1. Waqf row: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya urges JPC Chairman to invite Vijayapura farmers to discuss land dispute
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya has written to Chairperson of Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 Jagdambika Pal to invite farmers from Vijayapura district in Karnataka as witnesses to discuss their land disputes with Waqf Board.
Posting a copy of the letter on X (formerly Twitter), the Lok Sabha member from Bengaluru South, who is also a member of the Committee, recalled his recent meeting with a delegation of farmers from the district “who have been wrongfully served notices claiming their land as Waqf property,” he said. Read his full letter, here.
A team of BJP leaders from Karnataka, including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and MP Ramesh Jigajinagi, also visited Vijayapura on October 30, to speak to officers and meet farmers. Mr. Joshi alleged that the Congress government in the State was trying to take over the lands of farmers to appease the minorities.
“The Congress government in Karnataka is using the 2013 Waqf Act to do as they please. We are making amendments to the 2013 law and bringing in a new law,” Mr. Joshi said. He said that Waqf adalats being conducted by minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan in various districts had put unfair pressure on officers to mutate farm lands as Waqf lands, and demanded CM Siddaramaiah to stop them.
2. Karnataka HC grants interim bail for six weeks to actor Darshan to undergo surgery for back pain
In a relief to Kannada actor Darshan, who is an accused in the murder of Renukaswamy, the Karnataka High Court has granted interim bail for six weeks on medical ground to enable the actor to undergo surgery at a hospital of his choice in Bengaluru for his back pain based on the medical reports given by a neurosurgeon of Ballari Medical College and Research Centre (BMCRC), Ballari.
The court directed Darshan to report to the hospital soon after he is released from prison to get himself medically examined. A report from the hospital mentioning the probable date of his surgery, period of admission required for the proposed treatment and follow-up treatment, if any, should be filed within one week from the date of release from the prison, the court stated. He is also restrained from appearing before any media to give any statement on any issue, including his health condition, during the bail.
3. King Charles in Bengaluru: City-based Soukya Holistic Centre to expand to Portugal
The Bengaluru-based luxury wellness retreat — Soukya international Holistic Health Centre — is working on expanding its base to Portugal. Holistic health practitioner Issac Mathai, who runs the Centre told The Hindu that King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who left the Centre on October 30, 2024 after a three-day rejuvenation session, were happy with the expansion as it is close to the UK.
The King, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, planned this rejuvenation on the advice of his medical team after all the chemotherapy sessions. While the rejuvenation sessions were similar to those provided to other high profile guests, therapies were decided based on his health. The King, who had celebrated his 71st birthday at Soukhya in 2019, is visiting the Centre for the second time while his wife has stayed at the Centre nine times so far.
4. H.D. Kumaraswamy accuses Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre of trespassing on HMT land in Bengaluru
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy accused Karnataka Forest & Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre of ‘trespassing’ land belonging to Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) in Bengaluru, after the latter visited the premises in Peenya-Jalahalli on October 29 and alleged that hundreds of trees had been illegally axed during the filming of the Yash-starrer Toxic.
The Union Minister and Mr. Khandre have been at loggerheads over the past few months over the 599-acre HMT land. The Forest Department of Karnataka has already taken possession of five acres of vacant land in Peenya-Jalahalli belonging to HMT.
Published - October 30, 2024 07:08 pm IST
