Chief Secretary, Shalini Rajneesh during the flagging off ceremony of Golden Chariot by Railways at Yeshwanthpura railway station.
| Photo Credit: HANDOUT E MAIL

Karnataka’s luxury train, The Golden Chariot, was relaunched at the Yesvantpur Railway Station on Saturday, December 21. Karnataka Tourism Minister H.K. Patil flagged off the train.

Originally launched on January 23, 2008, by then-President Pratibha Patil, the Golden Chariot initially succeeded with luxury trips across southern India, but operational challenges like expensive running costs and less than full patronage have placed the train in a hiatus mode since 2018.

Under the Bharat Gaurav Train policy, the operational arrangements between the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) and IRCTC were revised, paving the way for the train’s relaunch.

Minister of Tourism, H.K. Patil, Chief Secretary, Shalini Rajneesh during the flagging off ceremony of Golden Chariot by Railways at Yeshwanthpura railway station in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit:
HANDOUT E MAIL

The Golden Chariot offers curated journeys like ‘Jewel of the South,’ ‘Pride of Karnataka,’ ‘Glimpse of Karnataka,’ and chartered trips under ‘Sojourn of the South’.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Patil expressed pride in the train’s revival. “The Golden Chariot carries the essence of Karnataka’s culture, history, and nature, providing a special luxury experience,” he remarked.

The train features 44 cabins with en-suite bathrooms, two gourmet restaurants, a lounge bar, a spa, and a fitness center.

An IRCTC representative emphasized the blend of opulence and heritage, aiming to attract both domestic and international travelers.

Jewels of the South will begin its sojourn from December 21 to 26 and cost ₹4.07 lakh per ticket, Pride of Karnataka will be organised from February 1 to 6 and cost ₹2. 71 Lakh. Sojourn of the South will be a chartered trip from December 29 to February 12.

Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

India’s “strong protest” in response to the now deleted Facebook post carrying an enlarged map of Bangladesh that included neighbouring Indian territories, has drawn attention to the student-advisers of the interim government of Bangladesh. The Facebook post that drew MEA’s response appeared on the page of Mahfuj Alam, a student-adviser who was inducted into the Advisory Council of the interim government in November.

Mahfuj Alam came to the limelight when he accompanied Professor Yunus during his September tour of the United States. At a Clinton Global Initiative event in New York, Prof. Yunus introduced Mr. Alam saying, “He is known to be the brain behind the whole revolution.” Subsequently, Mr. Alam has been spotted in several important engagements of Prof. Yunus including the latest visit to Cairo where Bangladesh participated in the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation summit. During this week’s visit to Cairo he posted photographs of him meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and an adviser of the Turkish government.

Mr. Alam was appointed into the top level of Advisers to the interim government on November 11 and does not have any particular Ministry under him but he has made his presence felt in the power structure with his frequent remarks on social media that increasingly has set the public discourse in Dhaka. Soon after being sworn in to the top-most body of advisers of the interim government, he announced that the portrait of the founder of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had been removed from Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban, the official residence of the President of Bangladesh.

In a post on December 4, Mr. Alam gave a hint of the prevailing sentiment among the student-advisers in the interim government saying, “Indophiles, or Indian allies in this part of Bengal, are thinking that things are going to cool down and bypassing the July uprising and the fascist atrocities won’t cost them anything. It’s a wrong idea. People are watching everything!”

Mahfuj Alam is one of the several student-coordinators of the student-people uprising of July-August that overthrew the Awami League government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. While he became an adviser in November, others who joined the interim government in August are Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan. Nahid Islam is in charge of Post and Telegraph and Information and Broadcasting Ministries, while Asif Mahmud is in charge of Youth and Sports and Local Government Ministries.

The three student-advisers have risen from the ranks of student-coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement (Boishommo Birodhi Chhatra Andolan), the steering body of the July-August uprising. Apart from the three other two leading student-coordinators who have widespread following among the youth are Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam – both known for their fiery speeches.

Both participated in a large rally in Dhaka on December 10 on the occasion of the International Human Rights day and gave a hint of the prevailing mood among the advisers of the Yunus government. On the previous day Dhaka had hosted the Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri who was the highest ranking official from the Government of India to visit Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5. Mr. Misri had met his counterpart Md. Jashim Uddin and called on Prof. Yunus during his visit and both sides urged for “constructive” bilateral relation. However, the student-advisers next day said that Bangladesh should take firm position while engaging India. Addressing the gathering, Hasnat Abdullah said the days of “bent knee” diplomacy are over for Bangladesh and that Dhaka will confront India on important issues like the presence of Ms. Hasina on Indian soil.

