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India Today
30-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Karnataka Minister raps own government over unfulfilled promise to farmers
Karnataka Excise Minister RB Thimmapur, who also holds charge of Bagalkot district, has hit out at his own government over the prolonged delay in resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) of farmers affected by the Almatti dam under the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) at a meeting with farmers and activists in Mudhol, Thimmapur expressed concern over the government's inefficiency in implementing R&R works. He pointed out that no progress had been made for over six months despite repeated assurances to remarks come amid growing dissent within the Congress, with several party MLAs already raising concerns over slow-paced development and allegations of corruption in the incumbent Congress government. In December 2024, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar assured farmer groups in Belagavi that the rehabilitation works would begin within six months. However, Thimmapur's comments indicate that little progress has been made since last week, another Congress leader, Kagwad MLA Raju Kage, threatened to resign over similar issues. Speaking in Ainapur, Belagavi district, Kage said that not a single work order had been issued despite the Chief Minister approving a Rs 25 crore special grant two years funds were meant for road development and the construction of 72 community halls in his constituency. Kage blamed the state administration for the prolonged delays, questioning why it takes two years just to begin the work.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Congress high command continues to nudge Karnataka Chief Minister and Ministers on various issues
Over the last few months, the Congress high command appears to be constantly nudging the Karnataka government, the latest being Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur's responses to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people. The AICC has been cautious in its remarks on the terror attack after conflicting statements were made by some of its senior leaders in the State. Hours after the attack, the party's measured response was offering unconditional backing to the government in whatever action it took against the perpetrators and their backers, while highlighting intelligence and security lapses. Meanwhile, Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Thimmapur's remarks on the terror attack have not gone well with the party's central leaders, and they distanced themselves from the remarks made by the State leaders. In a damage-control exercise, the party high command apparently told its State leaders to toe the party line, particularly that mentioned in the Congress Working Committee's resolution. On terror attack In his initial remarks, Mr. Siddaramaiah said there was no need for a war with Pakistan and suggested stepping up security in the border areas. Immediately, the BJP escalated its attack over the remark, shared purported reports by Pakistani media, which played Mr. Siddaramaiah's comments. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok slammed the Chief Minister and went so far as to call him 'Pakistan's jewel'. The BJP also hit out at Mr. Thimmapur for his comments that 'terrorists would not have asked the name and the religion of victims'. Apparently, after the high command's instruction, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his comments were twisted and clarified that he did not completely rule out war, but meant that it should be considered only as the nation's last option. There have been other instances in the past when the Congress high command opposed comments/decisions taken by the State Ministers or leaders. Leadership squabbles In January 2025, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge issued a stern warning to State Ministers saying that 'all should shut up and discharge duties assigned to them', after factions supporting Mr. Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar publicly challenged each other on the KPCC president holding multiple posts and demanded the appointment of a full-time State Congress chief. The high command has constantly told party legislators and Ministers not to speak to the media about leadership changes, Cabinet expansion, or the change of the KPCC president. Again in January, Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary, in charge of Karnataka, objected to the 'dinner meeting' of SC/ST Ministers and leaders called by Home Minister G. Parameshwara. Subsequently, the meeting was cancelled. Honey trap In March, the high command reportedly was disappointed with the manner in which the government handled Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna's allegation that vested interests had honey-trapped 48 people, including legislators and central leaders. The allegations embarrassed the party at the national level when Parliament session was on.
The Hindu
27-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pahalgam attack: Don't think terrorists asked victims details of their religion, says Karnataka Minister Thimmapur
I do not think the terror attackers in Pahalgam identified their victims by asking them about their religion, Minister R. B. Thimmapur said in Bagalkot on Saturday (April 26, 2025). He told reporters that he did not think the terrorists chose their victims by asking their names to identify their faith. He also suspected that some leaders were trying to communalise the incident to cover up the intelligence failure in Kashmir. 'During a terrorist attack, the attackers kill people and flee in a hurry. In such a situation, do they have the time to go around asking the victims their names to find out if they are Hindu or not? I do not think so. Some vested interests are trying to attack religion to every incident. It is not right,'' he said. 'BJP has been trying to take political benefits from the deaths of innocents. It has been doing this for a long time. It is playing politics even when the country is facing danger,'' Mr. Thimmapur said. Responding to a query, he said the State government would address concerns by all communities over the data collected by the Karnataka state backward class commission. He said the state government would take up internal reservation among Scheduled castes, after getting empirical data. He said he would urge the union government to allow the States to sell their sugar stocks so that the factories were able to pay farmers in time. Pahalgam terror attack At least 26 people, two foreign tourists among them, were killed by a group of terrorists who emerged from the dense forests around the trekking paradise of the Baisaran meadows in the upper reaches of Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon. It was the first major terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama attack. Around 40 tourists were present at the meadow when the terrorists opened indiscriminate fire, using both automatic rifles and small arms. They reportedly checked the identity of victims before shooting them at close range.
