Now, free bus pass for rural journalists even without accreditation: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Jan 29 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Wednesday his government has introduced a free bus pass facility for rural journalists who do not possess media accreditation certificates.
Through this initiative, he said, the government has fulfilled its budget announcement by effectively implementing the scheme, demonstrating its commitment to “walking the talk”.
Taking to X, the CM said, applications for the free bus pass are invited online.
“Journalists who are permanently employed in electronic or print media listed under the Department of Information and Public Relations and have at least four years of experience are eligible to apply. Applicants must provide one of the following documents as proof of their service tenure: appointment order, salary slip, or bank statement,” wrote Siddaramaiah in his official X page.
According to him, eligible journalists can travel for free on Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses within their district limits under this scheme. They must also submit a residence certificate issued by the Tehsildar.
Bus passes will be issued based on appointment letters and recommendations provided by editors of daily newspapers and satellite news channels, he added.
He said eligible journalists can visit their nearest Grama One, Karnataka One, or Bangalore One centers to apply online through the Seva Sindhu portal.
“They must upload the required documents and submit a printed copy of the online application along with the uploaded documents to their district's Public Relations Officer (PRO) office for self-verification,” added the CM.
ಮಾಧ್ಯಮ ಮಾನ್ಯತಾ ಪತ್ರ ಹೊಂದಿರದ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣ ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತರಿಗೆ ಉಚಿತ ಬಸ್ಪಾಸ್ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯವನ್ನು ಕಲ್ಪಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಈ ಮೂಲಕ ಬಜೆಟ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಘೋಷಣೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಅದನ್ನು ಯಥಾವತ್ತಾಗಿ ಜಾರಿಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟು ನಮ್ಮ ಸರ್ಕಾರವು ನುಡಿದಂತೆ ನಡೆದಿದೆ.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 29, 2025
ಉಚಿತ ಬಸ್ಪಾಸ್ ಪಡೆಯಲು ಆನ್ಲೈನ್ ಮೂಲಕ ಅರ್ಜಿ ಆಹ್ವಾನಿಸಲಾಗಿದ್ದು, ವಾರ್ತಾ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ… pic.twitter.com/0MlmZjbkm2
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
