Third legislator joins Congress in a month in poll-bound Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Former JD(S) MLA S R Srinivas (Gubbi Srinivas alias Vasu) on Thursday became the third legislator to resign from the post, and join Congress, this month, ahead of May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka.
According to the Congress, 37 leaders associated with JD(S) in the 2018 Assembly polls, have joined the party so far, in the run up to the upcoming elections.
Srinivas, a former Minister had resigned as MLA on March 27, while two MLCs from BJP Puttanna and Baburao Chinchansur had resigned from their Legislative Council membership earlier this month to join the Congress.
Puttanna has been fielded from Rajajinagar Assembly segment by the Congress in its first list, and there are indications that the party might field Chinchansur and Srinivas too from Gurmitkal and Gubbi segments respectively.
Inducting Srinivas, a four time MLA and former Minister,and his supporters into the party, KPCC President D K Shivakumar said, "I had been trying to get Vasu (Srinivas) to Congress for a long time, but now looking at the mood of the people he has decided to join the party...His joining will not only strengthen the party in Tumakuru, but the entire Old Mysuru region."
Noting that about 37 leaders, who were associated with JD(S) in the last assembly polls have joined the party so far -- also two BJP MLCs Puttanna and Baburao Chinchansur, among several others, Shivakumar claimed, there is a "long list of people" wishing to join the Congress and it will be made known in stages, in the days to come.
Srinivas said he was returning to his "own house", recalling his and his father's earlier association with the Congress.
"I had no intention to leave JD(S) but was forced to. In October, 2021 Kumaraswamy announced a JD(S) candidate from my seat even as I was still in the party. He also made certain false allegations against me, like holding me responsible for Deve Gowda's defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Tumakuru.
I had never done such anti-party activity and had honestly served the party," he said.
He claimed that he too was thrown out of JD(S) for no fault of his, like it was done to Siddaramaiah by the regional party in the past.
Welcoming Srinivas, former CM Siddaramaiah said, it is "Ghar Vapsi" for him.
He said, "In JD(S) you will have to go by what HD Deve Gowda (party patriarch) and H D Kumaraswamy (leader and former CM) say, what is decided in the family is final, there is no freedom of expression there, and if anyone violates it, if anyone expresses their opinion in the party against their will, they can't stay in the party. Same thing happened to me and now to Vasu."
Averring that several people are joining Congress because, the party alone can "save the state from BJP's corruption" and set right the system, Siddaramaiah said, JD(S) cannot come to power on its own; they wait for a fractured verdict. "Congress alone can come to power in the state, and save it from BJP."
Meanwhile, BJP leader Mudigere in Chikkamagaluru district, Halappa, who was a former Pura Sabha and Housing Board President, joined the Congress.
He had quit the Congress when former Chief Minister S M Krishna joined the BJP in 2017.
Another BJP leader from Mandya, Satyananda too joined the party.
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Gujarat government to ban mobile phone in schools to counter negative effects of social media
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government will come up with new regulations aimed at reducing the influence of smartphones and social media on children.
A meeting on the issue was chaired by state Education Minister Praful Panseriya with senior officials on Thursday, during which he highlighted the adverse effects of excessive social media use on children. He emphasised that new rules would be implemented to reduce mobile phone usage and encourage greater focus on sports.
“Teachers will be banned from using mobile phones in the classroom, and strict measures will be taken to ensure that primary school children do not come to school with mobile phones,” the statement read under the new rules.
Panseriya said that their aim is to keep the kids away from the devices and bring them to playgrounds and study tables.
The minister further stated that a circular outlining these changes would be issued for children, parents, and teachers. The initiative will be developed in consultation with Children’s University, Teacher's University, and practicing psychiatrists.
Additionally, teachers will be encouraged to engage students in productive activities such as reading and sports instead of allowing smartphone use for social media. Parents will also be urged to limit their own social media use in front of children and and ensure the latter are not using smartphones.
The minister expressed hope that other states will follow Gujarat's lead and adopt similar measures.
