Congress Ministers again push for 3 more Deputy CMs in Karnataka
Bengaluru: With demand for three more Deputy Chief Ministers in Karnataka once again coming to the fore, the State Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Monday said the party's central leadership will take a call.
Some of the Ministers in the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet have been pitching for deputy chief minister posts to be given to leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities.
Currently, Shivakumar from the Vokkaliga community is only the Deputy Chief Minister in the cabinet.
"Party will decide.....I don't know about all those things," Shivakumar told reporters in response to a question on three more Deputy CMs and changing the party state President.
A section within the Congress is said to be of the opinion that statement by the Ministers was part of a plan by Siddaramaiah's camp to keep Shivakumar in check, amid talks he might seek the CM post after two-and-half years of this government's tenure and to counter his influence both in the government and party.
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The Ministers who have pitched for three more DCMs are considered close to Siddaramaiah.
Stating that when power is distributed all communities will show their liking towards the party and it will not be the case only if a few people enjoy power, Co-Operation Minister K N Rajanna said he had proposed a Deputy Chief Minister from Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities.
"There is an example of BJP doing it in the past," he said. Rajanna earlier too had made a similar demand.
Minister for Housing B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan saw nothing wrong with the demand to have more DCMs.
"Every one will have desire, there will be a demand from all communities for Deputy CM post whether it is Muslim community, Lingayats, SC/ST. From Vokkaliga community D K Shivakumar is there (as DCM). What's wrong in other communities asking? Ours Ours is a high command party, they will decide ultimately, whether to give or not," he said.
Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa said, there is no quota for such posts in the Constitution, and the position is given based on one's capability. "Many Dalit leaders have the capability and based on that it should be given, not on quota."
Asked whether it was an attempt to weaken Shivakumar, he said, "no one can weaken any one. Whatever has to be decided will be ultimately decided by the Congress high command...when I'm asked for my opinion, I will tell the party."
Earlier, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi too had spoken favouring the proposal, keeping the communities that have stood by the party in mind.
The Congress had reportedly decided that Shivakumar will be "the only" Deputy CM amid stiff competition between him and Siddaramaiah for the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly election results in May last year.
It was also said to be a "commitment" made by the Congress leadership to Shivakumar while convincing him to give up his claim for the CM post and to take up the role of deputy chief minister.
Meanwhile, IT Minister Priyank Kharge termed the demand for more DCMs as their "personal opinion".
"Everyone has the right to ask, let them go and ask the high command, but if every thing will happen only by making more DCMs, let there be one CM and rest all in the cabinet be made DCMs. Is it possible?" he said.
"As Ministers we have to introspect on party performance in the Lok Sabha polls, whether we have given power to party workers, whether we are doing our job as Ministers correctly...place your demand at the right form, not before you (media)," he said.
Home Minister G Parameshwara said: "It is left for high command to decide, if necessary they will do."
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Canadian report finds 'no definitive link' between Nijjar killing and India
Ottawa, Jan 29 (PTI): A Canada commission report has said that "no definitive link" with a "foreign state" in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was "proven", smashing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that accused the involvement of Indian agents in the killing.
In September 2023, Trudeau said Canada had credible evidence that agents of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
The report titled "Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions' was released on Tuesday.
In the report commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue said "Disinformation is used as a retaliatory tactic to punish decisions that run contrary to a state's interests."
The report has suggested India spread disinformation on the killing of Nijjar.
"This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign that followed the Prime Minister's announcement regarding suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (though again no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven)," the report said.
Nijjar was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
The 123-page report also talked of expelling six Indian diplomats.
"In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in reaction to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India," it said.
However, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced the withdrawal of its high commissioner.
The relations between India and Canada came under severe strain following Prime Minister Trudeau's allegations in September last year of the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar.
New Delhi had rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd".
India has repeatedly criticised Trudeau's government for being soft on supporters of the Khalistan movement who live in Canada. The Khalistan movement is banned in India but has support among the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.
On Tuesday, India strongly rejected "insinuations" made against it in the report by a Canadian commission that investigated allegations that certain foreign governments were meddling in Canada's elections.
In a strong reaction, the MEA in New Delhi said it rejects the report's "insinuations" on India.
It is in fact Canada which has been "consistently interfering" in India's internal affairs, it said.
