HD Kumaraswamy accuses BJP of raising emotive issues
Bengaluru, Apr 4: Former Chief Minister of Karnataka H D Kumaraswamy on Monday alleged rampant corruption in the State and took a dig at Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai by saying he should offer concession to "people's files" like the one given to 'The Kashmir Files.'
You made 'The Kashmir Files' tax-free but you never touched people's files. You are collecting 100 per cent tax on those people's files. Give 100 per cent concession to them. The country will benefit, Kumaraswamy told reporters.
He said the contractors have alleged that ministers were demanding 40 per cent commission on public works.
On the row over 'hijab' and 'halal' meat, Kumaraswamy said he had expressed apprehension that the BJP would raise some emotive issues and create an atmosphere to disturb peace and harmony in society." "My prediction has come true..."
The JD(S) leader accused the BJP government, led by Bommai, of turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the ongoing campaign against halal meat.
Why do you play the State anthem by noted Kannada poet Kuvempu, which says Karnataka is a garden of racial peace? I am not in favour of any particular religion or any specific caste or community. I am with the 6.5 crore people of Karnataka, Kumaraswamy said.
He alleged that those distributing leaflets against such meat, and disturbing peace in society are roaming scot-free without paying heed to complaints filed by some advocates in that regard.
He slammed the Congress. "Congress is responsible for bringing the BJP to power and for the deterioration of peace and harmony in the State. Congress was responsible for unseating a secular government in 2019, Kumaraswamy said, referring to the coalition government led by him for 14 months from May 2018 to July 2019.
He accused the Congress also of giving passage to anti-cow slaughter and anti-religious conversion Bills that were introduced by the BJP.
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Amit Shah to attend Ajit Pawar's funeral in Baramati
Baramati (PTI): The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, killed in a plane crash, will be held with full state honours on Thursday at Baramati in Pune district.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be among the leaders present at the funeral, his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said.
The last rites of Pawar (66) would be performed at the sports ground of Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati in Pune district around 11 am.
Pawar was killed on Wednesday morning after the chartered Learjet crashed near the Baramati airstrip, around 100 km from Pune. Two pilots, a flight attendant and a personal security officer were also killed in the accident.
On Thursday morning, the mortal remains of Ajit Pawar were taken from the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Hospital in Baramati, where they were kept overnight, to his Katewadi village near Baramati.
The funeral procession will begin at 9 am.
Shiv Sena-UBT leaders Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday met the Pawar family at their residence in Baramati.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde visited the hospital and spoke to Ajit Pawar's family members.
Police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) case in connection with the plane crash, an official said.
Pawar and four other persons on board the aircraft were killed after it crashed barely 200 metres from the edge of a tabletop runway at Baramati.
As per procedure, the ADR will be handed over to the Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which will conduct a probe based on findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)'s inquiry.
The AAIB, which functions under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has already taken over the probe into the crash.
A CID official told PTI that in case of the death of an influential public representative or figure in an accident, the probe is carried out by the CID.
The others killed in the tragedy were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had a flying experience of 15,000 hours, co-pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak with 1,500 hours of flying, Personal Security Officer (PSO) Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali.
Their mortal remains have been handed over to their families, hospital sources said.
The government Thursday released a statement detailing the sequence of events that led to the crash and Pawar's death.
The aircraft was cleared for landing in Baramati after a go-around due to poor visibility, but having finally received a clearance, it did not give any read-back to the ATC, and moments later burst into flames near the edge of the airstrip.
