DK Shivakumar reacts to BJP's 'Kanakapura Chalo' campaign
Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Minister, DK Shivakumar on Monday asserted that he will not react to anything from the BJP in the wake of “Kanakapura Chalo” campaign planned by the BJP to protest construction of world’s largest statue of Jesus Christ in at Kanakapura.
“The BJP has the power. Let them do whatever they want to do. I will not react to them” Shivakumar told media persons in the city on Monday.
Taking a dig at RSS leader of Coastal Karnataka, Kalladka Prabhakar, Shivakumar said “Who is Kalladka Prabhakar? I don’t know him. I believe in humanity, it is the greatest religion”.
“In a democratic country along with the ruling party, there should be a strong opposition too. There should also be pro-opposition group. Whoever wants to come to Kanakapura, can come there. It is not my duty or intention to stop anybody from coming to Kanakpura for the protest” Shivakumar said.
He further added that he has instructed the party activists to remain mute spectators to whatever the protesters say or do and not react to them. “They have power, let them do whatever they want to do” he added.
Speaking of the construction of the Jesus Christ statue Shivakumar said "Christian community surrendered their five acre of land for construction of site when I was the minister. In the name of development they surrendered the land without giving it a second thought when me and K J George approached them. This is our gesture to pay them back for what they have been doing for the development of this state".
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
