No room for privatisation of ESCOM’s as long as we are in power: DyCM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday assured that the electricity supply companies (ESCOMs) in the state will not be privatised as long as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and he remain in power.
Karnataka has five electricity supply companies, namely, Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM), Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM), Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESCOM), and Hubli Electricity Supply Company Limited (HESCOM).
Shivakumar was speaking at the 60th Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) Employees’ Association and the launch of the Vajrajyoti commemorative issue held at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
“After I became the Energy Minister, the BJP government came to power at the Centre. ESCOMs in various cities across the country, including Mumbai and Delhi, were handed over to private companies. I was pressured to do the same in Bengaluru. But I told them that our employees, engineers, and board of directors are highly competent and can run the ESCOMs efficiently. As long as D.K. Shivakumar and CM Siddaramaiah are in power in the state, we will not allow the privatisation of ESCOMs,” he said.
“When I took charge of this department, the transmission loss stood at 19–20%. We have brought it down to 10%. This is a model for the country. Even today, other states report a loss of 17–18%. The Energy Department is growing stronger due to the efforts of all of you. Minister K.J. George has now taken over the department and is leading it in a transparent and excellent manner. We had taken many revolutionary decisions in the past,” he added.
“When I took charge of the Energy Department, Karnataka was generating 11,000 MW of electricity. By the time I left the department, the state was generating 23,000 MW. I also recruited 24,000 employees transparently, without accepting a single rupee in bribe. Earlier energy ministers used to take money for appointments. I am proud that I avoided that and provided jobs at your doorsteps,” he said.
“We made several decisions regarding wind power, solar power, and gas production in Bengaluru city. As a result, investors showed interest in our state. We are launching a new pumped storage power plant, which we plan to build in Savadatti and Varahi. We have also decided to generate 20–50 MW of electricity in each taluk to provide power to farmers during the daytime.
"When the Pavagada Solar Power Station was established, the price of agricultural land there was just ₹50,000 per acre. Instead of purchasing the land, we implemented the project by paying ₹18,000 per acre annually as rent to the farmers. Today, they are receiving ₹26,000–₹27,000 per acre per year. Even now, the farmers remain the landowners,” he explained.
“Your demands are being given due attention. OPS (Old Pension Scheme) is also part of our manifesto. Do not worry about it. In the past, when the issue of promotion arose, I resolved it on the very same day. Whenever the Congress government comes to power, it will work for your welfare. Remember, the salary of an IPS officer is the same as that of the KPTCL and ESCOM Chief Engineers. May your love and trust continue to be with us,” he stated.
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CBCI urges Prime Minister Modi to condemn attacks on Christians, bring fringe groups under control
Bengaluru: Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publicly condemn attacks on Christians and take firm steps to protect the rights of religious minorities, saying it is the constitutional duty of the government to do so.
Addressing a press conference a day ahead of the CBCI’s 37th General Body Meeting in Bengaluru, Archbishop Thazhath said the Church has consistently approached government authorities whenever incidents of violence occur, but has never resorted to counter-attacks. “Protecting the rights of minorities and Christians is the duty of the government. Whenever we raise these issues, authorities often describe the perpetrators as fringe groups. If they are fringe groups, they must be condemned and brought under control,” he said.
The CBCI president said he had personally raised the issue with Prime Minister Modi on multiple occasions, including during the Prime Minister’s recent participation in Christmas celebrations. He expressed concern over attacks targeting Christians on the basis of religion, stressing that the Church does not view the issue through a political lens. “We are not political people. There have been attacks on Christians purely on the basis of religion, and we are afraid of this trend. We want the Prime Minister to take necessary precautions and clearly condemn such acts,” he said.
Archbishop Thazhath reiterated that the Christian response to violence is guided by faith and non-violence. “Our methodology is not to counter-attack because Jesus has taught us to love all, even our enemies,” he said. He also highlighted the Christian community’s long-standing contribution to nation-building. “Christians have contributed to this country and will continue to do so. Yet, religious discrimination and attacks continue to take place in some parts of the country, which causes fear,” he added.
His remarks come weeks after a pastor, Bipin Bihari Naik, was allegedly assaulted by Bajrang Dal workers in Odisha, where he was reportedly forced to eat cow dung and chant religious slogans. Without referring to specific cases, the Archbishop said attacks on Christians occur in different forms across various regions. He recalled that in August 2025, Catholic nuns and priests from Kerala were allegedly attacked by Bajrang Dal members in Odisha.
The CBCI General Body Meeting will begin on Wednesday under the theme “Faith and the Nation: The Church’s Witness to India’s Constitutional Vision”. Former Supreme Court judge Justice K.M. Joseph and Professor D. Dominic are scheduled to address the gathering on the topic “Current Socio-Political Context and Constitutional Values”.
According to the meeting agenda, deliberations will take place against the backdrop of several developments, including recent Supreme Court directives on a public interest litigation concerning anti-conversion laws, attacks on churches and Christian institutions in different regions, and incidents of violence and intimidation reported during the Christmas season.
In a pre-meeting media briefing, Archbishop Thazhath emphasised that despite being a numerical minority, Christians have made significant contributions to India. He underlined that the Constitution guarantees minority rights and the freedom to practise religion. Countering narratives that portray Christianity as foreign, he said the faith has been present in India for nearly 2,000 years. “Christianity is inherently Indian. It is not alien,” he asserted.
The Archbishop also expressed serious concern over what he described as growing hostility towards Christians, often under the guise of enforcing anti-conversion laws. He said he had conveyed these anxieties directly to the Prime Minister.
Also present at the briefing were CBCI Secretary General Archbishop Anil J.T. Couto, Vice-President II Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas, Deputy Secretary General Fr. Mathew Koyickal, and PRO Fr. Robinson Rodrigues.
