Kasaragod: Rahul consoles families of three slain Youth Congress workers
Kasaragod/Kannur, Mar 14: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday met with the family members of three slain Youth Congress activists allegedly killed by CPI-M workers and assured they will get justice.
Gandhi visited the homes of Kripesh and Sarath Lal, who were hacked to death last month in Kasaragod district, and met with the family members and consoled them.
"My promise to them is no matter what happens, they will get justice. We will ensure that whoever has done this will be punished. I understand the situation right now.
Let me assure those people who had done this, that justice is going to come to them," Gandhi told the media after visiting Kripesh's house at Kalyot in Kasaragod district.
Kripesh's father said Gandhi had assured them that a CBI probe would be ordered into their deaths.
According to sources, during his visit to Sarath Lal's family, Gandhi reportedly told the family that the All India Congress Committee has been viewing the incident seriously and promised all possible help to them.
The Youth Congress workers were allegedly hacked to death by assailants on February 17 as they were returning after a function.
Earlier, Gandhi spent around half an hour with the parents and sisters of slain activist Shuhaib at the Kannur international airport and extended the party's support to them, party sources said.
Senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Mullappally Ramachandran were among those present during the meeting.
Party sources said the Congress chief, who arrived on a day's visit to the state to officially kick start the party's Lok Sabha poll campaign, wanted to meet the family of Shuhaib, an alleged victim of political rivalry, despite his hectic schedule.
An active party man hailing from Mattannur near Kannur, Shuhaib, 29, had served as the Mattannur block Youth Congress secretary. He was hacked to death on the night of February 12 last year allegedly by CPI(M) activists.
A number of ruling party activists were arrested later in connection with the murder.
The opposition Congress-led UDF and Subhaib's family members had demanded a CBI inquiry into the killing.
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.
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.
