Hubballi, Apr 22: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Friday challenged the BJP government in Karnataka to ban organisations like the SDPI, AIMIM, RSS, and Bajrang Dal, accusing them of disturbing peace in society, if it has "guts".

The Leader of Opposition in the state assembly also advised the government to do things that are necessary for the maintenance of peace and see to it that it is not disturbed.

"....who said no? If you have guts do it. The organisations that are disturbing peace in the society do it (ban them). Whether SDPI, AIMIM, RSS, Bajrang Dal, do it. We don't have any objections," Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question about the government contemplating banning certain organisations in the state.

Earlier in the day, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said many "unseen hands" including certain organisations were behind the recent violence in Hubballi, over a social media post, and they will be brought to justice.

He also said the government was contemplating on controlling activities of such organisations, including imposing a ban on them.

Condemning the recent violence in Hubballi, former chief minister Siddaramaiah said the guilty must be punished and no action should be taken against the innocents.

He hit out at Jnanendra, calling him "irresponsible and unfit" to remain in the Home Minister's post.

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.



New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.

Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.

ALSO READ: Four arrested in cattle theft case after encounter in UP's Kaushambi

The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.

The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.

Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.

"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.

"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.

The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.

The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.

"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.