Ramanath Rai backs Priyank Kharge’s call to ban RSS events on government premises
Mangaluru: Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka minister B. Ramanath Rai has extended his support to Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge’s letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) programmes on government properties and public spaces.
Speaking at a press conference at the Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee (DKDCC) office in Mallikatte, Mangaluru, on Thursday, Rai, who also serves as the Vice-President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), said that the entire party stands firmly with Kharge on the issue.
“The RSS continues to poison the minds of children and spread disharmony in society. Even in Dakshina Kannada, the social environment has deteriorated because of their activities,” Rai said.
He reiterated that the Congress Party would never support any organisation that uses religion as its foundation, stressing that the party’s focus remains on strengthening its ideological principles of inclusivity and secularism.
“I have always opposed the RSS because I follow the Congress ideology, and many others in our party continue to stand by these values,” he stated.
Rai highlighted the contributions of Congress leaders to the development of Dakshina Kannada, from freedom fighter Srinivas Mallya to the present generation of leaders. He accused the BJP of prioritising electoral politics over development, adding, “While our leaders worked for the progress of this region, the BJP only focuses on winning elections.”
Criticising the Central Government, he also questioned India’s diplomatic outreach to ministers from the Taliban government, calling it contradictory to the BJP’s public rhetoric on nationalism and security.
Responding to Legislative Council Chief Whip Ravikumar’s allegation that Congress members fund the RSS, Rai said the MLC “lacked knowledge and understanding” of the issue.
The press conference was attended by several Congress leaders, including former Mayor Shashidhar Hegde, MG Hegde, Baby Kunder, BL Padmanabha Kotian, S. Appi, Chittaranjan Shetty Bondala, Dinesh Muloor, Sadashiva Shetty, TK Sudheer, Girish Shetty, Padmaprasad Jain, Manjula Nayak, Ramananda Poojary, Sajith Shetty Vamanjoor, Yogish Kumar, Sunil Bajilakeri, and Shabbir Siddakatte, among others.
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1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
