Flood like situation in parts of north Karnataka
Bengaluru: After a brief respite, rains have resumed in many parts of Karnataka, causing a flood-like situation in several areas, especially in the northern belt.
Districts that come under the Krishna basin are facing a flood-like situation with the river and its tributaries in spate because of rains in the catchment areas, especially in neighbouring Maharashtra.
Several parts in the border district of Belagavi are submerged, with increasing inflow into rivers like Krishna, Ghataprabha and Malaprabha and excess water being released from dams in the district.
Low lying areas, roads and bridges and crops are underwater in parts of Gadag, Bagalkote and Dharwad.
Rain and flood-like situation persists in parts of Raichur and Yadgir districts too.
There have been reports of showers in parts of Malnad, coastal and south interior Karnataka regions too.
According to the META department forecast for the next 24 hours, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over coastal Karnataka and south interior Karnataka, and heavy rainfall likely to occur at isolated places over north Interior Karnataka.
Official data showed that at least 12 districts have been affected by floods and rains since August 1, in which 19 people have lost their lives so far, while two are missing.
A total of 108 relief camps have been opened across these 12 districts so far, where 324 people are currently taking shelter. Fifty three animals have perished so far in the floods.
While 185 houses have been completely damaged, 4,380 have suffered partial damage, the data said. Also, agriculture crops in about 55,993 hectares and horticulture crops in over 49,007 hectares have been affected.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
