"Very sorry. We will be on your side," CM Siddaramaiah to slain student's father
Hubballi (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday spoke to father of slain student Neha Hiremath over phone and said "sorry" over his daughter's killing, and assured that "we will be on your side".
The Chief Minister also informed Niranjan Hiremath, who is also a Congress councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, about the government's decision to hand over the murder case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and setting up a special court to fast-track trial.
"Niranjan...very sorry. We will be on your side," Siddaramaiah told Hiremath over the phone call during state's Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil's visit to Hiremath's house here.
In the conversation on Patil's phone with speakers on, Siddaramaiah can be heard informing Hiremath about the CID probe and setting up a special court. "It is a serious offence...setting up a special court we will ensure punishment for the accused person."
Hiremath thanked Siddaramaiah on behalf of his family well-wishers and the community for handing over the case to CID and setting up a special court.
"...ensure there is an order at the earliest and provide us justice," he said, as he also thanked Patil, Home Minister G Parameshwara, local Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya and others for their support.
Replying to this, Siddaramaiah said, "we will ensure it, at the earliest."
In a shocking incident, Neha Hiremath (23), was stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College last Thursday. The accused Fayaz Khondunaik, who fled from the scene, was arrested by the police subsequently.
Neha was a first year Master of Computer Application (MCA) student and Fayaz was earlier her classmate.
Siddaramaih on Monday had announced his government has decided to hand over the investigation into the incident to the Crime Investigation Department, and to set up a special court for speedy disposal of the case.
The case of brutal murder, which sparked widespread outrage, has snowballed into a political slugfest between ruling Congress and opposition BJP. While the ruling party has tried to project it as an incident with personal angle, the saffron party has called it a "love jihad" case and has said it's a testimony of deterioration of law and order in the state.
Earlier, Siddarmaiah's statement that the murder was due to "personal reasons" and Home Minister G Parameshwara's comments that the duo was in love, has elicited sharp reactions from Hiremath and family members and opposition parties.
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CM Siddaramaiah meets PM Modi, seeks urgent clearances for two irrigation projects
New Delhi (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting rectification in short term farm loan limit, Rs 10,000 cr in financial support and urgent clearances for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Kalasa Bandhuri projects.
In the meeting in Parliament complex, Siddarmaiah pressed for several key interventions focusing on critical areas, including agriculture, water resources and urban infrastructure.
Deputy Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister D K Shivakumar, Energy Minister K J George and Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh accompanied the CM for the meeting.
The chief minister highlighted that NABARD has drastically cut the Short Term Agricultural Credit Limit for Karnataka from Rs 5,600 crore in 2023-24 to just Rs 2,340 crore in 2024-25, a 58 per cent reduction that could severely impact farmers' access to soft loans.
"I request you to look into this and direct the Finance Ministry to rectify this situation so that farmers in Karnataka continue to receive soft agricultural loans," Siddarmaiah said in a representation made to the PM.
He requested Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project, which promises to irrigate central Karnataka's drought-prone farmlands. The project has been pending since the 2023-24 Union Budget.
He also pushed for clearances of two critical water projects - the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir on the Kaveri river and the Kalasa Bandhuri project on the Mahadayi river -- both awaiting approvals from the Jal Shakti and Environment Ministries.
Highlighting Bengaluru's status as a tech hub and top GDP contributor, the state requested special assistance for urban and public transportation.
Additionally, Karnataka sought Rs 10,000 cr to develop infrastructure in 13 emerging city corporations.
On fiscal allocation, the CM complained of receiving an unfavourable deal from the 15th Finance Commission, which reduced its tax share by 1 per cent.
Siddaramaiah urged the government to provide compensation grants and ensure future finance commissions do not penalise states with significant tax contributions.
The Karnataka chief minister also met Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and congratulated her on being elected as an MP from Wayanad.
