Leadership decisions won’t be based on caste or religion, says Minister Eshwara Khandre
Bengaluru: Forest, Environment, and Zoology Minister Eshwara Khandre has clarified that leadership positions in Karnataka, including the Chief Minister and KPCC president posts, are not vacant and that any decisions regarding leadership will not be based on caste, community, or religion.
Responding to questions about MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s recent statement suggesting that Satish Jarkiholi could fill a leadership role after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s political twilight, Khandre said that Yathindra’s remarks should not be interpreted as the voice of the Chief Minister. “Yathindra himself has already clarified his statement. There is no need for anyone else to comment on it,” he said.
Khandre emphasised that the Congress party is set to return to power in 2028, and at the appropriate time, senior party leaders will consult across communities and castes before making leadership decisions. He dismissed the notion of a “November Revolution” as entirely mistaken, saying the Siddaramaiah-led government, along with Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, is delivering effective governance and earning public approval, which has reportedly unsettled the opposition.
On a separate note, Khandre said he would travel to Delhi to meet senior party leaders regarding various departmental issues, including forest land under HMT and forest development fees, which are currently under Supreme Court review. He also noted that the government is taking immediate action to treat injured elephants at the Sugarcane Bull Elephant Camp, highlighting the shortage of wildlife veterinarians and arrangements for temporary medical support.
Responding to broader concerns, Khandre said, “As a minister responsible for forests, environment, and zoology, I feel satisfied that I am entrusted with a role that safeguards the interests of future generations.”
On questions regarding historical figures, he added, “Great personalities do not belong to any single caste. Efforts to claim them as the property of a caste, community, or organization are incorrect. Power lies in unity, and all communities should be brought together for the benefit of the state and nation. Any attempt to unify communities like Veerashaiva-Lingayat will be welcomed.”
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In a first, Meitei MLA visits Kuki relief camp in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): In a first since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in 2023, a Meitei MLA on Monday visited a relief camp set up for the Kuki community in Ukhrul district.
BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who represents the Singjamei constituency in Imphal West, visited a camp at Litan Sareikhong and interacted with Kuki inmates who fled their homes during the violence.
"With Christmas approaching, we all should pray for the return of peace in the state," he told the inmates.
"There are conflicts almost everywhere in the world. But we should learn to live in harmony despite the existing differences. There should not be any hindrance in visiting each other's villages," he added.
Singh said this conflict should not be allowed to affect the future of children.
"We, the elders, both in the Hills and the Valley, may have differences, but we should think about our children's future," he said.
State BJP vice president H Shimray, who belongs to the Naga community, said Singh's visit is part of efforts to restore peace in the state and bring back the "previous love that existed between communities".
"We have been talking with Yumnam on how to start an interaction. He said there had to be a beginning," Shimray added.
Speaking to reporters, an inmate of the camp urged the government to allow them to return to their homes.
Over 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities, which have deeply divided the state on ethnic lines.
The state has been under the President's Rule since February, after BJP leader N Biren Singh resigned amid criticisms over his government's handling of the crisis.
