Karnataka's second Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Dharwad flagged off
Dharwad (K'taka) (PTI): The second ultra luxury semi high speed Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Dharwad chugged out on Tuesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged it off virtually from Rani Kamalapati Railway Station in Bhopal.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, South Western Railway (SWR) General Manager Sanjeev Kishore and Hubballi Divisional Railway Manager Harsh Khare were among those present on the occasion here.
Gehlot and Joshi led the flagging off ceremony on behalf of the Prime Minister here.
The journey from Bengaluru to Dharwad in AC Chair car will cost Rs 1,165 and executive class Rs 2,210.
The return trip will be costlier by Rs 230 since it includes lunch and snacks on board.
"In Dharwad to Bengaluru direction, lunch is also included in addition to snacks in ticket itself whereas in Bengaluru to Dharwad direction lunch is not available. Only Breakfast/Snacks will be served," a Railway officer said.
According to the SWR authorities, the inaugural run will have stoppages at Hubballi, Haveri, Ranebennur, Harihar, Davangere, Chikkajajur, Birur, Arasikere, Tiptur, Ammasandra, Tumakuru, Doddabele, Chikkabanavara, and Yashwanthpur before reaching its final destination.
The Vande Bharat express train will depart from KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station (SBC) at 5.45 am and reach Dharwad at 12.10 pm.
On its return journey, the train will start at 1.15 pm and arrive in Bengaluru by 7.45 pm.
This is the second Vande Bharat train in Karnataka. The first one is running between Mysuru and Chennai via Bengaluru.
A large number of school students also boarded the train to experience their maiden journey in the ultra-luxury train.
With a broad smile on their faces, they were holding placards, which greeted the Railways and those travelling in the train.
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Campaign Against Hate Speech calls for action against Chandrashekar Swamiji for hate speech
Bengaluru: Campaign Against Hate Speech, a collective of lawyers, activists, and concerned citizens, has urged Karnataka’s Home Minister, Shri Parameshwara G, and Director General of Police, Dr. Alok Mohan, to take legal action against Chandrashekar Swamiji, the seer of Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt. The demand follows an alleged hate speech made by the seer during a protest organized by the Bharatiya Kisan Union at Freedom Park on November 26, 2024.
The organization claimed that the speech was divisive and aimed at spreading communal hatred and enmity between communities. Chandrashekar Swamiji allegedly made inflammatory remarks, including false claims about the authority of the Waqf Board and a controversial suggestion that Muslims in India should be stripped of their voting rights. The speech, delivered to a large audience, has since been uploaded to YouTube by TV9 Kannada, amassing over 6,900 views.
The organization provided excerpts of the speech, which they say falsely accused the Waqf Board of arbitrarily taking over properties, including farmland, and asserted that minorities in Pakistan do not have voting rights. These remarks, they argued, not only mislead the public but also incite hostility against the Muslim community and misrepresent the functioning of the Waqf Board. The statement suggesting that Muslims should be denied voting rights was described as unconstitutional and harmful to the secular and democratic values of the country.
In their letter, the collective highlighted specific sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (formerly the IPC) that they believe the speech violates. These include provisions against promoting enmity between communities, making assertions prejudicial to national integration, and spreading false or alarming information intended to incite hatred. They also pointed out that comments on the video supported the seer’s views, reflecting the potential for real-world consequences stemming from the speech.
While Chandrashekar Swamiji has since issued a written apology, Campaign Against Hate Speech argued that it is insufficient. The apology has not been widely circulated, while the original speech continues to be shared online, further amplifying its divisive message.
The organization has requested legal action against the seer and restrictions on the offensive video. They have also called for a broader public awareness campaign to educate people about the legal and social consequences of hate speech. Additionally, they suggested that the upcoming winter session of the Karnataka Assembly address the growing issue of hate speech comprehensively.
The letter underscored the importance of preserving Karnataka’s identity as a “garden of peace for all communities,” as envisioned by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu. Citing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision of democracy as a mode of “associated living,” they stressed that such remarks not only threaten a specific community but also undermine the foundational values of the nation.
