Karnataka CM urges young entrepreneurs to grow as big industrialists
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday called upon aspiring entrepreneurs to grow as big industrialists and invest in the state to give employment to a large number of people.
"We had organised the Global Investors' Meet in the past asking multinational companies to invest in Karnataka but today I am inviting the future industrialists to invest in Karnataka and give jobs to people," Bommai told students at the launch of 'Udyami Aagu, Udyoga Needu' ('Be an Entrepreneur, Become an Employer').
The programme aims at attracting professional youths and students to entrepreneurship and employment generation.
The programme was organised by The Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka at Bangalore Palace on Monday. About 6,000 students participated in the programme, the organisers said.
Bommai said Karnataka has more than 180 Research and Development Centres in various fields including information technology, biotechnology, engineering, electronics, aeronautics and space technology. Through these centres talent pool will come out, he added.
According to him, Bengaluru became the Silicon Valley of India because of the R&D centres set up by visionary people.
He asked the young entrepreneurs to invent new things. He also insisted upon making use of top institutes like Indian Institute of Science, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -- Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI) in Mysuru and the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore.
Speaking about entrepreneurship, Bommai cited the example of Medium and Large Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani and Minister for Small Scale Industries M T B Nagaraj.
The two ministers had started as small entrepreneurs and became big industrialists today, the Chief Minister said.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
