NATIONAL NEWS
Yediyurappa announces resignation as Karnataka Chief Minister
B S Yediyurappa on Monday announced his resignation as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. His government has just about completed two years in office. The 78-year-old BJP veteran said he will submit his resignation to the Governor post lunch. Don’t take me otherwise, with your permission… I have decided that after lunch I will go to the Raj Bhavan and submit my resignation as the Chief Minister to the Governor, Yediyurappa said with a choked voice, as he turned emotional. Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa (centre) addressing mediapersons outside Raj Bhavan after submitting his resignation to the Governor, in Bengaluru on July 26, 2021. At left is Minister for Home Affairs, Law, Parliamentary Affairs Basavaraj Bommai, behind the CM is his political secretary and MLA M.P. Renukacharya, and to the right is Deputy Chief Minister Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan. The 78-year-old BJP veteran holds the record for being the chief minister of Karnataka four times, the most for any CM, though he could not complete a full term even once. Two terms were short, as he failed to muster the support of adequate number of MLAs to sustain the government. But he failed to complete the other two terms due to bickering in his own party, which he built brick by brick in Karnataka. A close look at the turn of events, particularly in the last two years, shows that there was a clear indication of him not completing the term this time too as the gulf between him and the party cadre as well as the high command had begun widening from the very start. Also his past mistakes, particularly with respect to administration, continued this time too, with his own partymen levelling allegations of corruption and nepotism. But unlike his previous stint, when he had stepped down unceremoniously following a report on illegal mining, Yediyurappa had an honourable exit this time. Despite endearing himself to party workers and occupying prominent posts, like Leader of the Opposition, president of the party’s State unit and Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Yediyurappa had not emerged strongly in the State’s political spectrum till 2008. The failure by coalition partner JD(S) to transfer power to the BJP in 2008 changed the political fortunes of the BJP as well as Yediyurappa. The party’s campaign, led by Yediyurappa on the theme of ‘deception’ by the JD(S), was not only received well by people, but also elevated the political stature of Yediyurappa and turned him into a towering Lingayat leader. But despite making a quantum jump in terms of seats won by the party, it marginally fell short of the majority mark. That’s when Yediyurappa resorted to the controversial strategy of getting several opposition MLAs to quit their Assembly membership and re-contest on the BJP ticket, a manoeuvre that was codenamed ‘Operation Kamala’.
Pegasus issue: West Bengal govt sets up two-member inquiry commission
The West Bengal government has set up an inquiry commission to probe the Pegasus spyware row, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting, she said. The two-member commission will comprise retired Supreme Court judge M.B. Lokur and former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya. We had hoped that the Centre will start an inquiry in the Pegasus row under the supervision of the Supreme Court. But this government did nothing even when the Parliament is on. Therefore, before going to Delhi, we have taken the decision to set up an inquiry commission at a Cabinet meeting today. West Bengal is the first State to set to set up an inquiry commission, the Chief Minister said. Banerjee said that since there were aggrieved parties in West Bengal whose phones had been put under surveillance, the commission would investigate the matter. Last week, she urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the issue. Later in the day, the Chief Minister left for Delhi where she is expected to meet leaders of Opposition parties. Party Parliamentary leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien told The Hindu, This is an important visit of Mamata Banerjee and this is an important week for the Indian politics. Asked if the visit indicates a more active role for Banerjee in the national politics, O’Brien said she is not seeking any chair or post. Significantly, key changes took place in the Congress and the TMC dynamics ahead of her visit, with the former showing willingness to make many concessions. The first step was to remove West Bengal Pradesh Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from the equation, with whom the TMC was not willing to speak. Congress president Sonia Gandhi gave Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the responsibility to coordinate with the allies in both Houses of Parliament Sources said senior leader Shashi Tharoor has now been enlisted to liaise with the TMC in the Lok Sabha. Tharoor met TMC Parliamentary Party leader Sudip Bandhopadhyay to convey this on July 26. The second step was that the Congress had acknowledged that not only Rahul Gandhi but TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee too has been the victim of Pegasus cyber attack with a tweet from its official handle. It posted a picture saying Banerjee was targeted because of the West Bengal Assembly elections. Modi govt.’s insecurities are endless, the tweet said. Banerjee is expected to meet a host of leaders during her visit. She will also be paying a visit to Sonia Gandhi. She will spend a day in Parliament, where meetings with other Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, DMK, RJD and others are planned. The party remained tightlipped on whether she will host a joint Opposition meet or not.
Six personnel of Assam Police killed in ‘border clash’ with ‘miscreants’ from Mizoram
At least six personnel of the Assam Police were killed in firing by miscreants from neighbouring Mizoram on Monday as violence escalated along the inter-state border in the Cachar district, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. A senior Assam Police officer, who was still inside the forest amid continuous firing from across the border, told PTI that at least 50 personnel, including Cachar Superintendent of Police Nimbalkar Vaibhav Chandrakant, were injured in firing and stone-pelting. I am deeply pained to inform that six brave jawans of @assampolice have sacrificed their lives while defending constitutional boundary of our state at the Assam-Mizoram border. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, Sarma tweeted. The senior police officer said miscreants from across the border suddenly started firing when civil officials of both sides were holding a dialogue to sort out the differences. I immediately cannot say how many people have been injured, but my guess is at least 50 personnel. Our SP was also injured in the firing and a bullet hit his leg, the officer said over the phone. The Indian Police Service officer spoke to PTI while he was hiding inside a forest and firing could be heard in the background.
