Nikhil Kumaraswamy demands Congress to drop Greater Bengaluru Project, announces agitation
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Bengaluru: JD(S) Youth Wing State President Nikhil Kumaraswamy has demanded that the Karnataka Congress government scrap the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project at Bidadi, warning of a massive agitation until the project is withdrawn.
Addressing reporters at the JD(S) state office, JP Bhavan, on Saturday, Nikhil said, “Starting tomorrow, we will launch a large-scale protest. We will stand as the backbone of the farmers until this project is scrapped. No matter how far this fight has to go, JD(S) will be there.”
He accused the state government of betraying farmers' trust and escalating their fears. “For months, farmers in the Bidadi area have been living in constant anxiety about losing their lands. Instead of alleviating their worries, the government is fueling their anger,” he charged.
Drawing a parallel to the farmers’ protest at Channarayapatna in Devanahalli, where farmers had demonstrated for 1,000 days, Nikhil said JD(S) is prepared to fight the Bidadi project with the same intensity and take it to a “logical end.” Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy will join the protest via video conference, while several farmer leaders will take part on the ground, he added.
Nikhil challenged the government to first implement a pilot project on the 900 acres already allotted to the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). “Show us how it works there first. The GBIT lacks experience, manpower, and financial backing. Where are your resources? The government must answer these questions,” he demanded.
He criticized Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, alleging that despite repeatedly meeting farmers, Shivakumar has failed to hold any meaningful discussions about compensation. “You have challenged us to stop you, but have you taken any steps to protect farmers' lands from being sold? What are your plans for the future of their children? What is the hidden agenda behind rushing this project?” he asked.
According to Nikhil, nearly 80 percent of the farmers strongly oppose the land acquisition process. He called for an immediate halt to the acquisition and urged action against GBIT and police officials who are allegedly intimidating farmers. He also demanded that the government make public the project report prepared by the Boston Consulting Group.
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Judiciary needs to function like 24x7 hospitals to address common man's pain, aspirations: CJI
Jabalpur (PTI): Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Saturday said it was time for the judiciary to address the pain and aspirations of the common man through an immediate relief-giving mechanism, and stressed the need for the judicial system to function like hospitals that work round-the-clock.
He said technology was the only effective answer to wastage of judiciary's time, and called for deepening technology and artificial intelligence (AI)-based judicial architecture to expedite justice delivery.
The CJI was speaking at a programme organised by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on "Fragmentation to fusion, Empowering justice via united digital platform integration". He also launched the high court's newly-developed digital platforms.
"Indian judiciary is committed to ensuring optimum utilisation of not only technological advancements that have been going on and which are integral part of our system since 1990, but also of latest AI designs and how we can use them for the benefit of the common man," he said.
"We should think of deepening technology and AI-based judicial architecture. Technology is the only effective answer to wasting judicial time," CJI Kant said.
The time has come when the judiciary needs to address the aspirations, requirements, demands, pain and agony of the common man through an immediate relief-giving system, he said.
"For that, the judiciary needs to work like hospitals that function 24x7," he added.
Recalling the COVID-19 pandemic, the CJI said the Indian judiciary was praised globally for discharging its constitutional duties during difficult times.
"We did not close our courts," he said, elaborating on how technology enabled courts to conduct urgent hearings during the pandemic.
He stressed the need to make use of technological advancements in judiciary for expediting the justice delivery system.
Praising Madhya Pradesh HC for developing digital platforms, the CJI said that as stated by the Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, there was a need to roll out these technological advancements at the pan-India level.
A committee has been constituted by the Supreme Court on how to use AI for the benefit of the judicial system, especially in speedy disposal of cases, according to him.
Minister Meghwal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and MP High Court Chief Justice Sanjeev Sabharwal also spoke on the occasion.
