Narendra Modi to address rally in Bangalore on 17th:

BJP hopes to regain lost ground in South! Bangalore has been plastered with Modi posters. Narendra Modi was be in Karnataka today, the only south Indian state his party ever ruled before losing it to the Congress in Assembly polls in May this year. The rally is likely to disrupt traffic and normal life in Bangalore with unprecedented security measures in place. Hundreds of senior police officers along with more than 4000 policemen have been deployed for the rally. 80 CCTV cameras have been installed at the venue. State capital Bangalore has been plastered with Mr Modi's pictures and life-size cutouts and the BJP's flags. The party has reportedly spent Rs. 20 crores on the event to be held at the Palace Grounds, a large public space in the heart of the IT hub. The BJP claims nearly three lakh people have bought tickets at Rs. 10 each to watch Mr Modi. The collected money will be donated for the installation of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel statue in Gujarat, a fond project of the 63-year-old leader. In April this year, the BJP's star campaigner had failed to lift his party's chances in the state, despite drawing large crowds in Mangalore and Bangalore, when he visited the state ahead of the Assembly elections. The BJP's first ever Chief Minister in south India, BS Yeddyurappa, despite being a Modi fan, is no more with the party, having floated his own outfit, the Karnataka Janata Party, last year. Mr Yeddyurappa's supporters had put posters in Bangalore showing the two leaders together, though the powerful Lingayat leader denied knowing about them. Ever since Mr Modi was named the BJP's presumptive PM, there has been speculation that the 70-year-old leader could merge his party with the BJP. Mr Yeddyurappa has repeatedly ruled out a merger but has said his party will be happy to support a BJP led by Mr Modi. Power is Poison: Narendra Modi criticises Rahul Gandhi - News Oneindia Narendra Modi criticises Rahul Gandhi Remembering Rahul Gandhi's statement on "power is poison", Modi mocked at the Congress vice president. The Gujarat CM said that Congress does not want to empower countrymen, hence they are warning people of staying away from power. Narendra Modi defends Lata Mangeshkar, slams Congress: Recalling the recent controversy over one Congress leader's demand of taking Bharat Ratna back from Lata Mangeshkar, Modi hit out at Congress. The legendary singer recently faced Congress' wrath after praising Modi. Modi said that Congress does not follow the rule of democracy, rather the party depends on CBI. Modi accused Congress of using CBI to blackmail other party leaders forcing them to dole out support for them. Congress trying to impose emergency again, says Narendra Modi: Speaking about Congress-led UPA government's several adversaries restricting the work process of media and social networking site, Modi said that Congress once again is trying to impose emergency in the country. "To strangle democracy is Congress way. It happened earlier and his happening now. They are scared of social media now. Congress does not believe or trust in democracy," said Modi in Bangalore. How Bangalore owes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, reveals Narendra Modi: Speaking about former BPM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said, "After Silicon Valley, if there is another city where IT is a focus area, it's Bengaluru. Bengaluru's progress happened because a different IT ministry was created under Vajpayee government. It was NDA govt lead by Vajpayee who thought of "mission moon", made separate IT ministry and who enacted IT act." Sachin wave touches Narendra Modi, hailed at Bangalore rally: Congratulating Sachin Tendulkar and professor CNR Rao on being conferred with the Bharat Ratna, Narendra Modi said, "I congratulate Sachin Tendulkar and Rao on being conferred with Bharat Ratna." Modi speaks in Kannada, woos people in Karnataka: Beginning his speech in Kannada, Narendra Modi wooed people gathered at the rally. He hailed legends such as Kempegowda. The leader has been welcomed with thundering applause. Shri Narendra Modi addressing "Bharatha Gellisi" rally in Bengaluru, Karnataka Speech - YouTube frame Shri Narendra Modi addressing "Bharatha Gellisi" rally in Bengaluru, Karnataka Speech - YouTube frame end Modi is BJP's PM candidate, reiterates Rajnath: Rajnath once again ruled out all speculations regarding BJP's decision of changing its PM candidate. Hitting out at union minister Kapil Sibal, Rajnath reiterated that Narendra Modi is BJP's prime ministerial nominee for 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He also urged people in Karnataka to cast their votes to Modi-led BJP as he asserted that the country needs a PM like Gujarat CM -- Narendra Modi. We are security guards, not thieves; Rajnath slams Rahul: Rajnath Singh lashed out at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi over the latter's controversial remark on BJP. Rajnath claimed that being an opposition party, BJP cannot be a "thief". BJP can only be a security guard of the treasure of the country. Rahul Gandhi recently said, I want not one but 500 Nandu Patels in Chhattisgarh, who will get the state rid of these thieves." Poll-bound