NCW to deal with matter of viral video of Udupi college student: Former member Shyamala Kunder
Udupi: Former member of the National Commission for Women (NCW) Shyamala Kunder has said that a team of officials, led by NCW representative for South India Khushbu Sundar, will visit Udupi to investigate the incident of a video of a paramedical college student being filmed when she visited the restroom.
Addressing a press conference in town on Wednesday, Kunder said that the Commission had taken cognizance of the matter. “As a woman, I am concerned about what happens to women and have brought the incident to the notice of the Commission. I have also requested the Commission to handle the matter ensuring that the future of the girl students is not affected. Chairperson of the NCW Rekha Sharma has tweeted that the Commission will deal with the matter,” said the former member.
“The investigation by the NCW will reveal if the three accused students had truly deleted the video filmed, as they have stated, or if they had shared it before doing so. None of the guilty parties will be given protection by the Commission. Women should remember, while indulging in such activities, that the victim is also a woman, like them. Such humanitarian values should be imbibed by young ladies,” said Kunder.
She further said that, when dealing with such incidents, police should voluntarily register cases and start investigation as a means of ensuring safety to women, instead of waiting for a complaint to be filed by the victim or the relatives. The victim has stated that she will not file a complaint in the matter, she pointed out. “It is also unacceptable that the state government is silent on the incident. The government as well as the minister of the concerned department should address the matter of women’s safety,” she urged.
“No woman should be forced to fight such a delicate situation on political lines. It is also inappropriate for a political party to politicize a woman’s suffering. I am handling the matter for neither political nor religious benefits. I only wish to ensure the victim gets justice.
People too should handle the matter with care and concern, ensuring the name of the victim is not mentioned at any point. They should also be patient enough for the investigation to reveal facts before sharing matter on social media or any public platform,” Kunder stated.
‘Sakhi’ One Stop Centre District Committee member Thara Umesh Acharya, Kollur Temple Board member Sandhya Ramesh and advocate Sahana Kunder Sooda were present at the press conference.
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Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
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“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
