Modi does not have memory power: LS former speaker Meira Kumar
‘Before Kovind, KR Narayan was the first dalit president’
Hubballi, May 7: Former speaker in Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is claiming that it is BJP which made Ramanath Kovind as the first dalit president of the country, has no memory because, before Kovind, KR Narayan was the first president belonging to dalit community.
Hitting out at Modi’s claim here on Monday, she told reporters that she has never seen such a prime minister who has been lying continuously, before. The Congress has never insulted Dr BR Ambedkar. Jawaharlal Nehru had appointed Dr BR Ambedkar as the first Law Minister in his cabinet. Later, he was made the chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee. Such kind of lies would not suit to the personality of Modi, she said.
The BJP has involved in communal politics. The country has eight major religions and it is the responsibility of the government to establish communal harmony between those religions. But the BJP government has been trying to divide them for its gains. The centre has completely failed to check illegal incidents like rapes and harassments on dalits in the country. The gang rape on an eight year-old girl in Kathua is a shame on part of the country, she said.
The Karnataka state has developed under the leadership of Siddaramaiah. But Prime Minister Modi has spoken against Bengaluru and its name. The people of Karnataka should reject the BJP which has been doing divisive politics, she said.
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Karnataka govt hints at increasing PHH ration card income limit
Bengaluru (PTI) The Karnataka government on Thursday indicated that it may hike the family income limit to obtain a Priority Households (PHH) ration card, considering rising costs.
Karnataka Health & Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao gave this indication in the Legislative Assembly, while replying to a question on behalf of Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa. He was responding to a question by senior BJP MLA C N Ashwath Narayan, during question hour.
"The current family annual income limit of Rs 1.20 lakh was fixed in 2017, it should certainly be accepted that the amount is less. From 2017, we are now in 2026. There is a need to revise this. It must be re-examined," said Rao, who previously served as Food and Civil Supplies Minister.
Noting that the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission, headed by senior Congress MLA R V Deshpande, has recommended increasing the income limit to Rs 3 lakh, he said, "The department will look into this."
Raising the issue, Narayan stressed the need for higher income limits as the cost of living in Bengaluru had risen.
Replying to Narayan's statement that 50 per cent of the urban population should get PHH or Antyodaya cards, citing the Food Security Act, the minister said the act meant for the country as a whole, while it varies for states.
Karnataka has 1.24 crore households with PHH ration cards, Rao said. "The Centre has identified 1.09 crore eligible families in Karnataka. But the state has exceeded this by 15.8 lakh families. In some rural areas, 95 per cent of the population is covered."
He also highlighted cases where ineligible people have obtained the card.
"There is demand for this card as it is considered the basis for obtaining other benefits like medical and other things. They don't want it for obtaining ration, but for other benefits," he said.
