Latest news with #K.N.Rajanna
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Nayakara Yuva Sene condemns Rajanna's dismissal from Cabinet
Members of the Karnataka Rajya Nayakara Yuva Sene staged a protest in the city on Monday, condemning the dismissal of senior Congress leader K.N. Rajanna, who was serving as the Cooperation Minister in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet. The protesters alleged a 'conspiracy' behind Mr. Rajanna's removal, describing him as a strong voice of the Scheduled Tribe community. They blamed the Congress high command for sacking him without citing reasons or even seeking clarification. According to them, vested interests within the party were responsible for engineering his ouster. In a press release here, they claimed that individuals who had opposed reservation in the corporation sector had plotted to get Mr. Rajanna removed through the high command. The move, they alleged, was aimed at politically sidelining a prominent leader of the Valmiki community. The protesters also referred to the case of B. Nagendra, who was forced to resign from the Cabinet earlier in connection with the Valmiki Corporation scam. The agitators charged that there was a deliberate attempt within the party to suppress leaders from the Valmiki community. They warned that if Mr. Rajanna was not reinstated, and the injustice to the Valmiki community was not rectified, they would ensure a 'fitting lesson' was taught to the party in the next elections.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Rajanna's sacking from Karnataka Cabinet: CM says he owes no justification
In his first public reaction on the sacking of his close aide and Cabinet colleague K.N. Rajanna, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that removing a Minister was his discretion and no justification was needed. His response to the Opposition demand for an explanation came at the Legislative Council. 'Why should the Chief Minister speak about the internal matters of the party?,' he argued. The Opposition had been seeking the reason for Mr. Rajanna's sacking, and Leader of the House N.S. Boseraju on Tuesday also said that it was the discretion of the Chief Minister. Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy asked the Chief Minister the reason for sacking Mr. Rajanna, and said: 'You have removed a Scheduled Tribes leader. You should give the reason.' When he tried to point out at the assurance given to the House by the Leader of Opposition that a response would be provided, Chairman Basavaraj Horatti intervened and said that the House Leader had already mentioned that it was the discretion of the government to drop or retain anyone. Drama unfolded after the Chief Minister prepared to leave the House amid a demand from the Opposition to respond. As Opposition members asked him not to 'run away' without providing an answer, a miffed Chief Minister returned to his seat and said: 'I will not answer your question. The House leader has already replied.' When Mr. Narayanaswamy said that it was the Congress' 'anti-Dalit' culture, the incensed Chief Minister said: 'That is your culture and not ours. Did Vice-President Jaideep Dhankar not resign? Did you discuss it? Did anyone give reason as to why B.S. Yediyurappa resigned as Chief Minister? Why was Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal expelled? These are internal matters, which need not be discussed.' The Chief Minister then walked away from the House.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Valmikis take out protest march against fake caste certificates
Several hundreds from the Maharshi Valmiki community took to the streets in Yadgir on Wednesday and demanded legal action against fake caste certificates to those from the non-Valmiki communities. They took out a protest march on the main streets urging the State government to fulfil their long-pending demands, primarily to prevent fake caste certificates in the name of the Valmiki community to non-Valmiki communities. Community leaders said that the revenue authorities are issuing fake caste certificates to non-Valmiki communities. The State government should take legal action against the authorities as per the direction given by the High Court of Karnataka for issuing such certificates. The protesters demanded action on scholarships to be distributed immediately to students of the Valmiki community. They said that a tribal university should be established to enable tribal students to study and carry out research. They said that many from the community are subjected to atrocities and other crimes. The government should protect such people. Legal action should be taken against officers for diverting funds meant for Scheduled Tribes to other activities. They said that Madhugiri MLA K.N. Rajanna, who belongs to the Valmiki community, should be included in the Cabinet, as he was sacked recently for no specific reason. Peethadhipathi of Valmiki Gurupeetha, Rajanahalli in Davangere, Prasannanand Swami, Mareppa Naik Mogdampur, Krishnappagouda Aldal, Hanumanth Naik, Siddalingappa Naik, Bheemu Naik and others were present.
India Today
28-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Siddaramaiah's survival trick
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated August 4, 2025)Over two years as a Congress CM, the one thing Siddaramaiah hasn't been able to shake off is dogged speculation about a mid-term change of guard. For that, he has his own partymen to thank. Case in point: the fresh spell of theorising spurred by a cryptic comment by cooperation minister K.N. Rajanna, a Sidda loyalist, about an 'upheaval' in September. It took multiple visits by AICC Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala to tamp down on the buzz, even if tenuously. Amidst parleys with MLAs, Surjewala told reporters on July 1: 'Some of you asked you taking opinions on a leadership change. The answer is clearly no,' he said, flanked by deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, the one biding time for the top then, the CM appears to have bolstered his image on a few key fronts. He occupied pride of place at the party's OBC advisory council meet in Bengaluru on July 16, leaving little doubt about the value placed on his appeal among the underclasses. There, the party adopted the Bengaluru Declaration, demanding a national caste census a la Telangana, ending the 50 per cent cap on reservation, and quotas in private educational institutions.A day previously, he had scored another personal win on a sticky issue: a protest over moves to acquire 1,777 acres of farmland near Devanahalli, 40 km from Bengaluru, for an aerospace park. A 2022 notification, under the previous BJP regime, had triggered an agitation that didn't let up for three years. After the final notification this year, more activists rallied to the cause. THE PRO-PEOPLE TRICKSiddaramaiah's government first sought to negotiate a middle ground, offering to pare down the area to be acquired. Then the CM finally announced the acquisition would be dropped entirely, winning applause from agitators and freeing the Congress from a tricky feelgood phase was capped on July 21, as the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Enforcement Directorate on its money-laundering charges against the CM's wife, B.M. Parvathi. After its case sparked a raging controversy, she had returned the housing sites allotted to her by the Mysore Urban Development Authority in 2021, and then successfully challenged the ED summons in the Karnataka High the SC has issued a strong caution to the agency against being 'used' for 'political battles'. Says the CM: 'This verdict has exposed the malice behind the case and unequivocally cleared our names.' Siddaramaiah called it a painful chapter—a useful metaphor for a whole phase he seems to have turned the page on. Well, at least for to India Today Magazine- EndsTune InMust Watch
