Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Centre notifying the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is a "gimmick" keeping Lok Sabha polls in mind, and the state government will take a decision regarding its implementation in Karnataka after going through it, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday. The Centre on Monday announced the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, a move that comes four years after the contentious law was passed and paves the way for citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

"CAA is being brought in now keeping the election in mind. Why were they (Centre) keeping quiet all these years? Now they have brought it all of a sudden ahead of elections, because they fear losing (in the polls). That's the reason they are doing all these gimmicks," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

"We are yet to look into it. After looking into it, we will take a decision. We will discuss it at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow," the Chief Minister said.

The rules were notified days ahead of the expected announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. With this, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from the three countries.

Earlier in the day, Home Minister G Parameshwara told reporters in Bengaluru the government has not yet discussed the issue of implementation of the CAA in the State, and the Cabinet will take a call on it.

Get all the latest, breaking news from Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Mangaluru.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Two people were killed, and another was severely injured after a goods vehicle transporting poultry birds allegedly rammed into a stationary truck on a national highway in Belagavi in the early hours of Tuesday, police said.

The deceased have been identified as Wasim (28) and Mubarak (22), both natives of Shivamogga district, they said.

The driver of the vehicle, Basavaraj Eerappa Hanchinamani (37), suffered critical injuries and has been admitted to a hospital, police said.

According to police, the accident occurred when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, allegedly due to drowsiness, and crashed into a truck parked along the highway.

The goods vehicle was en route from Kolhapur to Sorab in Shivamogga district, carrying poultry. Several chickens were also killed in the impact, a senior police officer said.

Police personnel from the Hirebagewadi Police Station visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Injured people and the bodies of the deceased were shifted to a hospital, police added.