Razakars did burn down our house, can't hold Muslims responsible: Priyank Kharge slams UP CM
Bengaluru: Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday clarified that their family would never blame the entire Muslim community for the tragic incident of their house being burnt down by the Razakars in the past.
Priyank responded sharply to Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath after he raised the childhood tragedy of Priyank’s father and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, during a rally in poll-bound Maharashtra. Adityanath had mentioned how the Hyderabad Nizam’s Razakars set fire to Mallikarjun Kharge's house in 1948, resulting in the deaths of his mother and sister.
Priyank said, despite the tragedy, his father never played the victim card and never let hatred define him. “It was the Razakars who committed this act—not the entire Muslim community. Every community has bad apples and individuals who do wrong,” he wrote on X.
The Karnataka IT-BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister asserted that his father, at 82, was fighting to uphold the Constitution against "tyranny and hatred”, adding that Adityanath cannot "bulldoze" Mallikarjun Kharge's principles or ideology.
Priyank further emphasised that they (Dalits) have been subjected to various forms of insult and discrimination by different communities. He called on Adityanath to address these injustices as well. He stated that they lost precious family members and their home and added that it is not for others to speak about their family affair.
"Try winning the elections on PM Narendra Modi's achievements instead of trying to sow seeds of hatred in the society for political gains," Priyank remarked.
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Karnataka cabinet approves formation of separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a formation of separate Dharwad city corporation. Alongside, a 15% hike in fares across the four state transport corporations was also approved. The revised fares will come into effect on January 5.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil, addressing the media at the Committee Hall of Vidhana Soudha, provided details about the decision. He explained that the last fare revision for BMTC was a decade ago when diesel cost Rs 60.98 per litre. Since then, operational costs have risen significantly.
Diesel expenditure for the four corporations has increased from Rs 9.16 crore to Rs 13.21 crore, and personnel costs have grown from Rs 12.85 crore to Rs 18.36 crore. The daily operational burden now stands at Rs 9.56 crore. The fare hike is expected to generate an additional Rs 74.85 crore in monthly revenue without burdening the state exchequer, as Rs 5,015 crore has already been allocated for the Shakti Yojana this fiscal year.
Minister Patil announced that the Cabinet has decided to bifurcate the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation into two independent municipal bodies.
The Cabinet approved the construction of a fishing port in Hejamady village, Udupi, with a revised estimate of Rs 209.13 crore. Additionally, Rs 84.57 crore has been sanctioned for the modernization and dredging of fishing ports.
In a move to strengthen cow shelters, Rs 10.50 crore has been allocated for projects in 14 districts. The Cabinet also approved constructing a building for Visvesvaraya Technical University in Chikkaballapur district at Rs 149.75 crore.
The Cabinet sanctioned a state-of-the-art bus stand in Bannimantap, Mysuru, at a cost of Rs 120 crore. Spread over 14 acres, the facility will include a divisional office, bus units, and commercial shops.
Approval was also granted to utilize Rs 137.85 crore, provided by the Union Finance Ministry under the Special Capital Assistance Scheme, for capital expenditure.
The Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board will use Rs 56.92 crore from its SCP/TSP scheme to supply bed sheets, mosquito nets, and clothing to government residential schools and hostels.
The Cabinet approved Rs 100 crore to construct new buildings for 200 veterinary institutions currently housed in rented or dilapidated structures, using NABARD assistance.
In Davangere, a site was allotted to the Karnataka Working Journalists' Association for constructing a civic facility. A plot in Avaragere village was also leased for 30 years at a concessional rate to Nayaka Vidyarthi Nilaya.
