Shivakumar cancels Davos trip, cites engagements in Delhi and Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has cancelled his scheduled visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, citing official engagements in New Delhi and Bengaluru.
"The Deputy CM has a series of meetings lined up with AICC functionaries regarding Assam assembly elections and is also spearheading the campaign against the union government over MGNREGA due to which a five-day special session of the Karnataka Assembly is scheduled to begin from January 22," his office said in a release on Saturday.
According to the Deputy CM's itinerary, Shivakumar, who was in Delhi to take part in a preparatory meeting in connection with the Assembly elections in Assam, will be travelling to Bidar in northern Karnataka this evening.
He will attend the funeral of former minister Bheemanna Khandre, who died late last night, at the age of 102, in Bidar.
Later, he will travel to New Delhi via Hyderabad at night.
The decision to skip the Davos summit, scheduled from January 18 and Shivakumar's return to Delhi has fuelled speculations about the stability of current leadership.
It also comes in the backdrop of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's brief conversation with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy Shivakumar on Tuesday evening, sparking rumours that the high command may be addressing the ongoing power tussle.
The leadership tussle in the ruling party has intensified after the Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. The speculation has been fuelled by the reported 'power-sharing' arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of the government’s formation in 2023.
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BJP insulting Sanatan traditions: Akhilesh on 'restrictions' for Avimukteshwaranand's Lucknow event
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over the conditions imposed for a programme led by Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati in the state capital, accusing it of insulting Sanatan traditions.
The seer is scheduled to address a gathering in Lucknow later on Wednesday as part of his campaign seeking the status of "rashtra mata" (national mother) for the cow and a complete ban on cow slaughter across the country.
Local authorities have granted permission for the event titled 'Gau Pratishtha Dhwaj Sthapana, Dharm Yudh Shankhnaad Sabha' with approximately 26 conditions.
Reacting to the conditions, Yadav took to social media and mocked the restrictions, saying the government might as well specify "how many centimetres one can open their eyes and mouth."
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According to the organisers, the guidelines include restrictions on inflammatory speeches against any religion, caste, community or language, a ban on abusive remarks against political or religious figures, and directions that minors should not be asked to raise controversial slogans.
Other conditions require that no prohibited items be brought to the venue, except for traditional flags, private security arrangements are made, and that fire safety, traffic regulations, noise pollution norms, and environmental guidelines are observed. Organisers have also been asked to ensure that traffic is not disrupted and to cover the costs of police deployment and venue arrangements.
"Someone does not like something and therefore piles up conditions," Akhilesh said in the post, accusing the BJP government of insulting Sanatan traditions and imposing "illogical restrictions".
The former chief minister also questioned the reference to COVID-related protocols in the guidelines, asking, "Is COVID-19 still around? If so, the government should indicate in which of its own meetings or BJP events these rules were last adhered to," adding that such irrational restrictions indicate a weak government.
Responding to the remarks ahead of the programme, Avimukteshwaranand said one should not focus on the language used by political leaders but rather on the practicality of the conditions.
Taking a swipe at some of the conditions, the seer said that certain guidelines appeared 'unrealistic'.
"One could ask why people here are not following the COVID rules? Everyone should stand apart and speak from a distance. But since COVID is not present now, such rules are not required," he said.
"If COVID guidelines must be followed, why are they not being enforced at railway stations, airports, or in public spaces? Even the administration is not wearing masks. It seems they only want to silence us," and emphasised that guidelines should be practical to follow.
The seer reached Lucknow on Tuesday evening as part of his ongoing march for cow protection that began in Varanasi on March 6 and passed through several districts before arriving in the state capital.
Soon after his arrival, Samajwadi Party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra met him and expressed support for his campaign.
Speaking to PTI Videos after the meeting, Mehrotra said the seer had announced a "dharma yudh" (religious struggle) and that his party stood with him in what he called a fight for truth and justice.
"It is a matter of good fortune that the revered Shankaracharya has come to Lucknow and will stay here tonight. He represents Lord Shiva and is a centre of faith for crores of Hindus," he said.
Mehrotra said his party supported the demand to grant the cow the status of "rashtra mata", arguing that such recognition would ensure that cow slaughter stops.
"The demand is for an immediate stop to cow slaughter. We are prepared to make any sacrifices in this struggle," he said.
Additionally, he stated that if their demands are not met, the issue would be addressed politically in the future.
"If the government changes in 2027 under Akhilesh Yadav's leadership, the first cabinet meeting will decide to declare the cow as 'rashtra mata,' " he added.
