Bengaluru: A Special court of People’s representatives in Bengaluru has granted interim anticipatory bail to BJP MLA Bharat Shetty in connection with the case of his provocative statement against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the protest.

The Special Court of People's Representatives of Bangalore heard Bharat Shetty's petition seeking anticipatory bail and subsequently issued an order in his favor.

A case was lodged against the Mangaluru North MLA at the Kavoor Police Station for his alleged provocative remarks denigrating Leader of Opposition of the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The police lodged the case acting on a complaint filed by Congress leader Anil Kumar.

During a protest organized by the BJP at Kavoor Junction on July 8, Bharat Shetty reportedly stated, "The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, should be thrown out of Parliament. Rahul Gandhi needs to be slapped twice on the face. Only then will Rahul Gandhi come to his senses."

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The Hague (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the Royal Palace and discussed close cooperation in digital technology, innovation, fintech and blue economy.

Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday - after a brief stopover in the UAE - on the second leg of his five-nation tour that also includes Sweden, Norway and Italy.

"Met His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima at the Royal Palace. It was wonderful exchanging perspectives on boosting India-Netherlands friendship across key sectors like technology, innovation, sustainable growth, commerce and water resources," PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.

Modi said that India and the Netherlands are "connected by shared interests and a shared belief in building a future-ready planet."

"They discussed the growing partnership between India and the Netherlands," the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

"Both sides noted the close cooperation in the areas of sustainability, climate action, digital technology, innovation, fintech and blue economy," he added.

The two sides also expressed commitment towards further strengthening India–Netherlands relations.

Earlier in the day, Modi addressed a gathering of the Indian diaspora in The Hague where he called India a “land of opportunities” undergoing an “unprecedented transformation”.

The PM's visit to the European nation from May 15 to 17 is his second trip to the country after his 2017 visit and comes at what officials described as an "important juncture" in India-Netherlands ties.

India and the Netherlands have significantly expanded cooperation in recent years beyond traditional sectors such as trade, investment and the priority areas of water, agriculture and health.

The partnership has grown in strategic sectors, including technology, innovation, defence, security, semiconductors, renewable energy, education and the maritime domain, the MEA said.

The Netherlands is one of India’s largest trade destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade valued at USD 27.8 billion in 2024-25. It is also India’s fourth-largest investor, with cumulative foreign direct investment amounting to USD 55.6 billion, officials said.

People-to-people ties remain a key pillar of the bilateral relationship.

Later on Saturday, Modi is scheduled to meet his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten.