Congress plans ‘Guarantee Samavesha’ in Karnataka to counter BJP’s “zero achievement” claims: Report
Bengaluru: While the BJP alleges that the Congress-led Karnataka government has made 'zero achievements' over the past two years, the ruling party is reportedly planning to launch a campaign called ‘Guarantee Samavesha’ to showcase the impact of its welfare schemes.
The Congress government plans to organise this event at the district level, inviting beneficiaries of its guarantee schemes, as reported by The New Indian Express on Wednesday.
Senior Congress leader and Chief Whip in the Upper House Saleem Ahmed stated that the party is planning large-scale events across districts to highlight their five guarantees. “CM Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief DK Shivakumar will finalise the dates along with the format of the event,’’ TNIE quoted Ahmed as saying.
He pointed out that the saffron party keeps accusing them of having no developmental achievements. “Through these events, we will tell them and the people about what guarantees have done for the poor,’’ he said.
Furthermore, Ahmed pointed to the Centre’s failure to release grants due to the state government. “We have two prominent ministers from Karnataka who are in PM Narendra Modi’s cabinet, Nirmala Sitharaman and Pralhad Joshi. What have they done for the state? We will speak about this in front of the people,’’ he asserted.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the Union government of treating Karnataka unfairly when it comes to sharing tax money and funds for central schemes.
Speaking at a public rally in Hosapete on Tuesday, which marked the completion of his government's two-year tenure, Siddaramaiah pointed out that Karnataka contributes approximately Rs 4.5 lakh crore annually in taxes but receives only Rs 65,000 crore in return.
“It means only Rs 14 for every Rs 100. Prime Minister Narendra Modi often talks of cooperative federalism. Is it cooperative federalism? This erodes the federal structure,” he said.
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Hamas alleges abuse, collective punishment at Rafah crossing, Gaza exit still remains restricted
Gaza: Hamas on Tuesday accused Israeli authorities of subjecting Palestinians returning to Gaza through the Rafah crossing to mistreatment, abuse and extortion, describing the alleged actions as collective punishment rather than routine border procedures.
In a statement, the Palestinian group claimed that testimonies from travellers pointed to practices such as the detention of women, blindfolding, prolonged interrogations, threats involving children and attempts to coerce individuals into collaboration. Hamas said these actions were intended to instil fear and discourage Palestinians from returning to their homes, and called on international human rights organisations to document the alleged violations, as reported by AL Jazeera.
The allegations come amid continued uncertainty over the functioning of the Rafah crossing, which reopened on Monday after nearly two years of closure. According to reports, around 135 Palestinians have reached the crossing seeking permission to travel abroad for urgent medical treatment, though only a small number have been allowed to exit so far.
On the first day of reopening, Israel permitted only five critically ill patients to cross into Egypt. On Tuesday, a limited number of additional patients were reportedly allowed to leave, while the return of Palestinians to Gaza has also remained slow and unclear.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has expressed concern over the lack of clarity surrounding the crossing’s operations. ICRC spokesperson Pat Griffiths said the uncertainty was compounding the suffering of Palestinians who have already endured prolonged trauma, noting that many expressed a desire to return to normal life despite understanding that recovery would take considerable time.
Journalists reporting from southern Gaza told Al Jazeera that families were anxiously waiting for relatives separated for years, with little information on who would be allowed to cross or return. Restrictions at the crossing, including limits on personal belongings and lengthy screening processes, have further added to delays.