Chhattisgarh has been ruled by BJP government. Rahul's statement surfaced during his election campaign in the state. Rs 35 lakh cheque given to Narendra Modi: A cheque of Rs 35 lakh has been given to Narendra Modi. The money was collected from nearly three lakh people who bought tickets to attend the rally. The tickets have been sold at Rs 10 each. The collected money will be donated for the installation of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel statue in Gujarat, a fond project of Modi. Rajnath Singh accompanies Narendra Modi in Bangalore: President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- Rajnath Singh along with Ananth Kumar shared the dais with Modi. This is Modi's first visit to Karnataka after his elevation in the party as BJP's PM candidate. Narendra Modi arrives at Palace Grounds: Narendra Modi's helicopter lands at Palace Grounds, Bangalore. It seems Modi-wave hit the IT city as the crowd shouts slogans of "Narendra Modi ki Jai". Lakhs gather to see Modi, few for Rahul's rally Twitter has gone abuzz with Modi's rally in Bangalore. #NaMoInBangalore has been trending on the micro-blogging site. Meanwhile, a tweeple tweeted a picture comparing the two site where Modi and Rahul are expected to address two rallies in IT city and in Delhi respectively. The policemen were deployed to the spot to maintain peace and security. The people were austonished of traffic arrangements carried out ably by Bangalore city police. The programme shows while lakhs gathered to see their leader in Bangalore, venues of Rahul's rally is empty.

45 killed as bus goes up in flames on Hyderabad-Bangalore highway

Rescue operations underway at the bus accident site near Kothakota in Mahabubnagar district on Wednesday. 44 passengers were charred to death when a private bus went up in flames after hitting a culvert. operations underway at the bus accident site near Kothakota in Mahabubnagar district on Wednesday. 44 passengers were charred to death when a private bus went up in flames after hitting a culvert. The ill-fated bus which caught fire at Kothakota in Mahbubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. Photo: TV grab/Mohammed Yousuf The charred remains of the ill-fated bus at Kothakota in Mahbubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. Photo: TV grab/Mohammed Yousuf

LIGHT FESTIVAL ENDED WITH LIGHTLESS LIFE:

the eye injuries beyond 154 people! RAISE IN THE VISUAL INJURIES! THE BLINDNESS CROSSED BEYOND HUNDREDS! CRACKERS INSTEAD OF SPARKLING THE LIGHT HAS BROUGHT THE PERMANENT DARKNESS! Yes, Its the situation of silikon city Bangalore, which is well-known for educateds and awareness creaters. The diwali festival which was celebrated for three days with the hope of light has brought darkness for life time for more than 154 people because of their fate. yes, unfortunately, in most of the cases, the darkness has not entered because of their irresponsibility but because of others' mis-perseption and wrong prediction. "I was just returning my home after finishing laxmi pooja from my shop towards home. but, on the way, i was about to purchase flowers for my home to worship and while parking my bike, a cracker blosted exactly into my eyes and i couldn't remember anything more than that. when i opened my eyes, i could not see anything, but i was in the hospital. the doctor has told me that, my eyes can not be retained" says Sateesh, a medical representative in Bangalore, who lost his eyes out of others' crackers and admitted in Narayan Nethralaya. its not only the case with Sateesh. a number of small children, middle aged and old aged persons, who were away from burning crackers to avoid pollution have also lost their eyes because of others' mistakes. A small boy, who is admitted in Shankara Eye hospital Bangalore when met said innocently: "I didn't know anything about the crackers. i just tried to lit one, which did not lit up for the first time. as per the advice of my friends, i just blowed air into it from my mouth by sitting to it closely and it directly fell into my eyes." the boy shed his tears by telling he could not see anything now. The doctors are stating that, no exact predictions can be done at this moment. but, most of the injured are suffering from definite temporary blindness with one eye visibility and a few cases are really doubtfull and soon will be declared as blind. According to a health analysis, the statistics of blindness are increasing year by year that to after the months of november, December and January, as these months are highly filled with crackers due to festivals, new year etc. most of the hospitals of the city evidenced with the cases of lungs infection, throat infection, cold fever, viral infection and deadly injuries, which are all caused out of crackers and their smoke. comparitively to the last year statics, it is increased this year with more eye injuries, especially with the consequence of one eye blindness. The Narayan Nethralay, Shankara Eye Hospital, Shekar Eye Hospital etc were found with over crowded eye injury patients, who were all injured with crackers. As a whole, the lighting festival which is celebrated to bring light and colours into the life humans has resulted with darkness for ever in innumerous lives out of human vanity and irresponsibility.

