Latest news with #Lingayat
India Today
10 hours ago
- India Today
Karnataka man ends life over daughter's intercaste marriage, family blames police
A man in Karnataka's Chitradurga district allegedly died by suicide on Monday, accusing police of delaying action on his complaint after his daughter's intercaste marriage, sparking protests and outrage in the (50), a resident of Gilakenahalli, reportedly consumed poison in front of the Holalkere police station and later succumbed. The incident led to dramatic scenes outside the station, with family members placing his body at the entrance and blocking traffic, which stretched for nearly a to police, Ajjayya had filed a missing complaint about his daughter, claiming she was a minor and had eloped. However, police stated that both her Aadhaar and school records showed her age as 19, making her a major. After she returned a week later with her partner, a boy from the Bhovi (SC/ST) community, she confirmed her age and expressed her wish to stay with police then closed the missing complaint based on her said the family later submitted a birth certificate claiming she was under 18 and demanded a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) authorities said they began verifying the authenticity of the new document but Ajjayya, reportedly distressed over the relationship, took the extreme step before the process could be completed.'The girl is not missing. She is 19, as per school and Aadhaar records. Even the parents' initial complaint mentioned her age as 19. Later they submitted another document showing her as a minor. We were in the process of verifying it when the father took his life,' Superintendent of Police Ranjith Kumar Bandaru also dismissed allegations of police negligence, saying all legal procedures were followed and cooperation was extended to the family. The SP added that Ajjayya's mental distress over the intercaste marriage appeared to have led him to have registered a case of abetment to suicide under BNS Section 306 and initiated an inquiry into the sequence of events. The girl belongs to the Lingayat community, while her partner is from the SC/ST Bhovi community.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Conduct caste census on Telangana model: Congress OBC Council to Centre
BENGALURU: AT the inaugural meeting of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) OBC Advisory Council, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared the proceedings a 'resounding success,' describing it as a significant milestone in the Congress' ongoing commitment to social justice. The event marked the adoption of the Bengaluru Declaration, a document outlining the Congress' policy roadmap for empowering backward classes and marginalised communities across India. The committee called for a nationwide caste census to be conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (ORGI), modelled on Telangana's SEEEP Caste Survey. WhileKarnataka's Kantharaj Commission faced criticism — particularly from Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities — for lacking scientific robustness, the Telangana model has been praised for including extensive socio-economic, educational, and occupational parameters. The Congress leadership emphasised that such a survey must go beyond mere enumeration and function as a tool to address systemic inequalities across communities. Addressing the media, Siddaramaiah lauded LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's unwavering commitment to social justice, describing him as a 'justice warrior' whose fearless leadership compelled the Union Government to consider a nationwide caste census. 'Rahul Gandhi's bold and principled stance forced the Manuvadi Modi government to acknowledge the constitutional demand for a caste census,' the Chief Minister said, crediting Rahul for revitalising the national conversation around equity and representation. The declaration also mentioned relaxation of the 50% cap on reservations to enable appropriate representation for backward classes in education, employment, and politics and implement reservations in private educational institutions as per Article 15(5) of the Constitution. Siddaramaiah also reaffirmed Karnataka's legacy as the first Indian state to conduct a caste census since 1931, branding it the 'Karnataka Model.' He recalled that the original survey, ordered during his 2015 term, faced delays due to political resistance. In 2018, when the socio-economic and educational survey report was ready, then CM HD Kumaraswamy allegedly instructed his ministers not to accept it, despite extensions granted by the Backward Classes Commission, Siddaramiah said. 'Subsequent BJP-led governments also failed to act on the report. Eventually, a fresh report was submitted under the chairmanship of Jayaprakash Hegde. Now, as per a recent cabinet decision, the commission has been directed to conduct a re-survey within three months,' Siddaramaiah said, adding that the findings will be implemented without delay.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"If There Was A Deal...": Lingayat Leader's Tacit Support For DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru: The Congress' Karnataka headache just won't go away. DK Shivakumar 's bid to force it into replacing Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister has roiled the ruling party for weeks now, fuelled by claims and veiled warnings from MLAs loyal to DKS. Those grumblings seemed to have been shut down, at least partially, after party troubleshooter Randeep Singh Surjewala's visit to Benglauru this month, during which he drew sulky ' don't want MLAs to bat for me ' and ' what option do I have ' statements from the Deputy Chief Minister. But the Congress now faces renewed pressure - this time from religious leaders from the Lingayat community - to give sack Siddaramaiah and replace the party veteran with DKS. Shaila Jagadguru, a Lingayat religious leader from Balehonnur in Chikkamagaluru district, referred to