Shivamogga: Over 3,22,468 applications for Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards are still pending across Karnataka, with the largest backlogs reported from north Karnataka districts as well as Bengaluru.

The backlog has been recorded in Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Raichur and Koppal districts. Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa shared district-wise data in the Legislative Council while replying to an unstarred question raised by MLC Balkhees Banu, as reported by The New India Express on Wednesday.

According to the report, the numbers show that Belagavi has the highest pendency with 39,019 applications, followed by Kalaburagi (36,037), Vijayapura (24,293), Raichur (18,111), Bengaluru (18,035), Bidar (17,671), Bagalkot (13,658), Dharwad (12,337), Koppal (11,446) and Ballari (10,709) applications.

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“No BPL card has been converted into a Non-Priority Household (NPHH) card,” TNIE quoted Muniyappa told the House.

Raising the issue, Banu allegedly said poor families, daily-wage workers, auto-rickshaw drivers and street vendors were facing serious hardship due to the alleged conversion of BPL cards into NPHH cards. She also highlighted the difficulties faced by patients battling cancer, heart disease and kidney ailments, who depend on subsidised food and medical support.

Responding to this, Muniyappa reportedly said if any BPL card had been temporarily shifted to NPHH, eligible beneficiaries can reaply with documents to the local tahsildar within 45 days, and after verification, their original BPL status would be restored.

As per the report, he said that people facing medical emergencies can also apply a BPL card online to get faster access to welfare benefits.

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Mangaluru: RSS leader Dr. Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat has been granted bail by the Puttur Fifth Additional District and Sessions Court in a case related to alleged communal hate speech.

The case pertains to a complaint filed against Bhat for delivering a speech during a Deepotsava event that was allegedly communal, derogatory towards women, and capable of disturbing public order. The incident took place on October 22 at Uppalige in Puttur taluk during the Deepotsava and Gopuja programme, where Bhat was present.

Following the complaint filed by Eshwari Padmunja at the Puttur Rural Police Station, the police had issued a notice directing Bhat to appear for inquiry. Subsequently, Bhat filed an anticipatory bail petition before the court.

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During the hearing on October 27, the court issued an interim order restraining coercive action and adjourned the matter to October 29 for complete hearing. On October 29, the counsel representing complainant Eshwari Padmunja sought permission to argue under Sections 338 and 339 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The court adjourned the matter several times post that.

On Wednesday, the court granted bail to Prabhakar Bhat.

Advocate Mahesh Kaje represented him in the proceedings.