City police file charge sheet in Malleswaram bomb blast case

The incident left 18 injured, damaged 23 vehicles and 56 houses A file photo of the bomb blast site near the BJP office in Malleswaram in April. City Police, on Saturday, filed a charge sheet before First Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in connection with a bomb blast incident near BJP office in Malleswaram on April 17 this year. Filing of charge sheet is claimed to be a significant development as it is for the first time in the history of the State that probe in a terror case was completed and charge sheet filed within the 180 day deadline. The incident left 18 persons injured, besides damaging 23 vehicles and 56 houses and buildings resulting in estimated loss of Rs 50 lakh. Investigating Officer J?C?Nagar sub-division ACP Omkaraiah (ACP special investigation squad of CCB when blast took place) filed the charge sheet, which is in three volumes with 7,445 pages of material, amassing of 201 documents and citing 260 witnesses in all. The case was registered at Vyalikaval Police Station for offences under IPC?sections 120 (B), 121, 121 (A), 123, 332, 307, 435 and 201 and under Section 3, 4, 5 and 6 of The Explosive Substances Act, 1908 and under Section 4 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984 and under Section 10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The charge sheet was filed against: Baasir, 30, resident of Hameempuram, 7th Street, Malapayam, Thirunalveli, Tamil Nadu, Kichan Buhari, 38, VallakaTekkuthil Village, Melapalyam, Thirunalveli, Sait Azgar Ali, 29, Airgnar, Annanagar, Madukarai Market road, Ichanari, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, Rehamathulla, G M Nagar, Tippuveedi, second street, Coimbatore, Valayil Hakeem, 32,  first cross, Ilahinagar, Saramedu, Karumbakadai, Coimbatore, Syed Suleman, 24, PFI Office, 9th cross, Karumbakadai, Azad Nagar, Coimbatore, Suleman, 31, Vincent road, Kotaimedu, Coimbatore, Zulfikar Ali, 24, fourth street, Punnaga Nagar, Karumbakadai, Coimbatore, Mohammed Salin, 30, Asuran East street, Melapalyam, Thirunalveli, Panna Ismail, Maila Khadar Road, Melapalyam, Thirunalveli, Bilal Malik, Karimasha Pallil Vasal, 4th Cross, Munni Chalai Road, Nelapet Vellage, Mudurai, Fakruddin @ Police Fakruddin,  Karimasha Pilli Vasal, 4th Cross, Munni Chalai Road, Nelapet Village, Madurai, Pravai Basha, Thirunalveli, Ali Khan Kutti, Thirunaveli. Probe The roles of other accused Panna Ismail, Bilal Malik, Police Fukruddin, Paravai Basha, Alikhan Kutti and others are being further probed. Peer Mohiuddin was accused number one, while Saddam?Hussein was accused number 14 and Tenkasi Haneef number 17.?The police have temporarily left out their names from the charge sheet as there were no substantial evidences against them.?The police arrested them after the case. The police would file additional charge sheet if they get substantial evidences against them during their course of interrogation. The city police on Saturday filed a chargesheet in the April 17 Malleswaram bomb blast case naming 14 people as the accused. Among the 14 accused are three — Panna Ismail, Bilal Malik and Police Fukruddin — who were recently arrested by the Tamil Nadu police at Puttur, Andhra Pradesh. The chargesheet was submitted to the First Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court here on Saturday. According to the 7,445-page three-volume chargesheet, 260 witnesses were examined and 201 documents collated. The police said that 18 people were injured in the blast near the BJP office in Malleswaram on April 17, while 23 vehicles and 56 buildings were damaged resulting in an estimated loss of Rs. 50 lakh. All the accused named in the chargesheet are from Tamil Nadu. The accused are Basheer (30), Kichan Buhari (38), Sait Azgar Ali ( 29), Rehamathulla, Valayil Hakeem (32), Syed Suleman (24), Suleman (31), Zulfikar Ali (24), Mohammed Salin (30), Panna Ismail (38), Bilal Malik (25), Fakruddin (38), Pravai Basha and Ali Khan Kutti. The police sources said that