Bangalore North Cong MLAs of seek redress of grievances
Bengaluru, Mar 16: In a precondition of sorts, Congress legislators from Bangalore North Lok Sabha seat Saturday said Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will have to address their constituency-related issues, a day after announcing they will work together for JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda's victory, if he contests from the constituency.
Congress leaders from Bangalore North met legislature party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and requested his mediation.
"Seven of us- five Congress and two from JD(S) are together. Let there be no doubt about victory of our (coalition) candidate. We will all work together, but personally there are some issues related to our constituency,"Yeshwanthpur MLA S T Somashekar said.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with CLP leader Siddaramaiah, he said, "We have asked for his mediation in solving those issues."
If we are convinced that our issues will be solved, we have assured him (Siddaramaiah) that we will abide by AICC's decision hundred per cent," he said, while noting that Congress and JD(S) have bitterly fought against each other in the past.
Congress legislators from Bangalore North after a joint meeting with two JD(S) MLAs from the constituency on Friday had said they will work for the victory of Gowda, if he contests as the regional party's candidate.
According to the seat-sharing arrangement reached by coalition partners, Bangalore North that is currently represented by Union Minister Sadananda Gowda of BJP, has gone to JD(S).
Out of eight assembly constituencies in Bangalore North five are with Congress, two with JD(S) and one with BJP.
Somashekar said he along with other Congress MLAs will meet Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao in this regard.
"If our issues are solved, we will hundred per cent work together, we have brought to our leadership's notice," he said, adding that a meeting involving Kumaraswamy, Deve Gowda along with CLP leader Siddaramaiah was crucial for this.
Transfer of Congress' votes to JD(S) is said to be key for the regional party's victory in the constituency that is dominated by Vokkaligas, migrant population, as also minorities.
Speculation is rife that Deve Gowda, who has handed over his constituency, Hassan, to grandson Prajwal Revanna will be contesting from either Bangalore North or Tumkur constituency.
However, Gowda is yet to decide about the constituency that he will be contesting from.
Gowda had earlier indicated that he may not contest polls, citing age as the reason.
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Over 350 illegal religious structures removed along Nepal border
Lucknow, May 11 (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said that more than 350 unauthorised religious sites, including madrasas, mosques, mazars and Eidgahs, have been identified and subjected to sealing or demolition in recent days, an official statement issued here said.
Acting on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's clear directive that no religious encroachment will be tolerated, the administration in districts such as Pilibhit, Shravasti, Balrampur, Bahraich, Siddharthnagar and Maharajganj has launched a sweeping campaign, it said.
The authorities have systematically identified illegal structures and taken strict action, continuing operations even on Sunday.
The chief minister has made it clear that encroachment in the name of any religion will not be allowed and all violators, especially those running unrecognised religious institutions, will face legal consequences, the statement said.
On May 10 and 11, 104 madrasas, one mosque, five mazars and two Eidgahs built illegally on public and private land were identified in Shravasti. All were issued notices and sealed, it said.
One illegal madrasa on public land was demolished and two unrecognized madrasas on private land were sealed, the statement added.
In Bahraich, officials identified 13 madrasas, eight mosques, two mazars and one Eidgah illegally constructed on government land.
After issuing notices, five were sealed and 11 were demolished, including eight madrasas, two mosques and one mazar, the statement said.
In Siddharthnagar, the authorities identified four mosques and 18 madrasas and one more madrasa for illegal construction. Notices were issued to these structures. Five madrasas were sealed and nine were demolished. In total, action was taken against 23 illegal structures in the district, it said.
In Maharajganj’s Nautanwa tehsil, Parsamalik village, an unrecognized madrasa operating on Maktab land was shut down based on a report submitted by the District Minority Welfare Officer.
The building’s keys were handed over to the local police station in-charge. So far, 29 madrasas and five mazars constructed through encroachment on public and private land have been demolished in the district.
In past two days in Lakhimpur Kheri, two mosques, one Eidgah on public land along with eight madrasas on private land were found to be illegally constructed.
Of the 13 structures identified, one was served a notice, nine were sealed and three have been demolished so far, the statement said.
The district authorities in Pilibhit have identified an illegal mosque built on public land in Bharatpur village, covering an area of 0.0310 hectares.
According to the district magistrate, a notice has been issued to the parties involved, seeking a response within 15 days. Action against the illegal construction will be taken after the notice period ends, it said.
On Sunday, an under-construction madrasa on public land in Virpur Semra village, Tulsipur tehsil, was demolished in Balrampur. So far, 30 madrasas, 10 mazars and one Eidgah have been demolished in the district.
Ten of them were built illegally on public land, while 20 were constructed without authorization on private land, the statement said.
