BJP Protests force cancellation of Karnataka govt seminar titled 'Conversations of the Constitution'
Bengaluru, Jan 22: Protests by BJP and some pro-Kannada organisations, citing the three-day mourning announced for the death of Siddaganga Mutt head Shivakumara Swamiji, forced the cancellation of a Karnataka government seminar on Tuesday.
The seminar titled 'Conversations of the Constitution', which was organised by the state social welfare department and a television channel, was called off after the first session, Karnataka Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge said.
Former vice president Hamid Ansari, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, BJP MP Rakesh Sinha, retired Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde, student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, social activist Medha Patkar, film actor Prakash Raj and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi were among the prominent speakers.
A highly revered seer known for his stellar contributions in the field of education and social service, Shivakumara Swamiji died at 111 on Monday.
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had announced one-day government holiday on Tuesday and a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect for the Siddaganga Mutt head.
"The state government is organising this event in the name of Constitution when it has declared three-day mourning. It should have cancelled the event," Karnataka BJP spokesperson Go Madhusudan told reporters outside a hotel where the seminar was organised.
The BJP leader said he had spoken to Kharge, asking him to call off the event as it was unfair, but the government remained adamant.
Madhusudan claimed he had been invited to the event by one of the organisers, but he chose to boycott it.
"Shamelessness of @INCKarnataka reaches new heights.While State is mourning the loss of Sri Shivakumara Swamiji, Congress Minister @PriyankKharge has organised a luxury event inviting Tukde gang head Kanhaiya & Owaisi to speak on democracy. May God do well to you," BJP's Karnataka unit said in a tweet.
In a statement released here, BJP SC Morcha national general secretary Chi Na Ramu and state general secretary Ravi Kumar also slammed the state government for holding the event.
The statement said organising an event like 'Conversations of the Constitution' by inviting Owaisi was "laughable".
When Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress pointed out that Sinha, BJP Rajya Sabha member, was also a panelist, he clarified that he had withdrawn from the event.
"I withdrew from the event, didn't join opening session...I openly insisted the programme should be cancelled as a mark of respect to Swamiji. Don't disguise your discourtesy using my name," Sinha said in a tweet.
Kharge said the decision to cancel the seminar was taken because it had hurt the sentiments of a section of people.
The social welfare minister told reporters that there was no direction to stop all government work.
"Mourning means doing some good work that can give peace to the departed soul. There are clear directions that no entertainment programmes are organised. The apolitical programme was based on a serious topic of the Constitution," he said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
