BJP MP's son and independent MLA Sharath Bachegowda to join Congress
Bengaluru, Feb 18: Independent MLA Sharath Bachegowda on Thursday said he would join the Congress party sometime in February.
Amid speculation that he is joining the party on February 26, Sharath told PTI, "There is no date fixed as such but sometime in February I will join the legislative party of the Congress."
Sharath's entry to the Congress had been on the cards for quite some time but it is now that he has confirmed his next political move.
Sharath had rebelled against his party BJP and successfully contested the Hoskote assembly byelection in December 2019 defeating BJP's M T B Nagaraj.
Nagaraj, a BJP MLC and minister, was among the rebel Congress MLAs who had resigned from the assembly in 2019 bringing down the Congress-JDS coalition government. He joined the BJP later but was defeated in the bypolls.
There were accusations that Bache Gowda helped his son indirectly to win the election but he refuted the charges.
Sharath said he has not informed his father formally about his decision to join Congress.
"Since everything is in the public domain, I did not inform him yet. He must be aware of it," he added.
To a question whether Bache Gowda approved his decision, Sharath said he had to think of his political career.
According to BJP sources, Sharath had tried to make an entry into the BJP but Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and the state BJP leadership did not approve it as they were extremely upset with him for rebelling against the party and defeating their candidate.
The Congress' strength will go up to 68 from the existing 67 in the Karnataka Assembly when Sharath joins the party.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
NCW chief condemns rape-murder of 4-year-old girl in Pune, calls for swift action
New Delhi (PTI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has condemned the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Pune, calling it "deeply distressing" and a "blot on humanity".
The girl was allegedly raped and killed by a 65-year-old labourer, who has a criminal record, in Bhor tehsil of Pune on Friday. The accused allegedly lured the child to a cattle enclosure on the pretext of giving her food. After raping her, he killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to police.
The accused has been arrested.
In a post on X on Saturday, Rahatkar said the incident in the Nasrapur area in Pune was heartbreaking and has shaken society.
"The brutal torture and murder of a four-year-old innocent girl in Nasrapur (Bhor, Pune) is deeply painful, heartbreaking, and shocking. It is a blot on humanity," she said.
She said Pune Rural police has arrested the accused and noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar have assured strict action in the case.
Rahatkar said the NCW has taken cognisance of the matter and written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), requesting the body to ensure necessary and prompt action.
It has also been recommended that the case be pursued under stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and be closely monitored from the filing of the chargesheet to proceedings in a fast-track special court to ensure time-bound justice, she added.
Ensuring justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused is a collective responsibility, the NCW chairperson underlined.
In a post on X, the NCW said it has taken suo motu cognisance of the extremely "heinous" incident.
"This heinous crime causes profound pain and outrage, and it highlights serious concerns regarding the safety of young girls," it said.
Strongly condemning this grave "inhuman act", the NCW said such crimes constitute a serious violation of children's rights and raise questions about society's security system.