the role of Panna Ismail, Bilal Malik, Police Fukruddin, Paravai Basha, Alikhan Kutti and few others in the terror attack is being probed further. Panna Ismail, who was nabbed after a fierce gun battle in Puttur, is believed to be the person who planted the bomb near the BJP office in Bangalore. Those arrested in Puttur have not yet been brought to the city. The suspects, Basheer and Peer Mohiddeen (39), were arrested from a lodge in Chennai while Kichan Buhari, who was sentenced in the 1998 Coimbatore blast case, was nabbed from Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu in April. Among the five arrested, Peer Mohiddeen is the only one who has not been named so far in the chargesheet. The case was registered in the Vyalikaval Police Station under various sections of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, along with Section 4 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984.

MOURN TO THE MARTYRS IN MAJESTY:

The memory of the courage police! Tribute to the sacrificed warriers! a day for the brave cops! Yes, it is none other than the police commemoration day celebrated at the capital city Bangalore. Police Commemoration Day was organised at Martyrs Garden, Bangalore on Monday, October 21. Chief minister Siddaramaiah paid tribute to the martyrs’ by offering the flowers. Guests and police officers were present and paid tribute on the occasion. The Police Commemoration Day will be observed at the City Armed Reserve Police Force Ground at Mysore Road on Thursday. DG and IGP Pachao, heads of various police forces and officers of various top ranks will pay tribute to those police staff who died while on duty. Working and retired police officials working in Bangalore City will also participate. The Day is observed to pay rich tribute to the police officers who died while on duty. As many as 792 police officials of various ranks died across the country while on duty from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013. Those who died while on duty during this period in the State include - Lakshminarasimaiah (PSI - West Division Traffic, Bangalore City), V M Sushimutt (PSI - Haveri district), Manjunath Prabhu (PC - 1218 - Karwar), M B Kersaralli (PC - 2174 -Hubli-Dharwad Commissionerate), Basavamadappa (PC - 1015 - Bangalore district), Mudukappa (PC - 97 - Raichur District), M G Ramachandra (PC - 344 - Raichur district), Shamanna (PC - 582 - Hassan district) and M Sridhar (APC - 84 -Udupi district). Mandya Superintendent of Police Borase Bhushan Gulabrao paying homage to slain policemen in Mandya on Monday. Superintendent of Police Borase Bhushan Gulabrao paying homage to slain policemen in Mandya on Monday. Rich tribute paid to 579 security personnel slain across India The state home minister Mr. K. J. George, the State Chief secretary and the Home secretary of Karnataka were also on the occassion. Rich tribute was paid to police personnel who died in the line of duty across the country at the Police Commemoration Day observed here on Monday. Mandya Deputy Commissioner B.N. Krishnaiah, Mandya Superintendent of Police Borase Bhushan Gulabrao and other officials paid tribute to the security personnel at a function organised on the parade grounds off Mandya-Bannur Road here. Mr. Krishnaiah, Mr. Gulabrao, Mandya Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer P.C. Jayanna and others placed wreaths on the Martyrs’ column. The police personnel held a parade as a mark of respect to the slain security officials. Mr. Krishnaiah lauded the courage shown by the personnel of various security agencies in protecting the life and properties of the public. SP Gulabrao read over the names of all 579 security personnel, including 19 from Karnataka, who lost their lives in the line of duty between September 1, 2012, and August 31, 2013, across the country. Police Commemoration Day is observed on October 21 every year to mark the martyrdom of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans while fighting Chinese insurgency in Ladakh in 1959, Mr. Gulabrao said.

