1. Resort Politics Returns as Four MLAs Skip Congress’ Show of Strength
The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting on Friday, 18 January, was projected as a show of strength to put an end to the rumours of the Karnataka coalition government’s instability, and to thwart ‘Operation Lotus’ by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Out of the 79 Congress MLAs (excluding the Speaker), 75 attended the CLP meeting and party leaders announced this as a signal to prove that the BJP’s plan to make at least 14 MLAs to change camps and topple the government had failed.
However, in a surprising move, after announcing their government's stability, the Congress shifted its legislators to Eagleton resort, in Bidadi, in the outskirts of the city. This move reignited speculation that the BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’ was not over.
Read the full story here.
2. IISc Students in Bengaluru Hold Hunger Strike, Demand Hike in Fellowships
More than two weeks after protests were held in front of the headquarters of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) in Delhi, research scholars of IISc, Bengaluru held a hunger strike on Friday, 18 January at the campus. A total of 300 research scholars registered for the protest and sat in front of the institute’s main building from 8am until evening chanting slogans and holding placards.
The cause of the protests, however, remains the same. The researchers who are currently paid Rs 25,000 and Rs 28,000 as junior research fellowships (JRF) and senior research fellowships (SRF) every month want it to be hiked by 80%. The last revision of the stipend was in 2014. Moreover, some of the researchers do not get their fellowship stipend on time making it difficult to lead their daily lives.
(Source: The News Minute)
3. Want to Protest? Pay a Fee First, Say Mangaluru Cops
Want to register your grievance in public? Pay first, protest later, say Mangaluru police.
According to activists, the fee ranges from Rs 500 for simple protests without the use of loudspeakers to over Rs 1 lakh for processions. Police said they’re just following a government order.
A receipt, issued by police sub-inspector, law and order, Mangaluru South police station, to the Democratic Youth Federation of India for payment of Rs 500 to hold a simple protest without the use of loudspeakers, indicates that the fee is collected as per the order number HD 224 2018 issued by the government on 10 October 2018 and HD 56 EFS 2018 dated 27 November 2018.
(Source: The Times of India)
4. K'taka CM HD Kumaraswamy Demands Bharat Ratna for 111-year-old Seer Shivakumara Swamiji
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday, 18 January said the Central government should confer the Bharat Ratna on Tumakuru Siddaganga mutt's 111-year-old pontiff Shivakumara Swami.
"I had recommended Bharat Ratna for Swami in 2006 itself for his good work. If necessary, we will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant the award to Swami," Kumaraswamy told the media.
The Swami, who has been in and out of hospitals lately due to advanced age, is currently being treated at the Siddaganga mutt in Tumakuru, about 70 km northwest of Bengaluru.
(Source: The News Minute)
5. Auto Driver Rapes Woman, Rips Her Lip, Spits it Out
A simple errand such as hailing an auto-rickshaw from her own locality became a homemaker’s worst nightmare.
The driver tailed the 37 -year-old woman, barged into her home, dragged her into the bedroom and gagged her before raping her. The assault didn’t end there. He bit her lower lip so hard that it was severed, which he then spat on the floor. He even tried to strangle her and smashed her head with a steel bottle. The man then snatched her gold chain. The woman screamed for help, ran into the bathroom and locked herself in. He took away some more gold jewellery before fleeing. Neighbours later took the woman to a hospital.
The horrific rape and brutal assault took place at Sidedahalli near Bagalagunte, North Bengaluru, on Thursday.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
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