Karnataka News
Karnataka elections: BJP declares May 10 paid holiday in Goa
Opposition parties and industry bodies have come down on the Pramod Sawant-led BJP government in Goa after it declared May 10 as a paid holiday in the state in view of Assembly elections in neigbouring Karnataka.
Opposition parties and industry bodies have come down on the Pramod Sawant-led BJP government in Goa after it declared May 10 as a paid holiday in the state in view of Assembly elections in neigbouring Karnataka.
On Monday, the BJP regime issued a notification declaring May 10 as a paid holiday in the state in view of the Karnataka Assembly polls.
As per the notification, the holiday also covers government servants and workers in private establishments and the industrial sectors.
However, the decision has invited sharp criticism from industry bodies and opposition parties with Goa State Industries Association president Damodar Kochkar questioning the rationale behind the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant-led government’s “absurd and stupid” decision.
In a statement, Kockhar accused the BJP government of taking industries to ransom for electoral gains and said that they are considering legal means to tackle such unilateral decisions by the government that harm the state’s industrial and private sector.
Opposition, including the Bharatiya Janata Party’s bitter rival, the Delhi Chief Minister-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also slammed the goverment’s decision.
Calling the holiday a “foolish decision”, AAP’s Goa chief Amit Palekar that it comes as no surprise that the BJP takes “unilateral and dictatorial” decisions in the most “undemocratic” manner possible.
The Goa Forward Party (GFP) also condemned the state government over the decision.
Meanwhie, the state government has defended the decision saying that Karnataka had also declared a paid holiday on the day of Goa Assembly polls last year and the Pramod Sawant dispensation was merely returning the favour.
Responding to the criticisms over the holiday, Goa industries minister Mauvin Godinho on Tuesday claimed that some Opposition members are merely creating an unnecessary issue over the holiday as the state government was merely following a practice.
Godinho said the Goa State Industries Association has “over-reacted”.
Supreme Court to hear appeal against High Court’s refusal to ban The Kerala Story
Karnataka News
Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal announces relaunch of bike-taxi service in Bengaluru
According to Bhavish Aggarwal, bike taxi prices are set at Rs 25 for a 5-kilometer ride and Rs 50 for a 10-kilometer travel.
Ola is reintroducing electric bike taxis in Bengaluru. Bhavish Aggarwal, the company’s CEO, introduced the service via a social media post, offering rides for Rs 25 for 5km and Rs 50 for 10km, with ambitions for statewide expansion.
Bhavish Aggarwal, the company’s co-founder and CEO, posted on the social media platform X, restarting Ola Bike in Blr today. This time, we’re going all electric with our own S1 scooters.
According to Bhavish Aggarwal, bike taxi prices are set at Rs 25 for a 5-kilometer ride and Rs 50 for a 10-kilometer travel.
Rs 25 for 5 kilometres, Rs 50 for 10 kilometres. Lowest cost, highest comfort, and best for the environment! We will expand across India over the next few months, Aggarwal added.
According to reports, cab and car organisations in Bengaluru have recently urged the Karnataka government to impose a ban on bike taxis within the city. They claim that these bike taxis are unsafe for women and that operating them with whiteboard registration plates is against the law. Furthermore, there have been reports of car drivers assaulting Rapido bike taxi drivers because of their presence.
The government claimed that the enforcement of a ban on bike taxis would involve following legal procedures, according to reports. Following the Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Association’s declaration of a Bengaluru bandh, Karnataka’s Transport Minister, Ramalinga Reddy, stated his determination to meet and resolve the concerns voiced by auto and taxi drivers in the state.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Ola has joined the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to provide food delivery services and is currently visible to a small number of consumers.
According to sources, the corporation has been testing the function for more than a month within its app for staff and the small number of consumers who have access to it.
Karnataka News
Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah makes reading Preamble to Constitution mandatory in schools, colleges
Chief Minister Siddarmaiah led Congress government in Karnataka on Thursday made it mandatory for both government run and private schools and colleges to read the Preamble to the Constitution every day.
Earlier on Friday, the chief minister attended a reading of the Preamble near the Vidhana Soudha, the state Assembly. The reading session was conducted to celebrate International Democracy Day on September 15. Siddarmaiah was accompanied by deputy CM DK Shivakumar and fellow cabinet members namely Dr G Parameshwara, Ramalinga Reddy, Eshwar Khandre, KJ George and Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad.
Speaking about the matter, Social welfare minister, HC Mahadevappa asserted that the citizens need to discharge their basic duties as enshrined in the constitution. Thereforefore, the reading of the Preamble is arranged to make children aware of the ideals and the principles that went into making it while at the same time informing the students about the constitutional responsibilities.
He further added that the constitution was a gift to all citizens from BR Ambedkar and that it is a sacrosanct statute book stressing fairness and equality. He mentioned that there is an important purpose behind reading the Preamble. He explained that this practice will help the children understand the basic principles and ideals on which the country was founded.
According to reports, Siddarmaiah led government has made it mandatory for students and teachers at all educational institutions of the southern state to read the Preamble during the morning prayers and take an oath to adopt and incorporate the constitutional principles in their everyday life.
To celebrate the International Day of Democracy on Friday, nearly 2.27 people, including bank and corporate employees, have registered to read the Preamble of the constitution in Karnataka. According to the United Nations, International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to assess the state of democracy in the world.
India News
International Day of Democracy: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, deputy CM DK Shivakumar read Preamble | Watch here
International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to assess the state of democracy in the world.
To celebrate the International Day of Democracy, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar took part in an event organised to read the Preamble to the constitution. Nearly 2.27 people, including bank and corporate employees, have registered to read the Preamble of the constitution.
Earlier, it was reported that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa will lead the children and citizens in reading the Preamble to the Constitution of India.
Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa told the media that the objective behind this event is to make people aware of the Constitution and its preamble. He added that the reading of the Preamble will encourage people to build secular ideals and ascertain they practice equality in the midst of diversity among religion and castes.
He further asserted that all government offices have been directed to install photos of the Preamble. He added that the programme will be taken up on the lines of the movement. Earlier, the proposal on reading the Preamble was cleared in the State Cabinet meeting presided by the Chief Minister.
As far as reports are concerned, the International Day of Democracy owes its existence to the Universal Declaration on Democracy, adopted on September 15, 1997 by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). IPU is an international organisation of national parliaments. According to the United Nations, International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to assess the state of democracy in the world.
The United Nations added that Democracy is as much a process as a goal and only with the full participation of the international community, can the ideal of democracy be made into a reality. Every year, during this special occasion, the United Nations and several other organisations conduct events, conferences and discussions to mark this day and thereby promote democratic values.