“Sheikh Hasina carried out the policy of murder, kidnapping for years and we want to tell India that it should not become the safehouse for terror suspects. Bent knee relation with India will not be allowed. Relation with India will have to be confrontational,” Hasnat Abdullah said. At the same rally Sarjis Alam said, “India’s relation with Bangladesh will be possible if the relation is one of respect.”

Sarjis Alam is also the General Secretary of the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation, an outfit started by the interim government to help the families of the victims of police crackdown of July 2024. The large crowd at the rally and widespread social media engagement of the student-advisers of the interim government and the student-coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement indicate the growing influence that they currently have over Bangladesh.

Leaders of Andhra Pradesh Teachers Federation (APTF) on Saturday demanded that Class 10 students attending special classes on Saturdays and Sundays as part of their academic preparation for the upcoming Board examinations should be provided mid-day meal and given transportation facility.

In a statement, the federation’s state president G. Hrudaya Raju and general secretary Y. Chiranjeevi said in a meeting held on December 13 comprising the officials of the School Education Department and representatives of the recognised teacher unions, Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Nara Lokesh had agreed to their request to provide mid-day meal and transportation facility on second Saturdays, Sundays and on festival holidays, since students came from far-flung areas.

They said no orders to this effect were issued even till Saturday, a day before Sunday when the students would need to travel long distances from home to attend classes and would spend their day in school during the lunch hour.

A dispute between neighbours at the Ajmera Heights apartment building in Maharashtra’s Kalyan escalated into a narrative on ethnic conflict between Maharashtrians and non-Marathi speaking residents of the State. The dispute received enough traction to even find mention in the State Assembly sessions.

Six people, including Akhilesh Shukla and his spouse, were produced before the Kalyan judicial magistrate for abusing their Marathi speaking neighbours Dhiraj Deshmukh and his family members. According to a police official, Mr. Shukla attacked people in the Deshmukh family with the help of his spouse, as well co-accused Sumit Jadhav and Darshan Borade along with three others.

All the six individuals were arrested and produced before the magistrate, the official said. They will be kept on a six day police custody starting Saturday (December 21, 2024), the official added.

On Friday, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis yesterday announced the suspension Mr. Shukla, who works as a Maharashtra tourism corporation officer. Further, Mr. Shukla’s private car was seized for unauthorised usage of amber light.

“Shukla was fined ₹9,500 for using an amber light without authority. His vehicle did not have valid insurance or pollution under control certification. It had a plate with Maharashtra government written on it as well,” Regional Transport Officer Ashutosh Barkul said.

The police registered the FIR against Shukla and his wife under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 74 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 189 (2) (3), and (5) (unlawful assembly), and others.

The supremo of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Raj Thackeray wrote on social media platform X warning of violence from the “Maharashtra’s soldiers”. “I am making it clear that arrest the accused in this welfare case, show them what the fear of the law is. And if the government is not able to do it, then if Maharashtra’s soldiers attack, don’t point the finger at us,” he said in the post.

He further added that as much as Hindu unity was important, “there should be no attempt to crush the language, the local people, the culture of each State”.

He further alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party-government of being helpless in solving this situation for votes. “My question to those who are asking for votes in the name of ‘beloved sister’ is, isn’t the wife, mother, sister of the person who was beaten up your beloved sister? Ministerial posts will be enjoyed by Maharashtrians. But the same son of the land will not have your support! Why do you feel closer to these people [non-Maharshtrians] than your Marathi brothers? I don’t know where this helplessness of yours comes from. It is making you miserable,” the MNS chief said.

Avarebele Mela was inaugurated by Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy on January 03, 2013.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

It was the year 1995 in Bengaluru when farmers from Magadi used to bring avarekayi and avare bele to sell them in the southern parts of the city. Almost 50% of what they used to bring would go to waste as the bean was not popular among the residents here.  

Noticing that the farmers were throwing the peeled beans (hidkid bele) away after wrapping up their business for the day, Geetha Shivakumar, a nearby resident, asked them to sell whatever was remaining to her so that she could make food items out of it. She made savouries out of avare and started selling it under the brand of Shree Vasavi Condiments. 

Five years later, in 2000, Ms. Shivakumar came up with the idea of organising a small mela with food items made of avare to benefit and celebrate the farmers from whom she had been shopping. Avare nippattu, chikki, mixture and avarekaalu saaru were some of the star dishes during the mela. And thus, Avare Mela, one of Bengaluru’s most awaited food events in recent times, was born.