the 'deal' the Congress reportedly made with Siddaramaiah and DKS after the 2023 election - that each would rule for 2.5 years - and said the party should honour the agreement. "We don't have information on what kind of agreement was made during the formation of the government. Without knowing the details, it is not appropriate to comment. But, if there was an agreement, the party's high command should honour it accordingly," he said in Bagalkote. NDTV Explains | Siddaramaiah vs DKS Is Not New. What Happened In 2023? Sheila Jagadguru isn't the only religious figure from the Lingayat community to back Shivakumar, a fact his camp has interpreted as widespread support for his bid. Last week another prominent sect leader - Rajadeshikendra Shivacharya, who heads the Rambapuri math - openly endorsed Shivakumar in the chief ministerial squabble. "He should have got a higher position after the last election... may he get a higher position (soon)," he said. DKS has also been backed by the Vokkaligas, but that is not surprising given he is a member of that community. Support from the Lingayats, however, could be critical in winning this battle. The Vokkaliga and the Lingayats are the dominant communities in Karnataka. Back in 2018 the Lingayats were happy to back Siddaramaiah after his administration recognised the community as a religious minority. The community hailed the two-time Chief Minister for swift action on their demand, and some even backed him (and the Congress) in that year's election. NDTV Explains | That swing in support has been critical for the Congress; the Lingayats constitue about 15 per cent of Karnataka's population and have long been since as a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party. It was also key for Siddaramaiah since it gave him a buffer to combat DKS's overtures. But that support has drifted away over the years. In December the Lingayat Panchamsali community protesting over reservation were lathi-charged by the police, who then arrested several leaders, including sect head Basavajaya Mrityunjay Swami. Siddaramaiah was labelled an "anti-Lingayat" person by the community, which now seems to have shifted its support to his deputy. And how the Congress will read this key voter base's unhappiness - two years before the next election - could decide if DKS wins his dream job. Meanwhile, the BJP is looking on hopefully. If it can win back the Lingayat vote the party stands a good chance of defeating the Congress in 2028, even if the Vokkaligas continue to back DKS. The party's state unit chief BY Vijayendra, the son of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, has played down the importance of Linagayat support for DKS, saying, "The people are not bothered if the Chief Minister is Siddaramaiah or DK Shivakumar. The issue is lack of development."
India Today
09-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Deadlock in BJP? Why 7 key states still await elections for chiefs
The BJP, as of July 9, has completed organisational elections in 29 of its 36 state units (including the nomination of a working president in Punjab), achieving the requisite quorum for electing a new national July 7, the Odisha unit re-elected Manmohan Samal as president. Yet, in seven politically crucial states, including strongholds Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryana, the party has still not appointed new state chiefs. While the quorum for the national president's election is technically complete, the prolonged indecision in these remaining states reflects deeper factional tensions, leadership dilemmas and strategic uncertainty. The BJP constitution requires 50 per cent of the states to have elected representatives. The senior leadership wants unanimity in the matter and is also keen to complete the process in all states before the national president is party has announced the election process for unit presidents in all states except Punjab, Jharkhand, Delhi and Manipur. However, the election of district chiefs in Delhi and Jharkhand has been completed, and the process can be announced and the state presidents elected within a few days. For Punjab—where the quorum isn't in place—the party has announced a working minister Amit Shah is travelling to Ranchi on July 9-10 to take part in a meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council. He is also likely to meet the core group of the Jharkhand BJP. Meanwhile, party leaders have been in parleys with leaders in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat to iron out the glitches. In Karnataka, more than a year after the 2024 Lok Sabha poll setback and the May 2023 assembly election defeat, the BJP has yet to resolve its leadership tussle. The state unit is split between the Lingayat old guard, led by B.S. Yediyurappa, and his arch younger son and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra is the current state unit chief, and has the backing of the national leadership for re-election. However, BJP national general secretary B.L. Santhosh continues to rally his opponents. These include former chief minister and Lok Sabha MP Basavaraj Bommai, who, along with others, is reportedly insisting on anyone but Vijayendra for the lack of a clear post-Yediyurappa consensus, combined with worries about the upcoming Bengaluru municipal elections and the erosion of Lok Sabha seats, has paralysed decision-making. The party still has no credible alternative to Yediyurappa and his son to consolidate the powerful Lingayat vote base and build a broader caste leaders privately acknowledge that replacing Yediyurappa with Bommai in July 2021 had damaged the party's support base. With the next assembly elections due in 2028 and the ruling Congress seen as drifting into factionalism, the BJP leadership is keen to keep its house Gujarat, a state the party has ruled for the past three decades, the delay is less about procedural lapses and more about turf wars. C.R. Patil, though nearing the end of his extended tenure, continues to hold informal sway. The central leadership is caught between Patil's entrenched organisational grip, chief minister Bhupendra Patel's camp and local leaders jockeying for prominence. There's also an underlying caste calculation—balancing Patidar dominance with rising OBC aspirations, especially as the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have made modest Pradesh, the BJP's most important electoral base, is the most sensitive case. