Rahul Gandhi to pay obeisance to Basaveshwara on Basava Jayanti in Karnataka today
Bagalkote (k'taka) (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will begin his two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka on Sunday by offering obeisance to 12th-century poet and social reformer Basaveshwara at his resting place in Kudala Sangama, on the occasion of his birth anniversary which is observed as "Basava Jayanti".
On his arrival in Hubballi from Delhi, the former AICC President will travel to Kudala Sangama by helicopter for the darshan at Sangamanatha temple and of the Aikya Linga.
Kudala Sangama, situated at the confluence of the rivers Krishna and Malaprabha in Bagalakote district, is a pilgrim centre. The Aikya Mantapa or the holy Samadhi of Basaveshwara, popularly known as Basavanna, the founder of the Lingayat sect, along with a Linga, which is believed to be self-born (Swayambhu), is here.
Kudala Sangama is also famed for its Chalukyan-style Sangameshwara temple where it is believed that Basavanna had worshipped lord Shiva.
According to his tour plan, shared with the media, Gandhi will then participate in the Basava Jayanti celebration organised by Utsava Samithi (festival committee) at Basava Mantapa, and take prasada (lunch) at Kudala Sangama dasoha bhavan.
This visit of Gandhi is seen as an attempt by the Congress to bolster the Lingayat outreach, ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls in the state. Lingayats are a dominant community constituting about 17 per cent of the state's population, largely seen as ruling BJP's vote-bank.
He will then leave for Vijayapura where in the evening he will hold a roadshow. He is expected to address the public at Shivaji Circle/Kanakadasa Circle there.
On Monday, Gandhi will be in Belagavi's Ramdurg where he will interact with sugarcane farmers, later take part in Yuva Samvaad in Gadag and address Public Meeting at Hangal, before leaving for Delhi.
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CBI books Karti Chidambaram in fresh corruption case
New Delhi, Jan 9: The CBI has registered a fresh case of corruption against former finance minister P Chidambaram's son and Congress MP, Karti Chidambaram, for allegedly giving relief to alcoholic beverage company Diageo Scotland over a ban on the duty-free sale of its whisky, officials said Thursday.
The case pertains to an alleged suspicious payment made to Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt. Ltd, "an entity controlled" by Karti P Chidambaram and his close aide S Bhaskararaman by Diageo Scotland and Sequoia Capitals, the CBI FIR said.
"Enquiry revealed that out of various proposals of FIPB enquired into, it was found that Diageo Scotland and Sequoia Capitals have suspiciously transferred funds to Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt. Ltd., an entity controlled by Sh. Karti P Chidambaram and his close aide S Bhaskararaman," it said.
The agency alleged that its enquiry has found that Diageo Scotland, UK used to import duty-free Johnnie Walker whisky.
No immediate reaction was available from the suspects named in the FIR.
In April 2005, the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), which had a monopoly over the sale of imported duty-free liquor in India, put an embargo on the sale of the Diageo Group's duty-free products in India, which resulted in a huge loss to Diageo Scotland as 70 per cent of its business in India pertained to the sale of Johnnie Walker whisky, the agency alleged.
The CBI FIR alleged that Diageo Scotland approached Karti Chidambaram, seeking help in lifting the ban and made payments of USD 15,000 to Advantage Strategic Consulting, which took it in the guise of "consultancy fee".
