Special squad to flush out illegal Bangladeshis: K'taka min
Bengaluru (PTI): A special squad will be formed to flush out illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from the state, Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Thursday.
Replying to a calling attention by MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in the state Assembly, Reddy said the agents who bring Bangladeshis to the state will also be arrested.
Reddy said that when he held the home portfolio in the past, a special squad was formed to identify Bangladeshis in agriculture estates.
"If needed, we will form a special squad, identify the illegal Bangladeshis in the state and send them back," the minister assured Yatnal, who is an expelled BJP legislator.
"We will start a drive to flush out the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to deport them. We will also book and arrest the agents, who bring Bangladeshis to Karnataka," Reddy said.
Yatnal claimed that there are about 25 lakh illegal migrants from Bangladeshis in the state who are working in the agriculture estates, shopping malls and security agencies and demanded the government's response.
Reddy said there were 370 illegal Bangladeshis in Karnataka of which 213 people have been sent back while action is being taken against the rest.
Those who have not been repatriated have been kept at the Foreign Detention Centre since they were involved in some criminal cases.
The minister said that people from the north east and West Bengal were being mistaken for Bangladeshis.
"Karnataka has people from the north east and not Bangladesh. There are about eight lakh to 10 lakh people from West Bengal, seven lakh to eight lakh from Bihar, people from Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in Bengaluru," Reddy said.
He blamed the Centre for the illegal Bangladeshi migrants.
"Where do the Bangladeshis come from. Bangladesh is not next to Karnataka. The Centre should stop the illegal migrants. Why are they letting Bangladeshis in Karnataka," he charged.
Yatnal welcomed the formation of the squad as he noted that illegal Bangladeshis pose serious security threat to India as they could be "underworld dons and terrorists" .
The MLA alleged that the state intelligence department has completely failed as they could not detect the actual number of Bangladeshis residing in the state.
"Over 25 lakh Bangladeshis are there in the state and they are involved in various kinds of crime. The way these Bangladeshis are burning Hindus alive in their country, that kind of situation should not arise in Karnataka," the Vijayapura MLA said.
He also charged that the police book cases against those who try to find out illegal Bangladeshis, a charge the minister rejected.
Yatnal also demanded protection to those who provide information as they should not be troubled. In reply, Reddy said, "let them provide information but they should not take law into their hands."
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K'taka govt officers, employees to wear Khadi to work on first Saturday
Bengaluru (PTI): All officers and employees of the Karnataka government will perform their duties wearing Khadi clothes "voluntarily", on the first Saturday of every month, aimed at promoting the fabric and related products.
They will also be encouraged to wear Khadi on Independence Day, Republic Day and other official events.
Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Thursday issued a circular in this regard.
"On the auspicious occasion of 77th Republic Day, with an aim to reconnect public service with the freedom struggle of the country, the State Government has taken a significant decision to promote the use of Khadi."
"Accordingly, all the officers/employees of all the Government/Aided Institution/Corporations/Boards/Autonomous Institutions/Universities of the State have been asked to wear Khadi on the first Saturday of every month 'voluntarily' and to direct the officers/staff of their departments to wear Khadi while participating in all official government programmes including Independence Day and Republic Day," the circular said.
It is hoped that this move will help in instilling a sense of respect, unity, national sentiment, Indianness, self-respect and social responsibility towards indigenous products among government officers/employees, it added.
With the aim of promoting Khadi products, a meeting was chaired by the Chief Secretary regarding the voluntary wearing of Khadi clothes by the officers and employees of the government and government-owned corporations, authorities, universities, and aided institutions, Karnataka State Government Employees Association separately said on Thursday.
"All officers and employees will perform their duties wearing Khadi clothes on the first Saturday of every month. Khadi clothes to be purchased from the shops of the government-owned Khadi Village Industries Board," the association said in a release.
It said, in addition to the discount currently being given by the Khadi Village Industries Board, an additional discount of 5 per cent will be given to officers and employees.
While the suggested attire for male employees is Khadi shirts, trousers, overcoats and other formal wear, female employees may wear Khadi or Khadi silk sarees, chudidars and other formal outfit.
The initiative will be formally launched on the Government Employees' Day on April 21, the release added.
A proposal in the 2026-27 budget, to establish a Government Employees' Canteen through Mysore Sales International Limited (MSIL), on the lines of defence canteens, to supply essential commodities and daily-use goods at concessional rates, was discussed at the meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary.
Also discussed was, a proposal to extend the additional 5 per cent special discount currently provided by the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) to IAS officers for the purchase of silk sarees and fabrics, to all state government officers and employees, it added.
