Congress files complaint against MP Nalin Kumar Kateel
Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee (DCC) has filed a complaint with the electoral officer against MP Nalin Kumar Kateel over his tweet in which he had written on March 11, "Vote for those who had ordered the attack on an enemy country at 3 am and not for those who knock the Supreme Court's doors for a terrorist at 3 am... Modi again."
A delegation led by DCC president K. Harish Kumar and Ivan D'Souza, who is parliamentary secretary to the chief minister, met the election officer and complained that BJP workers, for the past couple of days, were seeking votes by using the names of the country's soldiers.
Such a tweet by the MP to seek votes in the name of Indian Army and to write 'once again Modi' is a clear violation of the Code of Conduct. Therefore, the officer has been urged to register a case against the member of parliament.
District Congress Vice-President Sadashiva Ullal, General Secretary Santosh Kumar Shetty, Secretary Arif Bava, district spokesperson Khalid Ujire, Executive committee members Pius Monteiro, Abdul Saleem, and others were present.
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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.
