New Karnataka Cabinet has 8 first-time ministers
Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has gotten its full-fledged, 34-minister Cabinet, as 10 ministers took oath on May 20 and the remaining 24 were sworn in on Saturday.
Of the 24 new ministers who took oath on Saturday, eight are getting their first chance at handling a ministry of the Karnataka state government.
K Venkatesh from Periyapatna, KN Rajanna from Madhugiri, Mankal Vaidya of Bhatkal, Lakshmi Hebbalkar of Belgaum Rural, NS Bosaraju of Raichur, Bhyrathi Suresh of Hebbal, Madhu Bangarappa of Sorab, MC Sudhakar of Chintamani and B Nagendra of Ballari Rural are greenhorns as ministers.
The rest 26 MLAs headed ministries in the earlier state governments.
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Minister Parameshwara says remarks on properties linked to drug peddlers 'misunderstood'
Tumakuru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said his recent remarks on the demolition of properties linked to those involved in narcotics trade were "misunderstood and misinterpreted".
His clarification follows remarks made two days ago on the government's uncompromising crackdown on the drug menace, including action against properties linked to foreign nationals allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
"It is unfortunate. It is taken in the wrong sense. I didn't mean that tomorrow itself I am going to send bulldozers and demolish the houses. That was not my intention. It was wrongly taken," he told reporters here.
Responding to Congress MLC K Abdul Jabbar's question in the legislative council on the growing drug menace in Bengaluru, Davangere and coastal districts, the minister on Thursday detailed the extensive enforcement measures initiated since the Congress government assumed office.
Pointing to the involvement of some foreign nationals, the minister had said, "Many foreign students from African countries have come to Karnataka. They are into the drug business. We catch them and register cases against them, but they want the case to be registered because once the case is registered, we cannot deport them."
"We have gone to the extent of demolishing the rented building where they stay," he had said.
