Gandhian ideals to find place in Dasara tableaux: CM
Bengaluru: As this year's Vijayadashami coincides with Gandhi Jayanti, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday directed officials that tableaux prepared for the Mysuru Dasara celebrations must reflect Mahatma Gandhi's ideals. He said Gandhi's philosophy should be suitably represented alongside the government's welfare schemes and achievements.
'This year Dasara falls on Gandhi Jayanti -- on October 2. So, I have instructed officials that Dasara should be celebrated in a manner that makes Gandhi Jayanti meaningful. Especially the tableaux should reflect Gandhi's ideals,' the CM told reporters. Siddaramaiah briefed reporters after presiding over a high-level committee meeting at Vidhana Soudha on the preparations for Dasara-2025.
The CM said the historical and cultural significance of the festival should not be overshadowed by sheer extravagance. He emphasised that unnecessary spending does not amount to grandeur and that public safety and convenience must be the top priority.
'This year, Dasara will begin on September 22 and culminate with the Jamboo Savari on October 2, making it an 11-day event, instead of the usual 10,' the CM said.
He emphasised that the programmes should be designed to uphold the rich cultural, religious, and historical traditions of the Mysuru Dasara, which is globally renowned. He stated that while Rs 40 crore was allocated last year, adequate funds will be provided this year as well to organise a grand celebration. He asked departments to plan meaningful exhibitions and displays to showcase government initiatives and guarantee schemes in a way that connects with the public. ' He also called for people-centric policies to be effectively communicated during the festivities.
With more than 10 lakh people expected to attend, including foreign tourists, the CM directed officials to give the utmost attention to crowd management and safety measures. He said police personnel must be people-friendly and law and order should be maintained without any lapses. The number of seats in front of the Mysore Palace will be reduced this time to manage crowding during the Jamboo Savari.
Officials were asked to ensure that there is no overcrowding at any of the programme venues.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
DK Shivakumar will become CM, replacing Siddaramaiah: MLA Iqbal Hussain
BENGALURU: Ramanagara Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain on Sunday said DCM DK Shivakumar will become CM, replacing Siddaramaiah, as per an agreement that was struck at the high command level soon after the party came to power in the state. 'When the decision was taken in New Delhi that day, Shivakumar and I were together. Then, senior leader Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge decided about leadership change after Siddaramaiah completes two-and-a-half years in office,' Hussain said in Ramanagara. He hit back at Siddaramaiah's son Dr Yathindra for commenting on Sunday that the high command has not instructed about any change in leadership. Mocking at Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna's statement that there would be a political revolution in the state after September, he said, 'Change is natural in politics. Those who deserve it will get power as discipline and commitment pay in Congress. There are no power centres in the government and the high command treats all classes and religions equally,' he said. 'They (Siddaramaiah camp) are asking for change, and it will happen. Everyone knows who fought and worked hard for the party,' he said, referring to Shivakumar's organisational skills. He likened Shivakumar-led Mekedatu Yatra to Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra. 'We don't believe in any speculation as the high command will give Shivakumar the opportunity at the right time. Everything will be decided in the next two to three months,' said Hussain.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Daily Briefing: Follow the money
Good morning, The clock's ticking on the July 9 deadline to sidestep US President Donald Trump's steep reciprocal tariffs. The Indian government has been negotiating with its US counterpart for months. Last week, Trump hinted that an interim bilateral trade deal with India may be approaching. The agreement, he said, would 'open up' the Indian market to US goods. Borrowing words from Trump's vocabulary, Union Finance Minister doubled down on his announcement, saying, 'Yes, we would love to have an agreement, a big, good, beautiful one; why not?' She also made it clear that certain sectors were off limits. Indian officials have drawn 'very big red lines' when it comes to agriculture and dairy to protect the industry's concerns. Read her full interview. On that note, let's get to the rest of today's edition. In recent years, India has recorded a worrying rise in online fraud, particularly digital arrests, a scam where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement or government authorities to trick victims with fake video