M Lakshman criticizes Pratap Simha's caste remark, promises development if elected
Mysuru: M Lakshman, the Congress candidate for the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency, has responded to a statement by parliamentarian Pratap Simha, saying, "I was born as an Okkaliga and grew up to be a vishwamanava." Pratap Simha had earlier questioned as to who had given the caste certificate to M Lakshman.
He defended his caste identity, displaying his Vokkaliga 3A caste certificate issued by the Mysore Taluk Tahsildar, and said that one's caste is not written on their forehead.
Lakshman criticized the BJP, stating that they are resorting to lies and falsehoods during the election campaign. He highlighted the need for communal harmony and unity among all castes. Lakshman promised to focus on tourism development and create employment opportunities in the IT sector if elected. He also pledged to work towards making the Mysuru-Kodagu constituency a model for development.
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He further added that the Congress government will be in the state for 4 years and he is committed to bringing more grants.
“Like BJP we do not indulge in communal and caste conflict. Congress does not have that tendency. We will work for the people without telling lies like the BJP,” he said.
City Congress President R. Murthy, District Congress President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, Muda President K. Marigowda, former MLA M.K. Somashekhar, leaders H.V. Rajeev, B.M. Ramu, Sitaram, Bhaskar L. Gowda, N.R. Nagesh, Girish of Seva Dal were present.
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Jailed Palestinian writer wins International prize for arabic fiction
Abu Dhabi: Palestinian author Basim Khandaqji, who has been imprisoned by Israel since 2004, has been named the winner of the 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) for his novel “A Mask, the Colour of the Sky”.
Khandaqji’s publisher Rana Idriss, of the Lebanon-based Dar al-Adab publishing house, accepted the award on his behalf at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
The book tells the story of Nur, an archaeologist living in a Palestinian refugee camp in Ramallah, who adopts a “mask” when he finds a blue identity card belonging to an Israeli in the pocket of an old coat.
Born in Nablus, Khandaqji has been imprisoned by Israel since he was 21 years old. He studied political science at Al-Quds University from prison with a thesis on Israeli studies and has published several poetry collections and novels.
In an interview in January, Khandaqji’s brother said his family had not been able to speak with him for four months, a problem many Palestinians held in Israeli prisons have faced since October 2023.
Khandaqji wrote the award-winning book in prison in 2021, when he would manage to write about two pages each day between 5am and 7am, although “very often, the papers are taken from him and destroyed by the guard”, his brother said.