The Mela has now hit a landmark with its 25th edition being organised from December 27, 2024, to January 5, 2025, at National College grounds. 

The first Avare Mela had around 10 dishes served and now for the 25th edition, a total of 125 dishes will be served. “We have this ritual where we add one new dish to the menu every year. With this being the 25th year, we have added 25 new dishes including avarekaalu mayonnaise, avarekaalu pasta and avarekaalu chocolate. We have a gourmet menu and a bakery menu all featuring avare,” shared Swathi. K. S., daughter of Ms. Shivakumar and organiser of the Mela.  

What started as a small event with four farmers has now grown into a massive event whose footfall was around four lakh in the previous edition with over 500 farmers providing avare.

Vasanna, a farmer from Magadi, was one of the first four and is still supplying the beans for the Mela. Travelling down memory lane, he said, “Back then people in Bengaluru did not know any recipes of avare except avarekaalu saaru. If we brought 100 seru (measuring devices) of avare bele, we would throw away almost 50 seru. Then our association with Vasavi Condiments started. A kg of avare bele used to be priced at ₹20 – 25 in the 2000s and now, the same quantity is selling at ₹250 – 300 per kg, almost 10 times more. While the quantity of avare bele used in the mela used to be around 300 – 500 kgs before, now it is in tonnes.” 

Over the years, the Mela was held around the popular food street in V. V. Puram until 2023 when it moved to National College Grounds owing to the growing crowd.

She added, “There is a lot of people who work behind the scenes to bring avare to the tables in Bengaluru. There is no chemical or machine to help with the peeling of avarekayi. Women do it in their houses and then it comes to the market. We want people to know about their efforts.” 

The State Human Rights Commission has ordered a probe by the Chief Engineer, Kerala Water Authority (KWA), on a complaint that a consumer was beaten up by KWA staff in Thiruvananthapuram.

Commission chairperson Alexander Thomas directed the Chief Engineer, KWA, to carry out a “proper enquiry” and file a report before the panel within two weeks. The Commission has suo motu filed a case in the incident, which reportedly took place near the cash counter of KWA’s Pongumoodu section office, based on media reports.

Earlier, Sanal Kumar, a resident of Puliyankode, Ayiroopara, had lodged a complaint with the Assistant Executive Engineer, KWA, saying that he had witnessed five KWA staff assaulting a middle-aged man who had sought clarifications regarding his water charge arrears.

Mr. Sanal Kumar also claimed that the fact of the matter can be ascertained by examining footage from the CCTV installed on the office premises. The Assistant Executive Engineer, in December 16 report to the Executive Engineer, Public Health Division (North), stated that the CCTV footage confirmed the incident. The Human Rights Commission has directed the Chief Engineer, KWA, to submit the Assistant Executive Engineer’s report to the Commission.

Further, the Commission also ordered that a senior officer not below the rank of an executive engineer, authorised by the Chief Engineer, should be present at the Commission’s sitting in Thiruvananthapuram on January 16, 2025.

Five persons were killed in two separate accidents in Mandya district on Saturday.

Three engineering students from Bengaluru died on the spot when the vehicle by which they were travelling collided with a truck near Nagegowdana Doddi in Malavalli taluk of Mandya district, on Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Pranav, Akash, and Adarsh, students of Bangalore Institute of Technology while another student Prithvi, sustained grievous injuries and his condition is said to be critical.

All the four were on their way to Talakad in T. Narispur taluk of Mysuru district when the accident took place.

The police said the accident occurred when the car collided with a truck coming from Kollegal, resulting in the death of the three students on the spot.

The impact of the collision was such that the car was reduced to a mangled mass of metal and rolled into the adjoining agricultural field. Traffic on the highway was affected for sometime due to the accident.

The Malavalli Rural police inspector Mahesh, sub-inspector Shravan and staff visited the spot and informed the family members of the victims. The bodies were shifted to the Malavalli hospital and the truck driver was taken into custody.

Another accident

In an accident near Mahadeshwarpura near Pandavapura, also in Mandya district, two women died when their two-wheeler was knocked down by an onion-laden truck. The accident took place near Mahadeshwarapura on the Srirangapatna-Jewargi highway.

The victims were identified as Shilpashree, 34, and Sandhya, 17, a II PU student, and both belonged to Neelanahalli village.

Sandhya’s mother Shailaja has been injured and her condition is said to be serious. According to the police, Sandhya was driving the two-wheeler and was proceeding to the railway station to drop Shailaja and Shilpashree when the accident occurred. The truck was coming from Nagamangala.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Murali, inspector Pramod and other police officers visited the spot. Former Minister C.S.Puttaraju and Darshan Puttanaiah, MLA, also visited the hospital where the bodies of the victims were shifted and commiserated with the family members of the deceased.