6 sentenced to life term in student gang-rape case

Last Updated: 15th October 2012 08:56 AM Historical Judgement against the rapists! The goddess of justice in favour of the victim! the court upheld the respect for women and ensured their security! In a horrific incident, a 21-year-old student of National Law School of India University was allegedly raped by an eight-member gang on the Jnana Bharathi campus on Saturday night. According to a complaint filed by the victim, Masha (name changed) and her boyfriend Nikhil were going to her hostel in his car. They had stopped the vehicle near the university administrative building for some time around 9.30 pm when they were attacked by the gang, Masha told the police. The miscreants assaulted Nikhil and damaged his car, before dragging Masha to an isolated place where she was allegedly raped. Nikhil, an employee of IBM in the city, became friends with Masha through a social networking site two weeks ago. They had met on Saturday and had gone out for the first time, police said. In her complaint, Masha said the miscreants snatched her mobile phone and raped her. However, before fleeing from the spot, they thrust the phone in her hands. When Masha and Nikhil were looking for help, the night beat police noticed them and took them to the station. The police searched the campus for a couple of hours, but they could not find the miscreants. “We have registered a case of rape based on her complaint. Medical tests were conducted (on the victim) at Vani Vilas Hospital and we are awaiting the reports,” DCP The accused in the Jnana Bharathi gang rape case before they were produced in the court on Friday morning. - DNA A city court in Bangalore on Friday has sentenced six men to life term on charges for gang-raping an undergraduate student of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) on Bangalore University’s Jnanabharathi campus, on October 13 last year. The convicted are Maddura, 20, Doddaheeraiah, 19, Shivanna, 20, Eeraiah alias Eera, 20, Yaliyaiah alias Kumara, 23 and Rama, 50. One accused, Raja, 24, is absconding. The eighth accused is a minor whose case is before the juvenile justice court. Justice Krishnamurthy B Sangannavar found the six persons guilty of all the charges levelled against them under abduction (Section 366 of the IPC), gang rape (376 -2G), dacoity (397) and assault (323 and 324). The convicts, residents of Mettari Doddi in Dasegowdana Doddi village on the outskirts of Bangalore, regularly trespassed into the university campus in search of sandalwood trees as well as firewood. On October 13, they were looking to poach sandalwood trees, when they came across the law student and her male friend in a car. They attacked the male friend of the girl and gang-raped her. The six men were arrested based on the description given by the rape survivor to the police. They reportedly confessed to the police that they had been involved in several crimes, including rapes. Police produced before the court clinching evidence of details of the calls made by the accused using the victim’s mobile phone. The absconding eighth accused in the gang rape of a law student in Bangalore University campus last year, was arrested Tuesday - six days after a fast track court sentenced six of his accomplices to life imprisonment. "Muthuraj alias Raja, 24, who hails from the neighbouring Ramanagar district and was absconding since the date of crime (Oct 10, 2012) has been arrested by the Jnana Bharati police today (Tuesday)," a senior police official told reporters here. Raja is also accused of being involved earlier in three other criminal cases, including attempt to murder and robbery. "The fast track court has remanded Raja to 14 days judicial custody after he was produced before the sessions' judge (K. Sangannavar) for interrogation and further investigation,"said Additional Commissioner of Police Kamal Pant. As the seventh accused is a minor, he is being tried separately in the juvenile justice court here. "The prosecution will seek stringent punishment to Raja as in the case of six convicts so that the sentence will deter others from indulging in such a heinous crime," Pant said. The 21-year-old victim, who hails from Nepal, was the third year student of the state-run National Law School of India University, which is adjacent to the Jnana Bharati campus, about 20km from the city centre. The six accused were convicted under section 376 (g) of the Indian Penal Code for gang-rape, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and other relevant sections of the IPC. According to public prosecutor Sanjya Kumar Bhatt, the court had also directed the victim to claim compensation for the physical scar and lasting mental scar from the criminal injuries board. "Justifying the maximum sentence, the judge said punishment should meet the seriousness and gravity of the crime, which involved not just the physical torture, but also the mental trauma of the victim that won't go away for long time," Bhatt said quoting from the judgement. The judge also took into account