Own a TV or fridge or 2 wheeler? Surrender or face action
Big Shock to BPL card holders in Karnataka
Belagavi, Feb 15: The Karnataka government on Monday asked people possessing Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards, despite being ineligible on account of owning either a two wheeeler, TV, fridge or over five acres of land, to surrender them before March 31 or face legal action.
"There are parameters for possessing a BPL card. They should not have more than five acres of land, motorcycle, TV or fridge.
Those who don't qualify on these parameters should return the cards or else we will do it," Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Katti said at a press conference in Belagavi.
He said anyone earning more than Rs 1.20 lakh annually should not use BPL cards and has to return it before March 31.
Congress flayed the remarks and party workers staged protests in front of various ration shops in Bengaluru.
Party workers also protested in Dharwad, Mysuru and Tumakuru, a Congress leader said.
Congress MLA U T Khader said the issue had come up before him when he was the Food and Civil Supplies Minister in the Siddaramaiah government and he had decided not to relax the norms as many poor people would be affected.
He opined that when there are offers like interest free loans to purchase all these items, it was obvious that people would buy it.
The government is 'anti-poor', he charged and asked them to focus on identifying more beneficiaries instead of 'snatching away' their BPL cards.
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Car driver alleges assault by auto drivers after minor road incident in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): In a suspected case of road rage, a car driver was allegedly chased and assaulted by two autorickshaw drivers following a minor road incident on Sarjapur Road here, police said on Monday.
The incident occurred on March 25 around 8.20 pm when Shriraj Bhardwaj, a native of Ajmer in Rajasthan, and his colleague were driving on Sarjapur Road and allegedly encountered an autorickshaw coming from the wrong side of the road, they said.
The victim later lodged an online complaint regarding the incident on March 26.
A senior police officer said that in this connection, a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) has already been registered at the Bellandur Police Station and further investigation into the matter is underway.
Registration of NCR means the complaint has been noted in the station diary, but a formal FIR and investigation will require further legal steps or magistrate approval, police said.
Following the incident, Bhardwaj took to 'X', recalling the episode and claiming that it began with a negligible touch between the vehicles that caused no damage.
"What followed was not an argument, it was a chase. The auto driver started aggressively chasing us, trying to block our car multiple times in moving traffic, hitting the vehicle, and attempting to open the doors. We chose not to engage and instead tried to reach a safe place," he alleged.
According to him, the situation escalated when another autorickshaw joined the chase. Together, they allegedly blocked their path near Sarjapur Bridge, and one of them picked up a concrete stone and smashed the windshield of his car while they were still inside.
"We somehow managed to reach RGA Tech Park, thinking a gated office space would mean safety. It didn't. Both drivers followed us inside. Before I could even step out of the car, I was physically assaulted, repeatedly hit in the face, leaving me injured," he alleged.
"Only after things calmed down did the main accused flee. When the police arrived, the second driver apologised in front of them," Bhardwaj further alleged.
He said that following the incident, he has made up his mind to leave Bengaluru and never return.
Bellandur police said they have registered a non-cognisable report and traced the autorickshaw driver.
"The complainant is yet to record his statement for further action. We have been trying to contact him but he informed us that he is out of state. Further inquiry into the matter is underway," the officer said.
The auto driver, however, has alleged that his vehicle was damaged and that he was asking them to stop the car to resolve the issue, but they did not stop, which led to the incident.
