Kerala CM’s simple ways
For people so used to their Chief Ministers and Ministers touring by air, it was a pleasant surprise to hear about Kerala CM and other Ministers’ preference for train travel.
Journalists from Mangaluru — who were covering the inauguration of the memorial of Rashtrakavi Govinda Pai in Manjeshwar, Kerala — were surprised when Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ( in picture ), before ending his brief speech, said he has to leave immediately to catch a train to Thiruvananthapuram. He apologised to his Karnataka counterpart, Siddaramaiah, and the audience for his haste.
Officials and fellow reporters said Mr. Vijayan had come by train to Kasaragod on Thursday morning to participate in a host of functions. He boarded the train to Thiruvananthapuram from Mangaluru Junction railway station, which is nearly 30 km away. “The CM and Ministers here largely prefer train travel,” said a local journalist, adding that there are hardly instances of the CM or other Ministers delaying train for this purpose. Meanwhile, Mr. Siddaramaiah preferred a flight to return to Bengaluru.
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Bhagyas galore ahead of polls
With the Legislative Assembly elections due in 2018, the State government seems intent on rolling out more ‘bhagyas’. After Anna Bhagya, Krishi Bhagya, Pashu Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya, and Arogya Bhagya, it is now time for Laptop Bhagya.
Under this new scheme, the government plans to distribute laptops to 35,000 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students doing higher education courses from the next academic year. The Department of Higher Education will foot a bill of ₹112 crore for this scheme piloted by Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi. Meanwhile, Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya has his own plans. Under the Videshi Bhagya, municipal workers will go on foreign tours to learn about waste management methods. Watch this space as we keep track of all “good fortunes” coming the way of the people of Karnataka.
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Of vows made before God
It looks like promises are better kept when God is witness, especially when they concern sharing of power. A recent episode at Sirivase Gram Panchayat in Chikkamagaluru district testifies to this.
According to reports, members of this GP signed an agreement on June 27, 2015 on sharing of power “as desired by” local MLA C.T. Ravi. Of the six members, three decided to share power of 20 months for the next five years in 2015. They testified to this before the deity of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, and of course kept their word.
Meanwhile, one member Prem Kumar resigned after completing 18 months and told the Assistant Commissioner that he had vacated the post on his own volition. He told the officer that he had done so in accordance with the agreement entered before the deity. Fear of god seems to work better than any other kind of promise.
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I-T raids raise eyebrows
The recent I-T raids on residences of Small Scale Industries Minister Ramesh L. Jarkiholi and KPCC women’s wing president Laxmi R. Hebbalkar have raised more than one question both in political circles and public.
The common question being discussed in various circles is why only “select few” are targeted by the I-T sleuths, while others seem to go scot-free. KPCC president G. Parameshwara, meanwhile, said “select Congress leaders” were targeted in the State, attributing political motives behind such raids.
Raghava M.
Nagesh Prabhu
Muralidhara Khajane
Vijaykumar Patil