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath's growing stature and his tight control over both governance and messaging have made the central leadership cautious. Any new state president seen as too close to Adityanath risks upsetting power equations in state chief perceived as imposed from the top could provoke resistance in Lucknow. After the party's underwhelming Lok Sabha poll performance in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Ayodhya in 2024, the leadership has not yet found a consensus candidate who can both complement and counterbalance Adityanath. The post-poll introspection highlighted growing differences between the government and the organisation. The hard bargain over this balance is delaying the Haryana, the BJP continues to operate under the shadow of former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Though he has moved to the national stage, Khattar has left behind a fractured organisation. The central leadership has yet to decide whether to bank on Khattar's legacy or elevate leaders from other month, Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh flexed his muscles by hosting a dinner for 11 BJP MLAs and Congress legislator Manju Chaudhary at his daughter Aarti Rao's new residence in Chandigarh. Singh, a Congress turncoat, has a strong base in south Haryana and adjoining parts of Rajasthan, but his advancing age is a concern. Current state president Mohan Lal Badoli is both a close aide of chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and seen as part of the Khattar camp. The resulting deadlock has left the state unit rudderless at a critical Punjab, the BJP's organisational drift has deepened. The party is still without district-level presidents in several key areas, and state chief Sunil Jakhar—originally brought in for his Congressman gravitas—has become increasingly disengaged and now even seen as a liability by some quarters. Party insiders complain Jakhar has tried to run the BJP like the Congress without understanding the party's or the Sangh Parivar's sudden death of state in-charge Vijay Rupani in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad in June further created a vacuum. On July 7, the BJP appointed party old-timer Ashwani Sharma as working president of the Punjab unit. He will now work with general secretary (organisation) Mantri Srinivas to accelerate the appointment of district-level Punjab unit lacks direction, with cadre demoralised cadre and no clear revival plan in a state where the party had once hoped to emerge as the main Opposition. All eyes are on Sharma to rebuild momentum before the assembly polls in Delhi, despite sweeping all seven Lok Sabha seats in 2024 and defeating AAP resoundingly in the assembly polls, the party has dithered over finalising a state president. District chiefs have been elected and the morale is high, but the leadership is weighing whether to continue with incumbent Virendra Sachdeva or bring in a more visible face to energise the cadre. With a 'triple engine' government—BJP at the Centre, in the state and in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi—the job of the next state unit chief becomes even more critical. While the BJP is on a strong wicket in the state, replacing Sachdeva too quickly may cause internal presents an ongoing caste conundrum. After a decent performance in the Lok Sabha and assembly polls, the BJP is struggling to strike the right caste balance. The party is torn between projecting a tribal leader to challenge the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) or consolidating its non-tribal base. Senior leader Babulal Marandi remains influential but is seen as past his peak. The delay reflects the party's broader indecision over the tribal-versus-OBC leadership debate—critical in the state's polarised political Manipur, political activity is effectively frozen. Ethnic tensions between Meitei and Kuki groups have made any organisational reshuffle unviable. Former chief minister N. Biren Singh faced opposition from within his own MLAs and has lost credibility among both communities. The state is under president's rule to restore normalcy. With law and order still fragile and the Centre treading carefully, the BJP is avoiding any visible changes that could further destabilise the to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
India Today
07-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Karnataka Chief Minister change buzz grows as DKS gains Lingayat support
The big focus of this episode of Super 6 is on the ongoing political developments in Karnataka, particularly the speculation surrounding a potential change in Chief Minister. Despite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's assertion that he will complete a full five-year term, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar appears to be rallying support, including from prominent Lingayat seers and crucial vote banks like the Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities. The Congress high command's silence on the matter and recent meetings with MLAs have further fuelled speculation. The video explores the delicate balance of power between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, the reported 2.5-year CM tenure plan, and the implications of these developments on Karnataka's political landscape. Additionally, it touches on alliance developments in Tamil Nadu politics, while suggesting that Shivakumar is strategically biding his time and building necessary support within the Karnataka Congress and among key voter groups.
