RSS publicity material removed in Kalaburagi, BJP sees red
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Kalaburagi (PTI): The state BJP on Saturday lashed out at Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge over the removal of RSS' publicity material in Chittapur taluk in this district ahead of a major event but the Congress leader alleged the saffron organisation had not taken permission for the programme.
The RSS had scheduled its 'Patha Sanchalana,' a route march seen as its show of strength and came at a time when the Congress government has decided to implement rules on holding of events in public places and government spaces. The move is seen as one aimed apparently at checking the RSS, with Kharge himself flagging the need for such restrictions with the Chief Minister a few days ago.
On Saturday, RSS flags, flex, banners and posters in Chittapur Taluk were removed. Kharge, the IT/BT minister, represents the Chittapur Assembly constituency.
The Minister had recently written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asking him to ban RSS activities in government institutions and public premises and prohibit the government officers and employees from taking part in its activities.
The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to prohibit private organisations from holding any event in government schools and colleges and public places without prior permission of the authorities.
Flaying Kharge, BJP leader R Ashoka posted on 'X', "Is Chittapur in India or is it the Republic of the Kharge family."
Responding, Kharge asked," Have (RSS) they taken permission for it."
He said he was also fined for putting up posters and banners without permission from the authorities.
"The information I have is that they (RSS) have just given intimation about their event but they have not taken permission. Is the RSS flag the national flag of India. They are putting a flag illegally and are blaming us for it," he added.
He claimed that a BJP functionary threatened him saying that Rashtria Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) volunteers are 'fanatics' who will enter his house and beat him up.
"I am going to lodge a complaint with the Director General of Police," Kharge said.
As tension mounted in Kalaburagi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he has no information about the matter and would get details soon.
He clarified that one has to take permission for holding events.
According to him, the rule of seeking permission for organising events at public places was brought in by the then BJP CM Jagadish Shettar (in 2013), while the Congress government has repeated it.
Siddaramaiah wondered why there was no protest when Jagadish Shettar brought the rule.
"Our target is not at all RSS. It's about any organisation," the Chief Minister clarified.
When asked if the BJP was doing politics, Siddaramaiah said, "BJP always does politics. What else they can do apart from it. They never work for poor people. They just do politics."
He rule out any disturbance to law and order saying there are police to look into it.
Ashoka, the state Leader of Opposition said permission letter was obtained from the municipality for the RSS 'Patha Sanchalana' and Advertisement tax was paid to the municipality for putting up banners and flags, and a receipt has been obtained.
"Despite all this, you have removed the saffron banners and flags in the dead of night, Minister @PriyankKharge sir. Do you think you are the Nizam of Chittapur or a Razakar," he said, attacking the Congress leader.
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Can't say when I'll return to India; legally barred from leaving UK: Mallya to Bombay HC
Mumbai (PTI): Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, facing multiple cases of fraud and money laundering, told the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that he cannot say when he will return to India as he is legally barred from leaving the UK.
In a statement submitted through his counsel Amit Desai to the high court, Mallya said he did not have an active passport after it was revoked and hence, he cannot give a definite date of return to India.
The statement was submitted after a bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad made it clear last week that it would not hear Mallya's plea against the order declaring a fugitive economic offender until he returns to India.
The court had then asked the former liquor to clarify whether or not he intended to return to India.
Mallya, based in the United Kingdom since 2016, has filed two petitions in the HC -- one challenging an order declaring him a fugitive economic offender and the other questioning the constitutional validity of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.
The 70-year-old liquor baron is accused of defaulting on multiple loan repayments of several thousand crores and facing money laundering charges.
The businessman, in his statement to HC, said he cannot give a definite date for his return as he does not have his Indian passport, which was revoked by the government in 2016, and also because there are orders of courts in England and Wales that prohibit him from leaving the country.
"Mallya is not permitted to leave or attempt to leave England and Wales or apply for or be in possession of any international travel document. In any event, the petitioner is unable to precisely state when he will return to India," Desai read out the statement in the court.
The senior counsel reiterated that Mallya's presence was not required in the country for the court to hear his pleas against the fugitive tag and the provisions of the Act.
"If he (Mallya) were to appear in India, then all these proceedings would be rendered irrelevant as the statute says that once the offender appears in the concerned court of law, then all these orders would be set aside," Desai told the court.
The bench directed the Union government to file its reply to Mallya's statement and posted the matter for further hearing next month.
Mallya was declared a Fugitive Economic Offender in January 2019 by a special court hearing cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The businessman left India in March 2016.
