Tensions simmer in Karnataka politics as the Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, lands in the President’s office. Home Minister G. Parameshwara announced the governor’s referral due to 28 contentious provisions, halting rollout indefinitely.
‘It’s sent for expert eyes; we’ll adapt based on returns,’ Parameshwara shared with journalists. He mounted a robust defense: free expression mustn’t mask communal slurs or assaults that spark riots. ‘Recent speech-triggered unrest proves the peril—this law is our shield,’ he proclaimed.
Addressing CJ Roy’s demise, he stressed SIT intervention against gossip. ‘Report incoming; let’s discern facts from fiction.’
The Union Budget 2026 faced a torrent of critique. ‘Sitharaman’s ninth is her nadir—dashed hopes for holistic progress,’ Parameshwara lamented, invoking Manmohan Singh’s MGNREGA legacy now faded.
A 53.50 lakh crore canvas marred by 16 lakh crore debt begged scrutiny: ‘Such borrowing, yet state-bashing in assemblies—what for the masses?’ Karnataka drew blanks—no flagship projects, scant focus on farms, roads, or schools. Education lags globally, yet no IITs or AIIMS; mere price dips on everyday items.
This multi-pronged update—from bill suspense to budget blues—spotlights Karnataka’s proactive yet challenged governance amid national crosscurrents.