Bommai to take up Maha's insurance scheme in 865 border villages of Karnataka with Amit Shah
Bengaluru (PTI): Strongly condemning the Maharashtra government's decision to implement its health insurance scheme in the 865 border villages in Karnataka that it is laying claim to, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday called it an "unpardonable offence", and said he would raise the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In December last year, Union Home Minister had stepped in to defuse border tensions between Maharashtra and Karnataka. He called a meeting between the two Chief Ministers, after which he said both of them had agreed not to make any claims and counter-claims on the border issue till the Supreme Court had decided on the matter.
Speaking to reporters, Bommai today said Maharashtra had "violated" that agreement, and urged his counterpart Eknath Shinde to "behave responsibly".
The latest tension between the two states cropped up after the Shinde government recently announced that it would allocate an additional Rs 54 crore for its 'Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana', so that the benefits could be extended to the border villages in Karnataka that Maharashtra has been laying claim to.
The Karnataka Chief Minister today urged the Maharashtra government to immediately withdraw its order on implementing the health insurance scheme in the villages on Karnataka's side of the border, and said he would be raising the matter with Union Home Minister Shah.
Warning against dredging up border issues, indicating that it could backfire against Maharashtra, Bommai said, "We too can announce such schemes or programmes."
"Several Gram Panchayats and Taluks (on Maharashtra's side of the border) have made resolutions seeking to join Karnataka, as they are not getting justice in Maharashtra," he added. "With such a situation, the Mahrashtra government should behave responsibly. I strongly condemn their Cabinet decision."
Opposition leaders D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah on Wednesday had also condemned the Maharashtra government's move, and took the opportunity to call for Bommai's resignation for "having miserably failed to protect the interests of Karnataka and Kannadigas."
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Allahabad HC orders probe into 'reinstatement' of teacher in UP's Barabanki
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.
The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.
A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.
In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.
Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.
The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.
