MLA Mahesh Kumatalli missing case: HC issues notice to Ramesh Jarkiholi, state government
Bengaluru, February 11: The Karnataka High Court on Monday served notice to former minister Ramesh Jarakiholi and the state government over missing case of Athani MLA Mahesh Kumatalli.
Hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by advocate and Youth Congress secretary Pramod Dayanand Hiremani of Athani, a bench comprising of Justice Phaneendra and Justice Natarajan issued the notice.
The advocate, arguing for the petitioner, said that former minister Ramesh Jarakiholi kept Athani MLA Mahesh Kumatalli in house arrest illegally and the police should be directed to trace him and produce him before the court.
The advocate further stated that the MLA is facing threat to his life, so the Home department and Athani police should immediately be directed to trace the missing MLA and produce him before the court. While further appealing the court to order immediate interrogation of former minister Ramesh Jarakholi.
About incident
It is said that Mahesh had allegedly informed the applicant of the petition that Ramesh had been forcing him to resign from his MLA post, and was also threatening of kidnapping him if he doesn’t resign. And within sometime after this, Mahesh went missing and now has been untraced for over a month.
He was not found in his constituency Athani, nor did he attend any of the assembly session this month where the JDS-Congress coalition government presented the budget. According to the applicant, the MLA’s family is also not responding clearly about his whereabouts.
The apoplicant has also filed a complaint at the Athani police station dated Feb 7, but the police has not yet filed an FIR into the matter, citing that Mahesh might have been to Bengaluru to attend the assembly session, where he was not found to be, when enquired at the legislator’s house.
The HC has now directed the state government and the police to investigate the matter and trace the missing MLA.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Modi govt by changing name of MGNREGA exposed its 'hatred' towards Gandhi: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attempting to change the name and structure of the MGNREGA, has itself exposed its "hatred" towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi.
He also accused the Centre of "altering" the very structure of the scheme, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, and called Modi "anti federal".
Suggesting that the NDA government at the Centre start a "Ministry of Name Change", with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio, the CM warned of a statewide agitation against this name change move.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
ALSO READ: Slain Australia beach shooting suspect native of Hyderabad: T'gana police
"The Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is attempting to change the name and structure of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), has itself exposed its hatred towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
Implemented by the UPA government 20 years ago, the MGNREGA scheme has played a crucial role in eradicating unemployment and poverty in rural areas, he said, adding that "this scheme, which guarantees the right to employment to every individual, has received praise from economists both in India and abroad."
Noting that MGNREGA was a genuine form of employment guarantee, the CM said the proposed new structure under the Modi government strips away that guarantee and places the assurance of work at the whims of political leaders.
"This will further deepen caste discrimination and social inequality," he claimed.
Highlighting that the NDA government has altered the very structure of MGNREGA, a scheme whose entire expenditure was earlier borne by the Central government, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, Siddaramaiah said this stands as clear evidence of the "anti-federal attitude" that Prime Minister Modi has followed ever since coming to power.
"This move will also increase the migration of poor people in search of work as the proposed form does not guarantee employment in their own location -- forcing families to travel long distances to survive," he said.
Naming this scheme after Mahatma Gandhi, who sowed the dream of Gram Swaraj, was a meaningful decision, the CM said, "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi indulges in praising Gandhi during his foreign tours, within the country he has consistently engaged in attempts to erase Gandhi's legacy from key national programmes. From a parivar that seeks to glorify Gandhi's assassin Godse, what different conduct can one really expect?"
"Narendra Modi is widely known for simply changing the names of landmark schemes launched by the UPA government rather than preserving or strengthening them. It would be more appropriate for this government to start a 'Ministry of Name Change,' with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio," he said.
More than 25 flagship programmes launched during earlier governments were merely renamed or repackaged by the present regime, the CM further said, listing out that the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan was rechristened as the Swachh Bharat Mission, while the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account scheme was rebranded as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, among others.
"These changes reflect a consistent pattern of altering names rather than fundamentally strengthening or expanding the original intent of these welfare initiatives," he added.
Stating that the Congress party and state government strongly condemn this "anti-people" decision of the Narendra Modi government, which has snatched food from the plates of the poor, insulted Bapu, and attempted to strangle state governments financially, Siddaramaiah warned about launching a statewide agitation against this move.
"The responsibility of preserving the MGNREGA scheme in its original form must also be taken up by the lakhs of beneficiaries of the scheme. They must hold the BJP leaders of the state accountable and exert pressure on them to raise their voices against this injustice, rising above party lines," he said.
