K'taka govt mulls over suit against Maharashtra counterpart over "false" ads on ''guarantee'' scheme
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the government was mulling over filing a suit against its counterpart in poll-bound Maharashtra for allegedly issuing false advertisements regarding his administration's flagship 'guarantee' schemes.
He said legal action is being explored against the Mahayuti government.
"It is only to mislead the people of Maharashtra in order to get the votes. He (PM) is telling lies. False advertisement is given by Maharashtra government," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question on PM Narendra Modi targeting Karnataka government's guarantee schemes during Maharashtra poll campaign, and whether government is mulling legal action against alleged misinformation about the schemes.
"I'm getting the issue examined about taking legal action. We are thinking about filing a suit against the Maharashtra government, because they have given false advertisements. We are thinking," he told reporters here.
The Karnataka government is spending Rs 56,000 crore a year on guarantee schemes, the Chief Minister said. "They (BJP) say we don't have money. Why are such schemes not being implemented in other states where BJP is in power?" he asked.
Siddaramaiah on Saturday too had said he was considering taking legal action against the BJP’s Maharashtra unit alleging it 'spread lies' about the five guarantees implemented by his government.
Questioning whether JD(S)' H D Kumaraswamy had given guarantee schemes while in power, Siddaramaiah asked as to what moral rights he has to comment on Congress government's guarantee schemes.
"Let Kumaraswamy (Union Minister and former Chief Minister) speak in Delhi, Karnataka's tax contribution is Rs 4.5 lakh crore per year , but what we get is Rs 59,000-60,000 crore. If we give Rs 1, what we get back is 14 paise. Remaining money is with the centre, let him (Kumaraswamy) get more funds for the state, instead of just speaking," he said.
He asked whether Kumaraswamy and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda have ever questioned the Centre's "injustice" to the State.
Noting that loan given to farmers of the state by NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) has come down by 58 per cent this year, the CM asked as to "what are the Union Ministers from the state -- Kumaraswamy and Pralhad Joshi -- doing."
"I have written a letter to Prime Minister and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman not to reduce the amount, stating that it will be unfair to farmers -- don't do it," he said, adding that the state government is giving interest free loan to farmers up to Rs 5 lakh and only 3 per cent interest up to Rs 15 lakh.
Asking the media not to create confusion regarding Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards, the Chief Minister stressed that only ineligible ones will be cancelled.
"We want the poor to get the benefits...who is giving the 'Anna Bhagya' (free rice) scheme? Did BJP or JD(S) ever give? Siddaramaiah did it as the Chief Minister...BJP only speaks....." he added.
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Young woman from MP who shot to fame during Kumbh found to be minor, case registered against husband
Khargone (MP) (PTI): The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes on Friday confirmed that a young woman from Madhya Pradesh who became famous due to her viral videos during the 2025 Maha Kumbh has been found to be a minor after an inquiry.
Citing the findings of an inquiry panel set up by the commission, local BJP leaders alleged that her interfaith marriage in Kerala last month was a case of "love Jihad", and sought legal action.
While the panel had submitted its report in March, ST commission chairman Antar Singh Arya confirmed its findings to the PTI on Friday.
A case for alleged kidnapping and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has already been registered against her husband, a Muslim man, at Maheshwar on the basis of the inquiry findings, police said.
The girl gained national fame after her videos while selling garlands and rudraksha at the Maha Kumbh went viral on social media and also earned her a role in a film.
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes set up an inquiry panel after receiving a complaint on March 17 from Pratham Dubey, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, that she was a minor and was being exploited.
Maheshwar BJP MLA Rajkumar Mev and BJP mandal president Vikram Patel, armed with documents, told reporters on Friday that her marriage in Kerala was a case of "love Jihad" and she should be brought back home.
'Love jihad' is a term used by right-wing groups to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into marriage to convert them to Islam.
Police said an investigation is underway, and further action would be taken accordingly.
The girl, who belongs to the nomadic Pardhi community, got married at a temple in Kerala in March. The interfaith marriage drew angry reactions from rightwing Hindu groups.
Her family members and film director Sanoj Mishra -- who had offered her a film role after she became famous -- too alleged that it was 'love Jihad'.
As per the inquiry conducted by the ST commission, records at the Maheshwar government hospital showed the woman's date of birth as December 30, 2009 which meant she was 16 years and two months old at the time of marriage, said Dubey, the complainant.
On a complaint filed by her father, police registered a case against the girl's husband at Maheshwar police station on March 25 for alleged kidnapping and under the POCSO Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Police sources said that a separate case was also registered on March 24 under section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (taking a minor from lawful custody of guardian without their consent) based on the the commission's findings.