interrogations and extort money. In 2024 alone, around 1.23 lakh cases of digital arrest, involving Rs 1,935 crore, were reported — almost thrice the 2022 cases. Our investigative reporter Ritu Sarin zeroed in on an illustrative case in Gurugram to understand the nature of the crime. She tracked the money trail through an investigation of police records, interrogation statements, along with field visits to police stations across three states, interviewing dozens of traumatised victims. Sarin found that besides the victim, whose bank account was emptied, there were also 'mule' account holders, whose bank accounts were used to create a befuddling web of transactions. The money, totalling nearly six crore, was splintered and transferred through a staggering 141 accounts in 23 banks across 15 states. Take a look at her findings. As The Indian Express marks 50 years since the Emergency, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad joined the latest Idea Exchange session. A vocal opponent of the Indira Gandhi regime, Prasad was imprisoned under the harsh MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) for his protests during that time. He reflected on what he called one of India's darkest chapters, and discussed its most enduring, and controversial, legacy — the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution. 🔴 Besides the political reasons, which saw Gandhi losing grip over her kursi, there were also economic factors behind her decision to impose the Emergency. My colleague Siddharth Upasani details how devastating droughts, a failing economy and domestic unrest had left the government beleaguered. 🔴 While the many triggers for the Emergency have been identified, historians have long puzzled over Gandhi's decision to hold elections and end the Emergency ultimately. Was she confident that she would win? Or was it because of the growing international criticism? Read. Twin acts: Work is underway to amend two key laws to open up the civil nuclear sector. Anil Sasi outlines the two changes: One would dilute a specific provision of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, which places accountability on the suppliers for a nuclear incident. This has been cited as an impediment to foreign vendors dealing with India. Second, an amendment to the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 would allow private companies to enter the closed-off nuclear sector. Read more. Fuel up: The Indian Air Force has been scouting for crucial mid-air refuellers to expand its strategic assets since 2007. As per sources, 3-4 firms have submitted bids for six such tankers. The IAF has begun technical evaluations for these aircraft. Dig in: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has undertaken an ambitious project to carve out a 22-metre-wide and 11-metre-high tunnel, the widest tunnel in the country, through the Mukundra Hills in Rajasthan's Kota. This tunnel will be a crucial link for the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The project has proven to be more challenging than initially thought due to the terrain. The Indian Express speaks to the various stakeholders — a worker in charge of blasting the rocks, the project head, a geologist and a safety expert — to understand the challenges. Rein in: On his first day as President, on January 20, Trump signed an order to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and those on temporary visas in the US. Several federal district courts blocked the order just days later. However, a Friday ruling by the US Supreme Court has limited the powers of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions, removing the roadblock to the implementation of Trump's order. We explain the legal system in the US and what the latest ruling means. ♟️ R Praggnanandhaa is on the hottest streak of his career. The UzChess Cup is the third title of 2025 he has claimed after the Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee and the Superbet Chess Classic Romania. The Indian Express sat down with the chess prodigy for an interview to uncover the 'secrets' behind his success. 🎧 Before you go, tune into the latest '3 Things' podcast episode. Today's lineup: The Kolkata rape case, the stampede at Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri and the hype around Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout. That's all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, Sonal Gupta Sonal Gupta is a senior sub-editor on the news desk. She writes feature stories and explainers on a wide range of topics from art and culture to international affairs. She also curates the Morning Expresso, a daily briefing of top stories of the day, which won gold in the 'best newsletter' category at the WAN-IFRA South Asian Digital Media Awards 2023. She also edits our newly-launched pop culture section, Fresh Take. ... Read More
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
The crisis before the crisis — how a failing economy was one of the triggers for the Emergency
