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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘If Kamal Haasan….': Pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj calls for state-wide bundh on language row
Tensions flared across Karnataka on Monday as pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj issued a stern warning of a statewide bandh in protest against Tamil actor Kamal Haasan's controversial remarks on the Kannada language. The actor is under fire for allegedly stating that 'Kannada was born out of Tamil,' a comment that has drawn strong backlash from Kannada groups and political circles alike. Also Read - Kamal Haasan faces ire of Karnataka High Court for not apologising in Kannada row: 'Are you a historian or linguist' Leading a protest in Mysuru on June 2, Nagaraj lashed out at Haasan and called his statement a direct insult to the Kannada language and its rich heritage. 'This is not just an affront to the language, but to the pride and identity of Kannadigas. We will not take it lying down,' he said. He added that thousands of Kannada activists across the state were prepared to go to jail if Haasan's upcoming film Thug Life is screened in Karnataka. Declaring that pro-Kannada organisations will unite, Nagaraj announced a call for a statewide bandh if the actor does not issue a public apology. 'We will ensure that neither Kamal Haasan nor his films are allowed within the borders of Karnataka. He must apologise to the people of this state, or face a complete boycott,' Nagaraj asserted. Urging political leaders to speak up, Nagaraj criticised the silence of elected representatives and called on MLAs, MPs, and ministers to take to the streets in defence of the language. He also appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to convene a special one-day session of the State Legislature to pass a resolution reaffirming the dignity and sovereignty of Kannada. Also Read - Karnataka reports 87 new Covid-19 cases, active cases rise to 311 Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan has approached the Karnataka High Court seeking clearance for the release of Thug Life in the state, amid rising protests and calls for a boycott. However, his petition hit a roadblock after the court criticised the lack of remorse in his response. According to legal news portal Live Law, the bench remarked, 'If it is a reply of apology, we will consider it. But there is no apology in it. You may be Kamal Haasan or anybody else—you cannot hurt public sentiments.' The actor's legal counsel maintained that the statement had been misinterpreted and presented a written explanation from Haasan. Still, the court appeared unconvinced, stating clearly that the emotional sensitivity of linguistic identity cannot be dismissed lightly.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Vatal Nagaraj threatens State-wide bundh over Kamal Haasan's remarks against Kannada
Pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj has threatened a State-wide bundh over Tamil actor Kamal Haasan's remarks against Kannada. Mr. Nagaraj, who led a protest against the actor in Mysuru on Monday, said thousands of Kannada activists were ready to go to jail if Mr. Haasan's new film 'Thug Life' is released in Karnataka. Pointing to the protests against Mr. Haasan for his reported statement that 'Kannada was born out of Tamil', Mr. Nagaraj said the entire State was demanding an apology from the film actor. 'If he does not apologise, we will boycott Kamal Haasan, and we will not allow either him or his movies to enter the State's borders,' he said. 'All the pro-Kannada organisations in the State will join and give a call for State-wide bundh,' he said. Terming Mr. Haasan's statement as an 'insult' to Kannada, Mr. Nagaraj regretted that politicians including MLAs, MPs, and Ministers should take to the streets to voice their ire over the alleged disrespect shown to Kannada. He called upon Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to convene a one-day session of the State Legislature to uphold the glory, culture, and sovereignty of Kannada language. Mr. Nagaraj also criticised the alleged assault on an autodriver in Bengaluru reportedly by a woman from North India with a footwear.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
Four cheat retired bank manager with rejected currency notes tale, held in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Police arrested four men, including a constable from Hiriyur in Chitradurga, on charges of duping a retired bank employee of Rs 15 lakh. They promised him currency notes worth Rs 50 lakh, which were allegedly rejected by RBI due to technical issues. The accused are Nagaraj, a head constable attached to Hiriyur police station, Kiran Kumar, Gajendra, and Prabhu, all from Chitradurga. According to police, the accused convinced the 65-year-old that they possessed currency notes of different denominations printed by RBI, but they were rejected due to some technical flaws. "Those flaws cannot be noticed. The currency notes can be circulated without any difficulty," they told the retired bank manager. Police constable Nagaraj was not among the suspects in contact with the victim. Trusting them, he gave Rs 15 lakh in different instalments between Feb 2024 and this May. "On May 24, Nagaraj called me saying they arrested Kiran Kumar for carrying the rejected currencies to supply to me. He said if I give money, he'd release Kiran and not arrest me," the manager told police. By now, the manager was convinced the suspects were duping him. He filed a complaint with Peenya police station and four suspects were arrested. Two more suspects, including a man who introduced the gang to the manager, are elusive. "The elusive man was a tenant of the victim until last year. He found that the retired manager had good money and could easily be duped, convincing him about the rejected currencies. Once a bank manager, the victim was aware of the existence of such currency notes. Also, he knew such rejected currency notes were destroyed by RBI itself. Still, the suspects managed to hoodwink him," an officer said.
New Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Industry leaders call for stronger industry-skill synergy at Karnataka CxO Conclave 2025
BENGALURU: From emerging technologies to hospitality and aerospace, industry leaders at the CxO Conclave and Alumni Meet 2025 called for a more coordinated and visionary approach to Karnataka's skilling ecosystem. The panel discussion, themed 'Skilling Ecosystem in Karnataka – Opportunities and Challenges,' brought together representatives from government, industry, and academia to discuss sector-specific demands and evolving workforce requirements. The panelists, which included officials from Nasscom, aerospace industry, hospitality and Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), stressed the need for better alignment between industry needs and skilling programs. The speakers, during the event organised by Karnataka National Livelihood Mission on Tuesday, emphasised the need to move from theoretical frameworks to direct industry collaboration. Nagaraj NM, Managing Director of KSDC, outlined the body's top three priorities - making industry collaboration central to skilling programs, addressing scale through phased implementation, and embedding skill-based learning into university curricula. 'We are aware that skilling every graduate immediately isn't practical, but we've started bridging this gap with targeted training while students are still in college,' he said. Nagaraj also stressed the importance of emerging technologies like AI, cybersecurity, and data science.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Finding worms in mangoes? Blame it on recent climatic shifts
Bengaluru: Choosing delicious and quality mangoes from a fresh pile at the market could be a tricky business. But if you find worms in the king of fruits this summer, it may not be the fault of vendors but rather the result of changing climatic conditions affecting the mango crop, say horticulture experts. Unlike in previous years, fluctuating temperatures and sudden rainfall over the past couple of months have severely impacted mango production. The unusual increase in temperature and elevated soil moisture between Feb and April across mango-growing regions have resulted in greater pest infestation of the fruits. "The worms you find in fruit are the result of this infestation by fruit flies and thrips. But not all mangoes are infected by pests, only some arriving in the market in the middle and towards the end of the mango season," explained CG Nagaraj, managing director of Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Ltd. While 2025 was expected to be a productive season for mangoes, climatic variations have turned it into an off-season with a notable decrease in yield. "Because of bounteous rainfall, there was delayed flowering this year. While it should flower in Dec-Jan normally, flowering was noticed in Jan-Feb because of physiological stress in the plants. During that time, the mercury levels rose abnormally up to 32-34C. This affected the pollination and setting of fruit," Nagaraj said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 굶어도 안 빠져?! '이것' 먹고 "내장지방'' 싹~ 녹였어요! 한미 면역 DIET 더 알아보기 Undo The extreme temperature and early onset of summer showers created favourable conditions for thrips and fruit flies. A technical officer from the mango corporation explained: "Usually, their larvae are present in soil. As rain in summer increases humidity levels and moisture in soil, thrips come out and feed on fruits that are setting, and lay eggs in them. They wouldn't even damage the fruit but pierce it at one point and lay eggs before disappearing. " The board has been working to control infestation by distributing pest traps and educating farmers on the methods to manage these pests. While many farmers have successfully controlled pests, the smaller and marginal ones have struggled, affecting the quality of their produce. Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department's forecast of an early monsoon is expected to cause further damage to the crop, particularly affecting late mid-season and late-season varieties such as Malgova and Neelam. Strong winds have already impacted heavy fruit varieties such as Imam Pasand, Mallika, and Malgova. Despite these challenges, early mango varieties from Ramanagara and Bengaluru Rural districts have completed their market cycles. Mid-season and late mid-season varieties are currently available, marking the peak of mango season. However, an official from the mango corporation warned that because of early onset of monsoon, the mango season might end by the first week of June, whereas it typically extends throughout the month.