Congress sets two conditions for Parliament to function
A discussion on Pegasus cyberattack in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah, followed by a judicial probe are the pre-conditions for Parliament to function, the Congress said on Monday. This was to counter criticism from the government, which has accused the Opposition of disrupting Parliament for the sixth day in a row in the ongoing monsoon session. Congress Chief Whip in the Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet, The entire Opposition is united. 1. Have a discussion on Pegasus snooping issue in presence of the Prime Minister or Home Minister. 2. Announce a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry into the scandal. Parliament, he stated, was not functioning because the government was not agreeing to these legitimate demands. Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’ Brien, concurring with Ramesh, said this was exactly what was needed. We need this. Not green tea at Piyush Goyal’s office. Thanks. But no thanks, he tweeted quoting Ramesh’s tweet. Since the Pegasus issue broke, Congress leaders, including Rajya Sabha member Shakti Sinh Gohil, had demanded an investigation by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC). The party now has finalised its stand that a JPC will be ineffective since it has limited powers. Senior party leader Shashi Tharoor, who also heads the Standing Committee on Information Technology, which has had a few meetings on Pegasus, had said that merely summoning witnesses would not suffice in investigating a case of this magnitude. On Monday, he tweeted, Opposition’s demands have been clear from the beginning: discuss #PegasusProject w/ Prime Minister or Home Minister present, not just IT Minister, & conduct a Supreme Court-monitored investigation to establish the facts. Then Parliament can do the rest of its work undisturbed!
Rahul Gandhi drives tractor to Parliament to protest farm law
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by his parliamentary colleagues, drove a tractor to Parliament on Monday to express solidarity with the protesting farmers and demand the repeal of the three farm laws. Besides extending support to the farmers in their fight against the farm laws, the tractor ride to Parliament was aimed at highlighting the cause of the farmers’ unions that have been protesting just outside Delhi borders over eight months now. These laws are aimed at helping only two-three industrialists. The entire country knows for who and whom these laws have been brought about. These laws are not for the benefit of farmers and that is why they have to be withdrawn, Gandhi stated. His tractor drive from Moti Lal Nehru Marg to one of the peripheral gates of Parliament had taken the police by surprise, as the area was under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and no gathering of more than four people is allowed. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala and Youth Congress chief BV Srinivas, along with a number of party leaders, were detained by the police outside Parliament and taken to the Mandir Marg police station by bus amid sloganeering for the withdrawal of the farm laws. We will not be cowed down by such actions. This struggle will continue under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and we will not allow the Modi government to hand over the rights of 62 crore farmers to three-four industrialists, Surjewala told reporters after his detention. The police detained around eight Congress workers and seized the tractor. A senior police officer said tractor entry was not allowed in New Delhi area as per traffic rules. The tractor was taken to the Mandir Marg police station. It did not bear any registration number. They have ordered detailed investigation to find out how the tractor reached near Parliament when Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the area near Parliament, said the officer. Due to the ‘farmers Parliament’ at Jantar Mantar, more than 2,000 security personnel have been deployed in the area.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Afghan conflict is having devastating impact’
The United Nations warned on Monday that Afghanistan could see the highest number of civilian deaths in more than a decade if the Taliban’s offensives across the country are not halted. Violence has surged since May when the insurgents cranked up operations to coincide with a final withdrawal of U.S .- led foreign forces. In a report released on Monday documenting civilian casualties for the first half of 2021, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it expected figures to touch their highest single-year levels since the mission began reporting over a decade ago. During the first half of 2021, some 1,659 civilians were killed and another 3,254 wounded, the UNAMA report said a 47% increase on the same period last year. The rise in civilian casualties was particularly sharp in May and June with 783 civilians killed and 1,609 wounded, it added. Particularly shocking and of deep concern is that women, boys and girls made up of close to half of all civilian casualties, the report said.
Southern Europe battles wildfires as north cleans up after floods.
Wildfires burned in regions across southern Europe on Monday, fueled by hot weather and strong winds, as some northern countries cleaned up after a weekend of torrential rain and flooding. In Greece, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said firefighters had battled around 50 fires during the past 24 hours and it was likely there would be more with meteorologists warning that a further heatwave was in prospect. On the Italian island of Sardinia, firefighting planes from France and Greece reinforced efforts to battle blazes. More than 4,000 hectares of forest were destroyed in the fire. In Spain, the northeastern region of Catalonia saw more than 1,500 hectares destroyed near Santa Coloma de Queralt, forcing dozens to be evacuated,although the blazes were 90% stabilized on Monday, firefighters and authorities said. Conditions in southern Europe were in sharp contrast to the rainstorms that lashed northern countries from Austria to U.K. following the catastrophic flooding in Germany and neighbouring countries last week.
