1. Compared to 2018, more candidates with criminal cases in 2023 elections: ADR
Ahead of the upcoming State elections, the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has released a report titled “Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other Details of Candidates’.
According to the report, the number of candidates with declared criminal cases has increased this elections compared to 2018. The number of cases has gone up from 83 to 96 among BJP candidates, 59 to 122 cases among Congress candidates, and 41 to 70 cases among JD(S) candidates.
Eight candidates have declared murder-related cases (Section 302 of IPC), 35 have declared attempt-to-murder cases (Section 307) and 49 have declared cases of crime against women.
2. Four arrested for moral policing student in Puttur
As Karnataka inches closer to Assembly elections scheduled for May 10, yet another incident of suspected moral policing has been reported from the communal hotbed of Dakshina Kannada.
Mohammed Parees, a student of a government college at Kabaka in Puttur, was allegedly assaulted by a few persons for drinking juice with his female classmates on May 2. The Puttur Town police have arrested four persons in connection with the case. Mr. Parees has been treated for his injuries at a hospital and he is safe, police said.
3. In Mulki, PM Modi pitches “superpower” dream for Karnataka
Continuing to highlight the BJP’s development agenda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the people of coastal Karnataka that the party wants to make Karnataka a superpower by creating modern infrastructure and giving a facelift to the manufacturing sector.
Addressing a mammoth gathering at Mulki in Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Modi said he wants to push India to be the third largest economy in the world from its current fifth position.
With six days left for May 10 polls in Karnataka, Mr. Modi is on a campaign blitz with rallies today at Mulki in Dakshina Kannada district, Ankola in Uttara Kannada district, and Bailhongal in Belagavi district.
4. Ambedkar skit controversy: Karnataka govt issues third notice to DCE
In its third notice to the Commissioner of Collegiate and Technical Education, the Department of Higher Education (DHE) has expressed displeasure over non-submission of detailed report on the controversial skit related to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar that was performed in Bengaluru in February 2023.
The skit, enacted by students of Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, had turned controversial for allegedly containing casteist dialogues and ‘employing a mocking tone’ while referring to Dalits. The video clip of the skit had gone viral on social media. Following multiple FIRs under the SC/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, the university had suspended six students, tendered an unconditional apology and promised an internal inquiry.
