Govt to form panel to reintroduce student elections: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Wednesday that the Karnataka government plans to reintroduce student elections in the state, which were banned in 1989 following incidents of violence.
He revealed that a committee would be formed to examine the issue and propose the next steps for reinstating the elections.
Speaking at a Constitution Day event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Shivakumar emphasised the importance of campus elections in fostering leadership. “Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections,” Deccan Herald quoted Shivakumar as saying.
“I’m announcing today that we’ll form a small committee and seek a report on this,” he added. Student elections were banned in 1989 after a series of violent incidents in Karnataka, which led to the disappearance of student bodies affiliated with political parties from college campuses.
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress president, said former student leaders will be “brought together to study the pros and cons” of bringing back campus elections. “There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities,” said Shivakumar.
Reflecting on his own experience as a student leader, Shivakumar recalled his time at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College. Shivakumar recalled that during his final year of college, his political activism earned him a ticket to contest his first election in 1985 from the erstwhile Sathnur constituency. At just 23 years old, he ran against H.D. Deve Gowda but lost the election.
He lamented that the spirit of student leadership has faded over time. "College elections have stopped. Many of us came through student leadership. Those elections were like a big movement,” Shivakumar added.
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Withdraw 'disrespectful' remark against Rahul Gandhi and apologise: Pilot asks Rijiju
Mumbai (PTI): Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday hit out at Union minister Kiren Rijiju for passing a "disrespectful and inappropriate" remark against Rahul Gandhi, and asked him to apologise for it.
He was answering a query regarding Rijiju's reported statement in which he described Gandhi as the "most dangerous person" for India's security, and a purported video of a man claiming to be from Karni Sena issuing death threats to the Congress leader.
Addressing a press conference here, Pilot said, "When ordinary journalists criticise the government, they face FIRs and jail. But when threats are issued against the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (Rahul Gandhi), there is silence. This shows the government's intention. LoP is a constitutional position. To describe him as a security threat is inappropriate and disrespectful. Even as such open threats are being made, the government is not taking any action."
"The statement 9against Gandhi) should be withdrawn and an apology should be issued," the Congress general secretary said, adding that it is the job of the LoP to seek accountability from the government and ask questions.
To a query on the plane crash in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed on January 28, Pilot said, "I do not want to speculate. There should be a transparent, time-bound inquiry. If there are doubts, a high-level investigation should clarify facts."
When asked about the demand for leadership change in the opposition INDIA bloc, he said, "Leadership decisions are internal matters. The alliance worked remarkably well in the last Lok Sabha election. The gap in numbers between the INDIA bloc and the NDA was not very wide. We are working together strongly and will continue to do so."
The Congress has been helming the INDIA bloc, a coalition of Opposition parties formed before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to counter the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, voices from disgruntled Congress members and those associated with the UPA dispensation suggested that the leadership of the opposition alliance should be given to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin.
On Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Indian economy, Pilot said, "India is a major IT power. We have talent and capability. Many countries see India as a natural partner. But we must use our strengths wisely and not compromise our sovereignty under pressure."
"India should have the freedom to decide where to buy oil from. That is a sovereign decision," Pilot said.
On the issue of illegal migration, he said anybody staying illegally in India should be removed regardless of religion or caste.
"But this issue should not be politicised. If the border has been under control for 11 years, how did illegal immigrants enter? The government should provide data on how many people have been deported," he said.
"This government's intent and policies are anti-farmer and there is no accountability. The opposition will continue to demand answers from the government and stand with farmers and the people of India," he said.
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