the pubic abhorrence of such heinous crimes in recent times across the country in deciding lifer for the convicted. The six convicts -- Rama and Yaliyaiah (both 23 years), Maddura, Shivanna and Erayya (all 20 years) and Doddaerayya (19 years) - are residents of Bangalore Rural and Ramnagara districts. The incident took place when the victim was on a walk in the sprawling green campus along with her male friend. Taking advantage of the secluded spot and darkness, the gang bashed up the friend and sexually assaulted the victim after taking her forcibly into the nearby bushes. Followed by the Judgement, The University has came up with new policy for the protection of women students in the campas. A student or official under Bangalore University, if found guilty of sexual harassment, could be expelled or suspended respectively, according to the university’s new policy to combat sexual offences. The university’s Syndicate approved the Sensitisation, Prevention and Redressal of Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination (SPARSH and GD) policy on Wednesday. The policy prescribes action within 30 days against any person who is found guilty. The policy, formulated by a Syndicate sub-committee headed by former member Zaheda Mulla, has been ratified 10 months after a law student was gang-raped in the Jnana Bharathi campus. The policy requires formation of statutory committees to address complaints at three levels - affiliated colleges, university and an apex committee. A College Complaints Committee (CCC) will be the complaints and redressal body in each affiliated college. The University Units Complaints Committee (UUCC) will cover clusters of BU departments and centres. The Apex Complaints Committee (ACC) will be a high appellate body of BU to evaluate complaints. As stated by K K Seethamma. Complaints can be registered in person, via email or post with the committees. Employees not covered by UUCC and CCC can approach the ACC directly, the policy document states. “Complainants have the right to go public if she/he so desires but one should preferably not go public till the enquiry process is completed unless required,” it adds. Based on the nature of violation, students will have to tender a written apology, face debarment from exams or denial of admission and expulsion. Even officials could have their increments or promotions cancelled or be suspended or dismissed. PG counselling The state government has increased seats for postgraduate courses in the following colleges: 10 seats for MA History and five for MA Economics in Yelahanka Government First Grade College, 15 seats for MCom in Seshadripuram Arts, Science and Commerce College and three seats for MCom in Acharya Institute of Management and Sciences. Counselling for these seats will be held on September 14 at the respective departments in the university. However it is better to take necessary actions before the occurrance of such heartrending event than to take steps, after the course of action.

independence day celebration at karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday unfurled the tricolour flag and reviewed the guard of honour at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground in Bangalore to mark India's 67th Independence Day (I-Day) amid tight security. He addressed the public after unfurling the national tricolour for the first time as Chief Minister on the 67th Independence Day. Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Government will take measures to generate 4,000 MW of power in the State in the next three years to meet present and future needs of electricity. Of the 4,000 MW, the chief minister said 2300 MW would be generated in the public sector and 1700 MW in the private sector. He said the willingness of the Central government to provide 382 million tonnes of coal supply to thermal power plants in Yermarus, Yedlapura, Gonda and Bellary has raised hopes in the power sector and the Government was confident of fulfilling its target. In an 18-page printed Kannada speech that the Chief Minister read out, he said the government would soon implement the Rajiv Chaityanya scheme to ensure employment to over two lakh rural unemployed youth and the scheme would cover 40 to 50 youth in each Gram Panchayat. The Chief Minister said government would spend Rs 50,000 crore on the irrigation sector with the target of bringing 9.25 lakh hectares under irrigation in the next five years. Promising the unveiling of a new industrial policy next year, he said the third Global Investors Meet would also be organised next year. English would be taught as a subject from the first standard commencing next academic year to ensure that the rural children were not denied job opportunities merely because of their lack of English knowledge. Coming down heavily on the anti-social elements and other outfits, which indulged in unlawful activities like attacks on churches and minorities, fomenting communal clashes, moral policing and such other sinister moves, the chief minister said the police have been asked to