Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar says Congress govt united, rejects other voices
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday played down speculation about a possible change in leadership, popularly dubbed the 'November Revolution', asserting that there was complete unity within the state government.
He said there is no need for media or the people in Congress to search for a leader.
“Only what the Chief Minister and I have spoken matters. Apart from that, no one else’s words carry any value,” the Deputy Chief Minister said, dismissing political rumours.
Speaking to reporters near the Kanteerava Stadium, Shivakumar stressed that the government’s focus remained on governance and development, not speculation.
He underlined that his coordination with CM Siddaramaiah was intact and that “it is precisely because of our unity that we have won 136 constituencies and increased our strength to 140.
On the issue of proposed Tunnel Road project in Bengaluru, which the BJP has been opposing, Shivakumar said, “I am ready to form a committee on the Tunnel Road issue under the leadership of Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka. The entry and exit points near Lalbagh will be designed at the place he suggests."
Clarifying that he was open to a bipartisan approach on city infrastructure, the Deputy CM said, “There is no need for Ashoka to sit on a demonstration because he is from Bengaluru. He has won from here seven to eight times. He too has a responsibility. The committee formed under his leadership itself should give advice and direction to the government. Whoever’s names, including Malleswaram MLA C N Ashwath Narayan, he suggests, they will be added to this committee. We all must work together and we will.”
Shivakumar revealed that he had personally inspected the Tunnel Road site near Lalbagh on Friday night.
“I visited the area near Lalbagh to examine where entry points could be provided. I am also considering alternative routes. There is no need for any anxiety,” he said, assuring that public interest would guide the project’s execution.
Responding to questions on who would hoist the flag during the upcoming Rajyotsava celebrations, Shivakumar brushed it aside.
“Then what was done now at the Stadium?” he counter questioned.
On the issue of linguistic and regional identity, the Deputy Chief Minister made his position clear.
Asked about the police taking selfies with Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti members in Belagavi and providing them protection, he remarked, “We will work to transform the MES members. A party or a group is working in Karnataka, and they too are Kannadigas. They too have entered the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.”
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Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
