Karnataka to launch guided tours inside majestic Vidhana Soudha
Bengaluru: The Karnataka state government has announced plans to open the doors of the Vidhana Soudha, one of Bengaluru’s most iconic landmarks, to the public through guided tours. Expected to begin soon, these tours will allow visitors to explore the historic 70-year-old structure, much like the guided tours at Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament in New Delhi.
This new initiative follows the state's recent decision to illuminate the majestic Vidhana Soudha on Sundays and public holidays to attract more tourists. “The government wants them to see the Soudha from inside and know the history and significance of the building,” government sources were quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.
The Tourism Department had sought approval from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) to conduct the tours, which was subsequently granted. According to the order, the tours will be available between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays, second Saturdays, and other government holidays to avoid disrupting government operations.
A digital system for online ticket booking will also be developed by the Tourism Department, the report added. While the exact fare for the tour has not yet been finalised, it is expected to be reasonably priced for the public.
Each tour will be limited to 30 members, and the department will appoint a dedicated tourist officer to oversee the entire process. The visitors should mandatorily have a government ID proof like Aadhaar Card or Voter’s ID to enter the premises. Details of all visitors will need to be submitted to DPAR and security officials daily to ensure proper monitoring.
Additionally, necessary safety measures, including the deployment of an ambulance, fire extinguishers, and other precautions, will be put in place. The use of flying drones will be strictly prohibited.
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Let me stay here, I’m India’s daughter-in-law now: Seema Haider
Noida (UP), Apr 26 (PTI): “I was Pakistan’s daughter, but now I’m India’s daughter-in-law,” says Seema Haider as she fears deportation after the government suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals as part of a series of retaliatory steps following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Haider made headlines in 2023 when she left Pakistan to marry her Indian lover, Sachin Meena. She was already married back home in Sindh province but had illegally entered India via Nepal along with her four children.
In a video being shared on social media platforms, Seema says, "I do not want to go to Pakistan. I appeal to PM (Narendra) Modi and UP CM Yogi (Adityanath) to let me stay in India".
Haider claims that she adopted Hinduism after marrying Meena.
Despite the countrywide backlash, her lawyer is hopeful that she will be allowed to live in India, as, he claimed, she was no longer a Pakistani citizen.
"Seema is no longer a Pakistani national. She married Sachin Meena, a resident of Greater Noida, and recently gave birth to their daughter, Bharti Meena. Her citizenship is now connected with her Indian husband, and therefore the Centre's directive should not apply to her," Advocate AP Singh told PTI on Thursday.
“I appeal to Modi ji and Yogi ji that I am in their refuge now. I was Pakistan’s daughter but now I’m the daughter-in-law of India. Let me stay here," Haider said in the video.
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took a series of retaliatory steps, including suspension of visa services for Pakistani nationals, on Wednesday.
The Ministry of External Affairs also announced that all valid visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be cancelled effective April 27. Medical visas will remain valid only until April 29. All Pakistani nationals currently in India have been instructed to leave the country before their visa expires.
Haider left her home in Karachi in May, 2023 and came to India. In July, Indian authorities caught her living with Meena in Rabupura area of Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddha Nagar district. The two reportedly came in contact while playing online games in 2019.
At present, the couple lives in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida.
🗣️"I am India's Daughter-in-law now. I request CM Yogi & PM Modi to allow me to live in India"
— The Analyzer (News Updates🗞️) (@Indian_Analyzer) April 26, 2025
~ Seema Haider hails from Pakistan. She crossed the border to marry his PUBG Love partner Sachin.
Modi Govt has set April 27 DEADLINE for all Pakistanis to Leave the country. pic.twitter.com/7UOMDES6ZD
