Expelled BJP leader Yatnal urges CM Siddaramaiah to ban namaz on roads, govt premises
Bengaluru(PTI): Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Friday urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ban namaz on roads, footpaths, and government premises without prior permission
His demand comes a day after the Karnataka Cabinet decided to frame rules, reportedly aimed at checking RSS activities, including marching on roads and holding events in public places and government premises.
In a letter to Siddaramaiah, Yatnal, who has been expelled from the BJP, said that the recent government decision restricts private organisations and non-governmental entities from using government properties, educational institutions, and public spaces for private or institutional purposes.
He added that the same principle of neutrality and fairness should be uniformly enforced across all sections of society.
"We have seen people offering namaz on public roads and government premises without obtaining due permission from the competent authorities," the letter read.
"Such activities cause obstruction to vehicular and pedestrian movement, inconvenience the public, and endanger pedestrians, thereby violating the citizens' fundamental rights to free movement and safety guaranteed under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India," it further said.
He argued that there should not be any special provision to offer namaz in government offices or other government-aided institutions.
“Permitting such practices while restricting other organisational activities on public property amounts to selective enforcement and undermines the credibility of governance,” Yatnal said.
He requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to issue appropriate directions to all deputy commissioners and police commissioners across the state to ensure that namaz is not conducted on roads, footpaths, or government premises without prior official sanction.
Yatnal also suggested framing a clear standard operating procedure (SOP) or circular under the Karnataka Police Act and relevant traffic regulations to penalise any unauthorised use of public spaces for religious purposes.
“Uniform enforcement of these measures will reinforce the State's commitment to secularism, equality before law, and public order. Therefore, in order to promote order and discipline, avoid traffic disruption, and ensure religious inclusivity, I urge you to immediately ban offering namaz in public places,” the letter added.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
