Housing drive aims to bring slum dwellers to mainstream: CM Siddaramaiah
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Hubballi(PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said his government is distributing houses on a large scale to ensure that slum dwellers are brought into the mainstream.
The CM was speaking at a mega event organised for dedication of 42,345 houses out of 1,80,253 houses being constructed across the State under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana 'Shelter for All' through grant-in-aid of Chief Minister, and distribution of house allotment letters or title deeds on the occasion of golden jubilee celebration of the Slum Development Board.
Recalling his earlier tenure, he said, "When I was the Chief Minister for the first time (2013-18), our Congress government had built 14,58,000 houses and created history and we had brought about a housing revolution. After becoming the CM for the second time (in 2023), after distributing 36,789 houses in the first phase in 2024, our government is distributing 45,000 houses in the second phase."
"We have fulfilled our promises," he said, hitting out at the BJP and the Centre.
Claiming that his government provides Rs 4 to 5 lakh for a house, but the central government contributes less than Rs one lakh, the CM said, "But the name of the scheme is Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The money is ours, the state government's. Only the name is the Centre's."
After the Congress government came to power, it has spent Rs 5,500 crore on housing in two years, he added.
Dismissing BJP's claims that the government's coffers are empty, the CM said, "We are giving Rs 2,500 crore as subsidy every year for farmers' pump sets. In addition, we are releasing a lot of money for social security schemes including widow's pension, old age pension."
Earlier in the day, installing a cutout of political leaders for the event, a cutout accidentally fell, and three people were injured, and they are receiving treatment at the Hospital in the city.
The CM visited the injured at the hospital after the event.
Expressing regret over the incident, Siddaramaiah directed the officials to provide the injured with the best possible treatment and medicines free of cost until they recover completely, his office said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the BJP held a protest in the city, accusing the government of "violating the protocol" and neglecting the opposition party leaders from the government event.
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Delhi court acquits activist Medha Patkar in defamation case filed by LG V K Saxena
New Delhi (PTI): A court here on Saturday acquitted social activist Medha Patkar in a criminal defamation case filed by Delhi L-G V K Saxena, saying the prosecution failed to prove that she made the alleged defamatory statements during a television programme in 2006.
The complaint was filed by Saxena, then president of the National Council for Civil Liberties, alleging that Patkar had defamed him during a TV programme.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Raghav Sharma, while hearing the case, said the complainant had failed to produce legally admissible evidence to establish that Patkar had made the impugned statements.
According to the complaint, Patkar had allegedly claimed during the programme that Saxena and his NGO had received civil contracts connected with the Sardar Sarovar project, an allegation Saxena denied and termed defamatory.
The court said the material on record showed that Patkar was not a panellist on the programme and that only a short pre-recorded video clip of her was played during the telecast.
"It is important to note that neither the reporter who actually recorded the audio-video nor any person who had seen the accused making the impugned statements has been examined as a witness.
"It is also crucial to note that the clip played in the programme/show appears to be only a very short clipping from an interview or press conference of the accused," the judge said.
The court noted that to establish anything in the case, it is essential to produce the entire video and audio of the press conference before the court about the alleged defamatory remarks given by the accused.
"Without examining the entire clip or footage of that interview, no determination can be made regarding the speech of the accused," the judge said.
The court said that Saxena failed to place on record the original video footage or the recording device that allegedly captured the defamatory remarks, and as a result, the statements attributed to Patkar could not be established.
"The only document capable of proving that the accused made the impugned statements would be the original electronic device in which such statements were recorded," the court said, adding that neither the device nor a valid secondary copy was placed on record.
The case was filed before a court in Ahmedabad. It was transferred to Delhi in 2010 on the orders of the Supreme Court.
In the absence of legally admissible evidence proving publication of defamatory statements by Patkar, the court acquitted her of the charge under IPC Section 500 (defamation).
In August 2025, in a separate defamation case filed by VK Saxena, the Supreme Court confirmed Patkar's conviction ordered by the trial court and set aside a penalty of Rs 1 lakh imposed on her in the case.
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