Madras HC dismissed Kerala SRTC's claim of exclusive use of 'KSRTC': Karnataka SRTC
Bengaluru, Dec 15: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation on Friday said there is no legal prohibition for use of 'KSRTC' by it in the wake of the Madras High Court dismissing Kerala State Road Transport Corporation’s claim for exclusive use of the abbreviation.
In a statement, Karnataka SRTC said they had applied for grant of Trade Mark Certificate for use of ‘KSRTC’ abbreviation. The Corporation was granted Trade Mark Certificates by the Trade Mark Registry of Government of India in 2013 with user date from November 1, 1973
Copyright was also obtained from the Registrar of Copyrights, Government of India for use of ‘KSRTC’ Logo and ‘Gandabherunda art’ (Logo of the state government), Karnataka SRTC said.
Thereafter, Kerala SRTC had challenged this before Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) in Chennai, said the Karnataka SRTC.
The Karnataka SRTC said its contention was that Kerala SRTC knew that they (Karnataka) were using the mark for the past 42 years and had accepted it and hence were not entitled to apply for a declaration that the registration of the later trade mark is invalid.
The Kerala RTC too had obtained registration of the marks in 2019 claiming prior use, the Karnataka SRTC said, adding that the matters which were pending before the IPAB were transferred to the High Court of Madras in Chennai after abolition of IPAB by the central government.
On December 12, the High Court of Madras dismissed the applications filed by Kerala RTC and ruled in favour of KSRTC (Karnataka), the statement said.
As the Kerala RTC's case was dismissed, the Karnataka RTC has no legal hurdle to use the abbreviation 'KSRTC' in future also, the statement added.
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If you have a conscience, apologize to the people: R Ashoka slams Yathindra over Nalwadi comparison
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.
