Demand for separate north Karnataka state: Confusion on tomorrow’s bandh
Bandh may fail
Bengaluru, August 01: As there are far and against voices for the demand of separate north Karnataka state, Karnataka bandh called on August 2 may be a failure and will become a chaos. Led by Separate State Action Committee, several swamijis and organizations have called for Karnataka bandh on August 2 demanding separate north Karnataka state to ensure its development. Meanwhile, hundreds of Kannada organizations, farmers organizations, students, youth organizations have declared that they would not support the separate state cause. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy already held discussions with the activists and promised of north Karnataka development. In spite of it, the Action Committee said that preparations were completed for observing bandh in 13 districts in north Karnataka.
More than 25 organisations have extended their support to the bundh. They said that they would observe the bandh whether others support it or not. Action Committee president Somashekar Kotambari said that those who oppose the bundh would not require the development of north Karnataka. There is no doubt that the success of the bandh. People should not lend their ears for such rumours, he appealed.
In a sudden development, it is reported that the support extended in Bidar, Koppal, Belagavi, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Ballary, Gadag, Bidar, Raichur and Kalaburgi districts in north Karnataka was withdrawn. However, it was decided to stage protest instead of bandh in Haveri and Hubballi-Dharwad, it is said.
‘Don’t divide’
“No one should try to divide the state. We are all should live together like brothers. If there are problems, let us solve them together and move forward. United Karnataka should be there always. But I am not matured enough to advise those who demand for separate state”.
- Shivaraj Kumar, actor
No use from separate state
“Those who fight for a separate state do not know the history of the united Karnataka. They should fight for the development of north Karnataka. There would be no use from the separate state”.
- Priyanka Kharge, Social Welfare Minister
No interference
“Swamijis have taken the separate state issue which is not fair. They have been interfering in politics just to increase funds for their mutts. They have forgotten the religion and interfering in politics which is not a good development”.
- SK Bellubbi, former minister
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