While a swelling Opposition campaign and an Allahabad High Court order setting aside Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's election to the Lok Sabha in 1971 were the immediate trigger for the imposition of Emergency, trouble had been brewing for the better part of a decade in the non-political sphere. After a strong 1963-64 and 1964-65, over which GDP growth averaged 6.7%, the Indian economy was hit by a phenomenon not seen in 75 years of official data — two consecutive years of decline in overall economic activity. In 1965-66, India's GDP shrunk by 2.6%. This was followed by a 0.1% decline in 1966-67. It was because of another rare occurrence — consecutive droughts. According to a 2005 India Meteorological Department paper, the previous 130 years had only seen one such other case, in 1904 and 1905. Inflation, as a result, shot up to nearly 16% in 1966-67. The twin droughts came at a time when India was already a huge importer of foodgrain. With grain output crushed by a fifth, India leaned heavily on the US's PL-480 scheme for grain – under which the US distributed foreign food aid – and was soon the programme's biggest beneficiary. Not helping matters was the tension with Pakistan, with the Budget for 1965-66 estimating that of the total revenue expenditure of Rs 2,116 crore, Rs 749 crore or roughly 35% would be spent on defence services. 'With two wars (1962 and 1965), a series of poor harvests including two droughts, and an unstable external environment, the 1960s were years of severe strain for the Indian economy,' as per the second volume of the History of The Reserve Bank of India (RBI). India also required significant financial assistance from Western countries and the World Bank. As its current account deficit rose to 3.7% of GDP in 1966-67 and foreign exchange reserves declined, there were concerns about how India would meet its external debt repayments. In June 1966 — just a few months after taking over as PM – Mrs Gandhi had already approved the devaluation of the rupee by 36.5%, to Rs 7.50 per dollar from Rs 4.76 per dollar. In the 10 years starting 1965-66, the economy averaged just 2.6% growth. The share of the biggest employer, agriculture, in India's GDP fell to 31.5% in 1966-67 from over 40% a decade ago. Come 1974-75, agriculture's share had changed little, being about 31.1%, while the share of manufacturing had edged up by 60 basis points to 13.8%. To say that Mrs Gandhi inherited a flailing economy in January 1966 would be an understatement. But the years that followed were not easy either, with her government's first challenge being the peasant movement in Naxalbari, which hit its peak in May 1967. While growth somewhat recovered in the late 1960s and averaged 5.7% in the four years ending 1970-71, by then Mrs Gandhi, having survived a split in the Congress, had nationalised banks, abolished privy purses and privileges and hiked income tax rates to above 90%. Her government had also approved a licence for her son Sanjay Gandhi to manufacture an 'Indian Volkswagen'. Amid all the tumult, Indira announced that the next general elections would be held a year early, in 1971. 'The millions who demand food, shelter, and jobs are pressing for action. Power in a democracy resides with the people. That is why we have decided to go to our people and seek a fresh mandate from them,' she said in December 1970 in a broadcast to the nation. As the Opposition came up with the slogan 'Indira Hatao', she countered with 'Garibi Hatao (remove poverty)'. While this worked, the tide was already turning before an old foe struck again – India saw another drought in 1972. 'As famine loomed in rural India, Indira's slogan 'Garibi Hatao'…came back to haunt her. She told her growing chorus of critics that poverty could not be eradicated overnight. They said she was not removing poverty; she was removing the poor,' American biographer Katherine Frank wrote in her 2001 book Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. The domestic unrest was fuelled further by the 1973 oil crisis, which pushed up wholesale inflation to more than 20%. The government responded by cutting expenditure and enforcing mandatory savings on salaries. Corruption was rife, factories shut down, and strikes became regular. Pressure further increased against the Indira Gandhi government with the successful Navnirman Andolan in Gujarat and a 1974 Railway strike led by George Fernandes, then president of the All India Railwaymen's Federation. The rail strike was cited by Mrs Gandhi as an attempt by the Opposition to paralyse the country for political gains. It was crushed with wide-scale firings and evictions from staff quarters, among other measures. However, the end was nigh. June 12, 1975, was a particularly difficult day for Indira. First, her confidant and then Ambassador to the Soviet Union, D P Dhar, died in hospital. Then came the results of the Gujarat Assembly elections, with a united Opposition under the Janata Morcha defeating the Congress. Finally, in the afternoon, came the Allahabad High Court order. Less than two weeks later, the Emergency was declared.
