Veteran Congress leader claims Veerashaiva Lingayats got raw deal in Karnataka
Yediyurappa welcomes statement
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran Congress leader and MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa's statement that Veerashaiva Lingayat community is getting a raw deal under his party's government in Karnataka, seems to have created a stir within the ruling party and gained support from BJP's B S Yediyurappa.
Sensing an opportunity to target the Congress government, opposition BJP has accused it of neglecting the numerically large community.
Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Yediyurappa, who also hails from the community, on Sunday welcomed Shivashankarappa's statement and called on the Veershaiva Lingayats to be united.
The 92-year-old Shivashankarappa, who heads the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, a body that represents the dominant community, made his grouse public during the weekend, which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has denied.
"Many (officers from the community) have not been given (good posts)...our community and its officers are facing trouble," Shivashankarappa had said.
Responding to a question on whether there should be a Lingayat CM, he said, "Earlier Lingappa (Nijalingappa) and Veerendra Patil were there (as CMs). During their tenure, we ran the administration, they had kept us good. Now our people have become helpless."
Further stating that the community need not settle for the post of a Deputy Chief Minister post, he responded to a question saying, "Who wants a DCM post...if possible become CM or else leave it."
Shivashankarappa's statement, despite the fact that his son S S Mallikarjun is part of the government as a minister, has caused embarrassment to the ruling Congress party.
The Veerashaiva Lingayats are said to constitute about 17 per cent of the state's population, and many in the state Congress are worried that such a statement by Shivashankarappa, a senior leader of the community in the state, may impact the party.
During the 2023 assembly polls, Congress had managed to cause a dent in BJP's Veershaiva Lingayat support base, with a campaign alleging that that the saffron party had neglected the dominant community.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, rejecting Shivashankarappa's claim on Saturday, had pointed out that there are seven Lingayat ministers in his Cabinet.
"...how can there be injustice? There is no chance for any injustice. No religion or caste will face injustice under Congress," he said.
Reacting to Shivashankarappa's statement, Yediyurappa today said, "Shamanur Shivashankarappa is national president of Veerashaiva community body. The feelings that he has expressed -- I'm in complete agreement with it."
Shivashankarappa's concern about the current government's alleged neglect of the numerically large Veerashaiva Lingayats is shared by not only himself, but all the leaders of the community, he said.
"So, I welcome his statement. In such a situation I call upon the Veerashaiva Lingayat community to awaken, and to unite."
Responding to a question on Yediyurappa's support for Shivashankarappa's statement, CM Siddaramaiah today said, "Our's is a secular government, there will be no injustice to anyone."
Pointing out to government schemes, he said they are not specific to any community or religion. "We don't practise caste or community politics. We see everyone equally."
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