The Melkote police have registered a case.

Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao
| Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G

HYDERABAD

Congress, Communist Party of India and All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen members have suggested the State government not to give investment support given to farmers under the Rythu Bharosa scheme to lands not under cultivation as over ₹21,000 crore money went into the hands of holders land that is fallow, barren, hillocks and converted into non-agricultural purposes.

Participating in the short discussion on Rythu Bharosa in the Assembly on Saturday, the lone member of CPI Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao asked the government to prepare the data of lands under cultivation first. He pointed out that realtors, stone crusher owners and those holding lands converted for non-agricultural purposes, mostly around urban areas, had secured pattadar passbooks illegally and claimed the Rythu Bandhu amount given by the previous government.

Further, he suggested the government give investment support for up to 15 acres a farmer and if possible to a higher extent of land holders who were into farming as agriculture was not a remunerative activity most of the times. He wanted the government to extend it to those cultivating podu, endowments and wakf lands too as also the tenant farmers.

Congress member T. Rammohan Reddy and B. Krishnamohan Reddy of BRS who defected to the Congress suggested Rythu Bharosa benefit to all farmers irrespective of the extent of cultivation as farming was not a lucrative economic activity. Mr. Krishnamohan Reddy asked the government to increase the insurance coverage under Rythu Bima to ₹10 lakh from the existing ₹5 lakh.

Floor leader of AIMIM Akbaruddin Owaisi, who spoke mostly on the State debt, said that while the recent document of the RBI had stated that most of the borrowings of Telangana were of the term of 10 years, some of the borrowings of the present government were of the term of 20 years or more. He also sought to know the status of the State government plan of debt swapping — borrowing of short term loans with lower interest to repay long term loans with higher interest to reduce the interest burden.

He suggested the government include the details of borrowings of State PSUs/Corporations to give a real picture to the people as tabling such details was not a practice during the previous government.

Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao said bonus to fine varieties of paddy had increased the extent of such varieties from 21% to 61%. He stated that the government was promoting cultivation of fine varieties with a view to give fine quality rice to the poor under the public distribution system. He said he was hoping for more suggestions on the implementation of Rythu Bharosa but the members spoke on various issues pertaining to agriculture and other sectors.

One8 Commune, Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

One8 Commune, a bar and restaurant co-owned by Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, has been warned of action by the Bengaluru civic body for allegedly functioning without the required permits, including NOC, from the Fire Department.

The BBMP letter, which has threatened of action if the establishment does not respond to it within seven days, has also alleged that an earlier communication too went unanswered.

The civic body’s notice comes in the wake of a complaint by activists H.M. Venkatesh and Kunigal Narasimha Murthy, who have alleged that the restaurant lacks fire safety measures.

This is not the first time that the establishment has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Earlier this year, the Cubbon Park Police had registered cases after three bars and restaurants, including One8 Commune, were found to be operating beyond permissible hours.

Based on a tip-off, a police team had raided One8 Commune, situated at the Rathnam’s Complex building on Kasturba Road near M.G. Road, around 2 a.m. on Saturday and found it fully operational. The manager of the pub was booked under the Karnataka Police Act, 1963.

Medigadda Lakshmi barrage
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRAGEMENT

HYDERABAD

The State government has extended the term of the one-man Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice P.C. Ghose going into the alleged irregularities in the planning, design, construction, quality control, operation and maintenance of the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla Barrages of the Kaleshwaram Project by two more months, till February 28, 2025.

The existing term of the Commission ends on December 31 after it was extended thrice in June, August and November after it was constituted in March this year.

The Commission has already examined about 100 serving and retired engineers and about a dozen serving and retired bureaucrats. Besides, several outsiders also deposed before the Commission voluntarily so far, giving their views on the Kaleshwaram project, particularly the three barrages.

Recently, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) that examined the damage suffered by Medigadda Barrage, particularly sinking of some piers, along with washing away of the apron in the downstream of the structure from October 23 to 25 last year, has written to the Secretary (Irrigation) of Telangana seeking for submission inputs at the earliest.

It is stated that the State government has not submitted information/details sought either fully or partially on 14 out of the 26 points. The NDSA committee had submitted its preliminary report on November 1 last year with some recommendations and suggestions to maintain the status quo of the structures.

The NDSA has informed the State government that it would require at least two months time to prepare the final report after receiving all the information asked for.