Karnataka Revenue minister flings kits at Sportspersons, faces flak
Bengaluru, Nov 1: Karnataka Revenue Minister R V Deshpande has courted a controversy after a video showing him throwing sports kits at sports persons at a function went viral with union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore and state BJP flaying him for his conduct.
The incident took place on Wednesday in Haliyal in Uttara Kannada district, the assembly constituency of the Minister when he was distributing the kits to talented sportspersons. Deshpande, however, accused media of misinterpreting it.
In the video, Deshpande is seen flinging kits from the stage to sports persons standing on the ground.
Karnataka BJP and Minister Rathore have hit out at Deshpande for his conduct.
"Absolutely unacceptable behavior! Mr Deshpande,please do not undermine the dignity of those athletes or your position," Rathore said in a tweet.
Karnataka BJP in a tweet said, "Don't be confused, that's not a hooligan throwing things around. This is Revenue minister Sri. R V Deshpande throwing sports kit at sportspersons.
"He seems to be inspired by Sri. HD Revanna. After all such uncivilised culture is a part & parcel of Congress party," it said.
Earlier in August, public works minister H D Revanna had come in for sharp criticism after a video purportedly showing him throwing biscuit packets to the flood victims staying in the relief camps in Hassan district went viral.
Facing the flack, Deshpande said, he distributed sports items to talented sportspersons of Haliyal with "good intention" and in "good spirit", and "they are like my own family members."
He said the media had misinterpreted his conduct.
"Whether I am meeting a Union Minister or an Industrialist or a common man, I treat every person with the same respect. That is the culture I have been inculcated with," he said in a tweet.
"Unfortunate that some of our media friends have misinterpreted the whole incident" and playing part of the video clipping again and again, he said.
"I hope everybody will understand the good intention and my concern," the minister said in another tweet.
#WATCH Karnataka Revenue Minister RV Deshpande throws sports kits from a stage at national, state and district level athletes, in Karwar's Haliyala. (31.10.18) pic.twitter.com/m82LYSh9wL
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2018
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
