Karnataka minister R Ashoka warns of confiscation of properties of protesters damaging public assets
Bengaluru, Dec 26: Sending out a stern warning, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Thursday said the state government would emulate Uttar Pradesh and confiscate properties of those who caused damage to public properties during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Everyone has to obey the law of the land and not give an opportunity for such an action by the government, he told reporters here.
"...the way in which Uttar Pradesh government has decided to confiscate the properties of those indulging in violence - if such things (violence) happen again (here), it will be brought in Karnataka also," Ashoka said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that properties of those involved in the violence would be seized and auctioned to compensate destruction of public and private assets during the protests over the amended citizenship law.
On Wednesday UP officials had said over 60 people have been "identified for violence" during last week's anti CAA protests in Rampur and Gorakhpur and issued notices, asking them to explain their position or pay for damage caused to public and private property.
Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP General Secretary and Member of Parliament Shobha Karandlaje too urged the state government to identify those who caused damage to public property during the protests in the state and make them pay for it.
"They should not be let away, no one has the right to destroy public property... any one can protest, but if they cause damage to public property, the government should make sure that they pay for it," she added.
Anti-CAA protests had reached its peak in the state last week and turned violent in Mangaluru, resulting in the death of two in police firing.
Defending the CAA, Ashoka said, India was not a charitable lodging place and every one has to abide by law of the land.
"The Act (CAA) that has been brought in, is right....
India is not a charitable lodging place for those from Pakistan and Bangladesh to come and stay here, there is laws and rules here and one has to abide by it," he said.
"Whether it is CAA or NRC it is the law of the country, Congress MLA should also follow them and so does BJP MLAs and everyone else," he said.
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England sticking with Key, McCullum and Stokes despite Ashes humbling
London (AP): England is not sacking anybody following the 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia.
A review of the tour by the England and Wales Cricket Board, announced within hours of the final match in January, was concluded on Monday. Firing people would “be the easy thing to do,” ECB chief executive Richard Gould said but he insisted, "This is not the time to throw everything out."
Managing director Rob Key, coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes kept their jobs after the best England side to go to Australia in 14 years lost the Ashes in 11 days with two games to spare.
“Moving people on can sometimes be the easy thing to do. That's not the route that we're going to take,” Gould said. “I've seen the driving ambition and determination that we're lucky enough to have within our leadership group to take the lessons from the Ashes and move forward.”
Gould previously was the chief executive of Bristol City soccer club and said the ECB would not follow the same route as soccer's hire-and-fire culture.
“Cricket is a very unique sport in that it takes a team of leadership ... it's not like football where there's a single point of failure or success with a manager," he said. He added the ECB would not “select or deselect management based on a popularity campaign.”
The main criticisms of England's tour were poor preparation, player misbehavior, and selection mistakes.
At a press conference at Lord's, Gould and Key said McCullum and Stokes have not had a “bust up,” they did not want McCullum to “completely change” but “to evolve,” the behavior of some players was “unprofessional,” there will be more consequences for underperforming, and a commitment to “better long-term planning” ahead of major test series.
Some changes were already implemented for the Twenty20 World Cup, where England reached the semifinals. Gould implied that performance saved McCullum.
Key acknowledged that England supporters would be disappointed to see the management team go unpunished.
“I know people want punishment and that people then should be sacked for that,” Key said. “That doesn't mean we don't feel like we've gone through some serious pain: Brendon, myself, Ben. It's been as tough a time as I think I've had.”
