Karnataka Minister Mankal Vaidya's alleged post on Republic Bharat triggers controversy
Vaidya congratulated Arnab Goswami on launch of his new channel
A poster featuring Karnataka's Minister for Fisheries, Port, and Inland Transport, Mankal Vaidya, has stirred controversy as it circulates widely on social media. The poster supposedly conveys the minister's wishes to Republic Bharat on the launch of their Kannada News Channel.
Republic Network, led by Arnab Goswami, one of the news anchors who recently faced a boycott by the INDIA bloc alliance, owns and manages the Republic Network.
The viral poster suggests that it originally appeared on the minister's official Facebook page. However, Vartha Bharati, couldn't independently verify this claim because the minister's timeline lacked any such posts. Interestingly, several social media users assert that the post was later deleted from the minister's account.
The poster features Minister Mankal Vaidya's image alongside Arnab Goswami, accompanied by a quote congratulating Goswami on the launch of the new Kannada news channel.
The circulation of this viral poster has ignited debates and discussions on social media platforms.
When reached for comment, the minister's media team denied any involvement in posting such content and said they were investigating the origin of the poster.
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Chandrashekhar Swamiji apologises for remark on denying voting rights to Muslims
"If my statement has upset our Muslim brothers, I deeply regret it."
Bengaluru: Kumara Chandrashekharanath Swamiji, head of the Vishva Okkaliga Mahasansthana Mutt, has expressed regret over his controversial statement suggesting that "Muslims should be denied voting rights."
In a press release, Swamiji clarified, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
He further added, "Okkaligas are inherently tolerant of all religions. We have always treated people of every faith equally. Our Mutt maintains cordial relations with Muslims, and they frequently visit us. Similarly, we attend their weddings and other joyous occasions. Hence, there is no intolerance towards this community." Swamiji appealed to the public to disregard the controversy surrounding his remark.
The controversial statement was made during a farmers' rally, ‘Raita Gharjana,’ organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Karnataka Pradesh, at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, Swamiji had said, "A law should be enacted to deny voting rights to the Muslim community, and the Wakf Board should be abolished."
The remark drew widespread criticism from political leaders and the public alike. Following the backlash, Swamiji issued his apology, stating, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
