very least, please stop making claims that do not align with facts. Youth unrest in the state is mounting. Before matters escalate further, act with sincerity — or consider stepping down and seeking the people’s forgiveness,” the BJP state chief said.
Noting that frustration among students and job aspirants was intensifying, Vijayendra urged the CM to immediately expedite pending recruitment processes and ensure transparency in appointments.
He warned that the government would be held accountable for any fallout arising out of growing youth discontent.
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Karnataka Union of Working Journalists' (KUWJ) announces 2024 annual awards
VB scribes Yogesh Malur, Abdul Rahiman Talapady among awardees
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has announced its annual awards for the year 2024, recognising journalists across various categories.
Vartha Bharati journalists Yogesh Mallur and Abdul Rahiman Talapady are among the awardees. Yogesh Mallur has been selected for the G. Narayanaswamy Award for Best Rural Reporting, while Abdul Rahiman Talapady has been honoured under the Tagadoor Kamalamma Veeregowda Award for reporting on farmers’ livelihoods and distress.
The awards will be presented at the 40th State Journalists’ Conference to be held in Bidar on April 11 and 12, KUWJ state president Shivanand Tagadur and general secretary G.C. Lokesh said in a release.
Details of the awards:
1. G. Narayanaswamy Award (Best Rural Report)
Yogesh Mallur, Vartha Bharati, Bengaluru
K.A. Ismail, Shakti, Kodagu
2. Patel Bhairahanumayya Award (Best Humanitarian Report)
Mallaiah Polampally, Kannada Prabha, Shahpur, Yadgir
Ravikumar Kaggannavara, Kannamma, Dharwad
3. Giridhar Award (Best Crime Report)
Basavaraja Kattimani, Kannada Prabha, Hunasagi, Yadgiri
P.K. Ravikumar, Vijayavani, Mysuru
4. B.S. Venkataram Award (Best Scoop Report)
Odesh Sakleshpur, Prajavani, Ramanagara
Mahesh Munnayyanvara Math, Prajavani, Mahalingapur, Bagalkot
5. K.A. Nettakalappa Award (Best Sports Report)
Narayanarao Deshpande, Samyukta Karnataka, Hubballi
Prasad Shettigar, Vijayavani, Bengaluru
6. Khadri Shamanna Award (Best Political Criticism)
Dayashankar Maili, Sudi Mula, Mysuru
Shankar Pagoji, Udayakala
7. Mangala M.C. Varghese Award (Weekly Newspaper Article)
M.G. Nayak, Sudha (Prajavani), Kumta, Uttara Kannada
Venkatesh S. Sampa, Editor, Sampada Saalu
8. Tagadoor Kamalamma Veeregowda Award (Farmers’ Life and Suffering)
Jayaramu, Samyukta Karnataka, Channarayapatna
Abdul Rahiman Talapady, Vartha Bharati, Mangaluru
Indira, Hospet Times, Hospet
9. R.L. Vasudevarao Award (Forest Report)
P. Paramesh, Sudi Mula, Manvi, Raichur
Koushalya D. Falanakar, Gumbaz Express, Vijayapura
10. R.L. Vasudevarao Award (Wildlife Report)
Nagaraj Navimane, Vijaya Karnataka, Mysuru
M. Narasimha Murthy, Kannada Prabha, Bengaluru South
11. B.G. Thimmappaiah Award (Economically Weaker Section Report)
12.
Rajesh Shetty Dota, Vijayavani, Mangaluru
Sharat Kumar S., Udayavani, Shivamogga
12. Mandibele Shamanna Memorial Award (Rural People’s Life Report)
Shankar Katte Malalawadi, Janamitra, Hunsur
Shivaraj Sunkada, Mudgal, Lingasugur, Raichur
Prashant Pade, Udayavani, Kundapura, Udupi
13. Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Memorial Award (Bengaluru Urban and Rural)
H.P. Praveen
Prashanth Rippanpet
V.S. Honnachar, Leaders Weekly
Zukriya, Times of Karnataka
14. Yajaman T. Narayanappa Memorial Award (Best Agricultural Report at District Level)
Venkatesh Gudeppanavara, Vijayavani, Mudhol, Bagalkot
Manjunath N., Bellary, Kavithal, Raichur
15. Nadigera Krishna Raya Award
Sathish Babu, Udayavani, Bengaluru
A. Akshara, Senior Journalist
16. Sunnuvanda Srinivas Changappa Award (Report on Soldiers)
A. Appaji Gowda, Mulbagal, Kolar
17. K.N. Subramanya Award (English Newspaper Report)
Apyan Yasmin, The Hindu
Vikar Ahmed, Frontline, Bengaluru
18. T.K. Malagonda Award (Investigative Report)
Sivananda Hiremath, Vijayavani, Gadag
Tiptur Krishna, Adityavani, Tiptur
19. Actor-Director Dwarakish Memorial Award (Film Category)
S. Jagadish Kumar, Cine Suddi
20. Abhimani Prakashan Award
Mahesh Hegde, Samyukta Karnataka, Sagar, Shivamogga
Ravindra Talagade, Vijaya Karnataka, Ballari
21. Best Page Designers
Sandesh, Pratinidhi, Mysuru
22. Best Desk Management
Vijayakumar, Vijayavani
23. Newsreel (Report with Photograph)
K.V. Balaram, Kikkeri, Mandya
M.R. Manjunath, Senior Photographer
24. Photography / Cameramen
Ganesh, Vijaya Karnataka
Babu Mia, Kalaburagi
25. Ganesh G. Award
M.P. Arun Kumar, City Highlights, Shivamogga
Mahantesh, Andolana, Mysuru
26. K. Prahladrao (Mandya) Award
K.S. Janardhanachari, E Sanje
Ramesh K., Kannada Prabha, Bangarapet, Kolar
K.V. Nagaraj, Prajavani, N.R. Pura, Chikkamagaluru
27. Garudanagiri Nagaraj Award
B. Shivarudrappa, Kannada Prabha, Holalkere, Chitradurga
Ramesh Kumar Naik, Vishwavani
Ramakrishna, Samyukta Karnataka, Mangaluru
28. Gurulingaswamy Holimath Award
Devaraja Kappasogi, Kannada Prabha, Chamarajanagar
Navyajyoti, Hosa Diganta
29. Prajapragati Award
Rabindra Talagade, Vijaya Karnataka, Ballari
Brahmananda Hadagali, Kannada Prabha, Belagavi
30. B.A. Nandikolumath Award
H.K. Nataraj, Udayavani, Davanagere
Ramachandraiah, Kunigal, Samajvani, Tumakur
Electronic Media (TV) Section:
Best Political Analysis
Prashanth Natu, Suvarna TV
Pramod, TV9
Best Anchor
Arun C. Badiger, Public TV
Kiran Kumar D.K.
Development / Social / Humanitarian Report
P.D. Veeranna, Chandana TV, Tumakuru
Thimme Gowda, News18, Bengaluru
Maruti Pavagada, Guarantee News
Raju B.R., News 1st, Koppal
Vithala Caravada, Republic Kannada, Davanagere
Mohanakrishna, Akashvani / Doordarshan, Hassan
KUWJ Special Awards:
Vijaya Biradar, Jamkhandi
Sridhara Uchila, Mumbai
Srikanth, Kasaragod
Sanjeevarao Kulkarni
