Minister Ramalinga Reddy supports bus conductor assaulted for not speaking Marathi in Belagavi
Belagavi (Karnataka), Feb 24 (PTI): Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday expressed his support for bus conductor Mahadevappa Hukkeri, who was allegedly assaulted in Belagavi for not speaking Marathi to a passenger.
He stated that his department and the people of the state stand by Hukkeri.
The incident occurred in Balekundri here on Friday. According to the conductor Hukkeri, a minor girl boarded his bus along with a male friend and when he asked them to take ticket, her friend replied in Marathi. Upon informing them that he did not understand Marathi and asked them to respond in Kannada, the boy immediately called his friends and attacked him and the driver, Hukkeri told police.
Based on his complaint, five people have been arrested. The girl, who is a minor, also lodged a police complaint alleging that Hukkeri behaved with her indecently.
"There were 90 people in the bus. Everyone is saying that the POCSO case has been registered intentionally against the conductor. We are all with Mahadevappa including the local leaders, citizens, media and the people of the state,” Reddy told reporters after meeting the conductor in the hospital.
The Minister expressed dissatisfaction over the police action in the case. "After coming here (Belagavi) I came to know that at least 15 people were involved in the attack on Hukkeri but only five people have been arrested. The others should also be arrested. If we let them go scot-free then they will continue to indulge in such activities," Reddy said.
The attack on the bus conductor has once again reignited the decades-old border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka. There have been attacks on bus drivers and conductors of the state road transport corporations of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters in Tumakuru, state Home Minister G Parameshwara urged the Maharashtra government to take action against those involved in such incidents.
"Often disputes take place on linguistic basis in Belagavi at the Maharashtra border. We have to tread with care. This applies to both Maharashtra and Karnataka because we should not allow this to grow further," he said.
Parameshwara emphasised that Karnataka takes immediate police action in such cases and urged Maharashtra to do the same.
Karnataka Woman and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, who is from Belagavi, said the matter of POCSO case registered against the conductor was under investigation and truth would come out soon.
She, however, noted that there were 90 people travelling in the bus and everyone was witness to what had happened there. The Minister underlined the need to behave in a matured way. "Karnataka and Maharashtra are part of India. I saw people from Maharashtra attacking our buses and staff. This should stop. We should know who our enemies are and avoid fighting amongst ourselves."
The BJP state president BY Vijayendra said these incidents show the deteriorating law and order situation in both Karnataka and Maharashtra. "Kannadigas are not cowards. We too have the strength to do much more than what they do but it is not proper to conspire such activities for vested interest. Governments of both Karnataka and Maharashtra should bring this under control," he told reporters in Mysuru.
ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ರಸ್ತೆ ಸಾರಿಗೆ ನಿಗಮದ ಬಸ್ ನಿರ್ವಾಹಕನ ಮೇಲೆ ಹಲ್ಲೆ ಮಾಡಿದವರ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ದೂರು ದಾಖಲಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಬಂಧಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ.
— Ramalinga Reddy (@RLR_BTM) February 23, 2025
ನಮ್ಮ ನಾಡಿನ ನೆಲ, ಜಲ, ಭಾಷೆ ವಿಚಾರದ ವಿರುದ್ಧವಾಗಿ ಅನವಶ್ಯಕವಾಗಿ ಈ ರೀತಿ ಪುಂಡಾಟಿಕೆ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ ಗಡಿಪಾರು ಮಾಡಲು ಗೃಹ ಸಚಿವರಿಗೆ ಮನವಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಕ್ರಮ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗುವುದು.#Belagavi #KSRTC #NWKRTC… pic.twitter.com/wUZfc1aoDA
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Xi, Trump reach series of new common understandings: China's foreign ministry
Beijing (PTI): Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning the two countries and the world, and reached a series of new common understandings, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday.
Xi and Trump, who is on a three-day visit to China, met twice on Thursday and discussed a range of bilateral and global issues.
Trump is due to leave on Friday after a luncheon meeting with Xi.
Summing up the outcomes of Trump’s visit to Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the two presidents had an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning the two countries and the world and reached a series of new common understandings.
They agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability to provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond.
The two presidents also agreed to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations, and bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world, said a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson.
Trump visited China at the invitation of Xi.
The two presidents are meeting in person again for the first time since their Busan meeting last October, and it is the first visit to China by a US president in nine years, the statement said.
On Thursday, President Xi held a welcome ceremony and a banquet for Trump, held talks and visited the Temple of Heaven with him.
VIDEO | Beijing: On second day of bilateral talks, US President Donald Trump (@POTUS) thanks Chinese President Xi Jinping for 'incredible' China trip.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 15, 2026
Trump says, "Thank you very much. This has been an incredible visit. I think a lot of good has come of it. We've made some… pic.twitter.com/7A7lbEzLdC
