BJP govt not to pursue Congress proposal on separate state flag for Karnataka
Bengaluru, Aug 29: The new BJP government in Karnataka indicated on Thursday it would not pursue with the Centre, the previous Congress government's proposal for a separate state flag that was pending before it.
The government is also mulling over celebrating birth anniversary of prominent personalities in a "different way", as the present practice depicts them only as "community icons".
"Already it is clear in the flag code that- one flag for the country, having a cultural flag is different, having a constitutional flag is different.
Tricolor is the only constitutional flag. There was no opposition for having cultural flag, but constitutionally there is only one flag for the country and that is tricolor flag," Minister for Kannada and Culture C T Ravi said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters, after holding meeting with officials on assuming office, he said, "... we can have Kannada flag as cultural flag, constitutionally there is no such provision for state flag according to flag code."
Asked whether the state government would not pursue the proposal that was before the central government, he merely said, "the country is one and we only think about unity."
Flagging off the "Kannadiga pride" ahead of the assembly polls, the then Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah in March 2018 had unveiled the proposed official state flag for Karnataka, and had sent it to central government for approval.
Siddaramaiah government had requested the Centre to include the Karnataka flag in the schedule of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1950.
The 'Naada Dwaja' (state's flag) in hues of yellow, white and red, had the state's emblem 'Gandaberunda' or the two-headed mythological bird, at its centre.
A committee formed by the then government had recommended the separate flag for Karnataka, discounting any constitutional or legal hurdles for it.
However, in May 2018 following Siddaramaiah demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approve the state flag, a Home Ministry official had said the Karnataka government's proposal to approve an official flag for the state was put on hold as the election code of conduct came into force for upcoming Assembly polls.
The issue had gone to the back burner as Congress lost in the assembly polls.
Ravi also said, the government was mulling over celebrating birth anniversary of prominent personalities differently.
"I'm told that the department celebrates jayanti's (birth anniversary) of 25 prominent personalities and most of the department's efforts are utilised for celebrating these jayanti's.
While a few jayanti's are with public participation, the others are like government sponsored symbolic programme without any public participation," he said.
With regard to celebration of these jayanti's there is plan to consult political leaders of all parties and leaders of various communities, he said," celebration of jayanti's is right, but there is need for a rethink about how it need to be celebrated."
Ravi said, instead of scrapping the celebration of jayanti's "we should discuss and decide on how different they can be celebrated or else the issue may get politicised".
"These jayanti's rather than becoming celebration among masses, were getting limited to certain communities or castes making those personalities as community specific icons, so they need to be celebrated in a different way that the messages of those personalities reach people irrespective of the community they belong to," he added.
Soon after coming to power last month the BJP government had cancelled the annual birth anniversary celebrations of the controversial 18th century ruler of the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom, Tipu Sultan, being organised since 2015.
He said, instead of observing various district festivals in a symbolic way, it should be aimed at attracting tourist and people from other states.
"we have got suggestions regarding this, government will think about it."
Out of 278 sanctioned posts in Kannada and Culture department, 111 have been filled while 167 are still vacant, the Minister pointed out.
Noting that Karnataka has huge potential for tourism, Ravi said the government will concentrate in developing infrastructure, policy that will encourage private partnership in the sector, developing connectivity, creating hospitality, and also providing employment opportunities for locals in the sector.
To encourage and attract investment in the tourism sector, the government is thinking about coming out with a programme, he said, adding that the impetus will be given to encourage private partnership.
Pointing out that the department has incurred Rs 41 crore loss due to Golden Chariot (luxury train) project, he said it has been stopped for now.
Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and state-owned Jungle Lodges were in profit.
"If we manage things professionally, the department can be profitable and create more jobs, that's our aim."
As many as 319 spots have been identified for tourism promotion in the State, which has 40 tourism circuits.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
