Karnataka govt set to crack down on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants: Home Minister Araga Jnanendra
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government plans to crack down on Bangladeshi immigrants who work in the State, with Home Minister Araga Jnanendra flagging concerns that they pose a danger to the country's internal security.
The Minister said a survey is underway by police to track down such illegal immigrants.
He said police have information about their presence in parts of the State, especially in coffee plantations in Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts working as labourers.
"Special efforts and preparations are on to track them and apprehend them," Jnanendra told PTI in an interview on Thursday.
He alleged that Bangladeshi immigrants manage to get ration cards, voter ID cards and Aadhaar cards in Assam and West Bengal after they sneak into India.
It's a big racket and there is a need to crack down on this network. "It poses a danger to our country's security", the Minister said.
Jnanendra also said cyber crime cases have been going up sharply in recent times in the State, adding, police are in touch with bank managements to address the issue.
The Karnataka government has inked an MoU with its Gujarat counterpart on training state personnel to tackle cyber crimes.
"We are sending 60 police personnel working in our cyber cell to Gujarat for training", the Minister said.
On drug menace, Jnanendra said Karnataka police is in touch Central agencies, and coordination with neighbouring States to curb such activities is being strengthened.
Referring to the "anti-conversion bill" which was cleared by the Legislative Assembly but is yet to be passed in the Council, where the ruling BJP lacks majority, the Minister said the government intends to promulgate an ordinance.
But at the same the government is also mulling to get it passed in the upper House in the coming Budget session.
"We have increased our numbers (in the Council) after the recent elections. There may be one or two differences (short by one or two members). But we will manage. There are members in other parties who want this to become law", he said.
The Minister also said that the government has proposed to revise the prison manual.
There are acres of unutilised land within premises of jails, and the government has proposed to promote agriculture and industrial activities there which would generate income and give work opportunities for inmates who otherwise sit idle.
The government is also giving a major thrust to "beat policing" system in the State to promote greater involvement of constables.
According to him, Naxal activities have down substantially in the State. There are a few naxals operating in areas bordering Kerala, but there is a feeling among naxals that "Karnataka is not safe" for their activities.
On completion of six months in office of the Basavaraj Bommai government this week, Jnanendra praised the leadership of the Chief Minister saying he has given good administration, and freedom for Ministers to work.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