take measures to prevent all such anti-social and undemocratic activities along with attempts to weaken the secular fabric in school textbooks. The government initiated measures to implement 60 of the 160 assurances made in the election manifesto, he said and listed out major schemes, including Anna Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya, and Krishi Bhagya and Sooru Bhagya (housing), implemented by the Government. In view of the implementation of the election model code of conduct in 11 districts, he said “it is not possible for me to dwell upon my government’s future programmes in detail on this occasion.” The Chief Minister limited his speech to the decisions, which have already been taken to implement various programmes in the State. He warmly appreciated the contributions of two leaders - Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and architect of the Constitution B R Ambedkar in his speech. To ensure that the celebrations are held without any hitch, the city police had put in place elaborate security arrangements. This time, arrangements were made to accommodate an additional 2,000 people and there were a total of 12,000 seats available for VVIPs, VIPs, Defence personnel, freedom fighters, government officials and the general public. The Bangalore city police commissioner raghavendra auradkar was present, who invisilated the entire police security for the event. The traffic was also diverted and maintained by B Dayanand additional commissioner of traffic. Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner M. Lakshminarayan, who is also the chairman of the Independence Day Celebrations Committee, was supervising the entire event jointly by the civic body, city police and the office of Deputy Commissioner (Bangalore Urban) since almost 25 days and the rehearsals were being held at the parade grounds for the past three days. The celebrations witnessed participation by around 2,600 schoolchildren. The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah arrived at the parade grounds at 8.58 a.m. and hoisted the National Flag at 9 a.m. An IAF helicopter showered flower petals during the flag hoisting. As many as 56 contingents, including those from police, Bharat Scouts and Guides, National Cadet Corps, Home Guards and Seva Dal were participated in the march past and receive the guard of honour from Mr. Siddaramaiah. This was followed by cultural programmes by schoolchildren. The on-site and off-site disaster management cells were set up to prevent any untoward incidents. There were 20 ambulances on site with 50 doctors, 40 nurses, 10 pharmacists, 40 drivers/ assistants and 10 gangmen. Around 120 beds were reserved in 28 hospitals. The city police made the programme successful with tight security. As Mr. Kamal Pant, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), said that 1,200 police personnel, including two Additional Commissioners of Police, three Joint Commissioners of Police and nine Deputy Commissioners of Police, were posted on security duty. There were 23 door-frame metal detectors and 85 hand-held metal detectors to screen those attending the celebrations. As many as 40 CCTV cameras had also been installed around the parade ground. He already urged all those attending the I-Day programme to come at least one hour early and cooperate with the police, who will frisk them at the gates before the event took place. No helmets, bags, umbrellas and crackers were allowed inside the grounds. The passholders were strictly being checked with their identity cards. The entry was also capably managed As many as 2,000 seats were eserved for VVIPs and defence personnel (entry from Gate One); 2,000 seats for dignitaries and government officials (entry from Gates Two and Three); 3,500 seats for freedom fighters, retired defence personnel, BSF personnel (entry from Gates Four, Five, Six, Seven and Eight); and 4,000 seats for the general public (entry from Gates Nine and 10). The Chief Minister felicitated 22 public servants, including Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola, for safeguarding the lives of several people during the recent flood-hit Uttarakhand. Among the 22 employees, three are IAS officers, one IPS officer, six government employees and 12 members of the medical team. Kharola was the nodal officer of the rescue team, while IAS officers Naveen Raj Singh and Pankaj Kumar Pandey were assistant nodal officers. IPS Officer Hemanth Nimbalkar was the team coordinator. IAS officers are Pradeep Singh Kharola, Naveen Raj Singh, Director, Karnataka Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, and Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Managing Director, BESCOM and Nimbalkar, Joint Police Commissioner, (DIGP). The Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimappa, Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy, MLA Roshan Baig, BBMP Commissioner and Independence Day Celebrations Committee chief M Lakshminarayana, Bangalore Urban Deputy Commissioner G C Prakash and top IAS and IPS officers attended the programme.