Congress panel submits report on coastal Karnataka communal tensions
Bengaluru, Jun 19 (PTI): A Congress-appointed fact-finding committee has recommended a holistic and multi-pronged approach, including socio-cultural interventions to address the vitiated communal atmosphere prevailing in coastal Karnataka.
The committee headed by Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain on Thursday submitted its report to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
The committee, formed by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), comprises Manjunath Bhandary, V R Sudarshan, and senior leaders Kimmane Ratnakar, Jayaprakash Hegde, N A Harris, and Roji M John.
It examined the developments of the past two decades in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts.
Addressing reporters, Hussain said, “We have submitted a confidential report to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who also serves as KPCC president. He will take it up with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister G Parameshwara, and Law Minister H K Patil.”
He clarified that the panel’s mandate was not to probe specific incidents but to study the overall communal atmosphere in the region, which he described as “vitiated.”
“Admissions to educational institutions have dropped, and economic activities have declined. The Chamber of Commerce has flagged concerns. Business establishments close by 7 pm. Hate speeches and provocations have created an atmosphere of fear.”
Accordiong to Hussain, both the majority and minority communities were contributing to escalating tensions in the coastal belt through their provocative actions.
“A type of vitiated atmosphere is prevailing. So we went there to assess the situation holistically,” he said, adding that the committee has also made key recommendations.
“We’ve suggested administrative actions, socio-cultural interventions, ways to strengthen the party, and political strategies that can be implemented,” he explained.
Underscoring that mere law-and-order measures or transfer of officials will not suffice, the MP said, “The need of the hour is a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach."
Highlighting the region’s legacy, Hussain said the coastal districts were once hubs of literature, music, education, and banking.
“This progressive and vibrant social fabric is now fraying. We’ve suffered immense loss in terms of human and cultural capital,” he lamented.
The report, he said, is aimed at restoring peace and putting coastal Karnataka back on the path of development.
Deputy CM Shivakumar, who received the report in the presence of the media, said he needed time to study it before commenting.
“I have just received it. I will go through the findings and respond later,” he said.
He, however, blamed the BJP and “various sections’ of the society for disturbing the law and order situation in the coastal region.
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Pune airport runway restored after IAF aircraft snag; ops resume
Pune (PTI): The runway at Pune airport, which was temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft, has now been restored and declared operational, the Air Force said on Saturday.
The authorities at the Pune International Airport had earlier said that around 10.25 pm on Friday, a fighter aircraft experienced an undercarriage failure during landing, causing the runway to be blocked.
As many as 91 flights of airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa, and Air India Express, were affected due to the incident, they said.
Earlier on Friday night, the Air Force had stated that the runway at Pune airport was temporarily unavailable following an incident involving one of its fighter aircraft. The aircrew are safe, and there is no damage to civil property, it had said.
"The runway at Pune Airport, which was temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft, has now been restored and declared operational. All necessary safety inspections and clearances have been completed. Operations are resuming in a phased manner," it said in a post on X.
Flight operations at Pune airport are being gradually restored. The situation has been brought under control with the highest priority given to the safety of citizens, a Defence PRO said.
