Would love to work under Kharge if he wishes to be Karnataka CM: D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Apr 8: Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Saturday said he looked forward to work under party national president Mallikarjun Kharge, if the latter becomes the Chief Minister of the state following the assembly elections.
Stating that Kharge is an asset to the state and the country, the party leader said the AICC president's services to Karnataka has given strength to the party here.
"Mallikarjun Kharge is my leader and he is my AICC president. I love to work under him. He is an asset for our state and the country. I am committed to the decision taken by the party," Shivakumar said in a press conference.
He was replying to a query on his interview to a national news channel that he would make way for Kharge to be the Chief Minister of the state, he would be ready to work under.
The Congress state chief said Kharge is 20 years senior to him. "For his seniority and sacrifice...he had resigned in the midnight from the post of floor leader of the house. We know this. Today, a block president has now become AICC president. This cannot be possible in any other party except Congress," Shivakumar said.
He added that Kharge's rise as national president of Congress and his services to the state is giving strength to the party in Karnataka. "In this background, whatever he wishes, I am committed to that," Shivakumar said.
To a query on dissidence in the party after the second list of candidates was announced, the Congress state president said there was no need for it because there will be many roles that could be assigned along with various duties.
Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah have been locked in an indirect game of one-upmanship over the Chief Minister's post in the run-up to the election, which is scheduled for next month.
Karnataka goes to the polls on May 10 and the results will be out on May 13.
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Pune journalist booked on voyeurism charge for filming woman at lodge
Pune (PTI): Police have registered a case of voyeurism against a television journalist in Pune for allegedly filming a woman in an objectionable position without her consent at a lodge in the city, officials said on Saturday.
The FIR was filed against Rohan Kadam under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 77 (voyeurism) and 3(5) (common intention) at the Vishrambaug police station here, while the complaint mentions that he was accompanied by three other journalists, they said.
The incident took place on April 8 when the accused had checked into a room at a lodge in Budhwar Peth, which houses a red light area.
In her complaint, the woman said that while she was wearing her saree after establishing "physical relations with a customer", she realised that an unidentified person was filming her through a net above the partition wall between the rooms.
She opened the door of her room and knocked on the adjacent door, asking the person to come out, the FIR said.
"The woman sought clarification from Kadam, who gave vague answers and refused to show his phone. When the lodge operator, the woman and others questioned him, he claimed that they were a group of four journalists conducting a sting operation," it said.
Police said Kadam was assaulted when he allegedly tried to flee from the spot.
The woman later approached the Vishrambaug police station and lodged a complaint.
"We have registered a case in this regard and further probe is on," a police officer said.
Meanwhile, the Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ) has written a letter to city Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, seeking action against the journalist for the alleged act.
In the letter, the journalists' body said there were murmurs that some journalists and others were trying to ensure that no offence is registered in the matter.
"We do not agree with this and clarify that PUWJ will not come in the way of the probe," the letter stated.
