‘Feeding vote banks!’ BJP tears into minority quota boost

OB Bureau

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp attack on the state government’s decision to increase reservation for minorities under state housing schemes, calling the move “blatantly unconstitutional” and driven by “appeasement politics”.

The cabinet earlier had approved a proposal to enhance the reservation for minorities from 10% to 15% under various housing schemes implemented by the state’s housing department across both urban and rural areas. The decision, officials said, was prompted by data showing a disproportionately high number of homeless individuals among minority communities.

Speaking to press after the cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil stated that the move aimed to address the housing gap within marginalised communities, particularly minorities, who were overrepresented among the homeless.

However, the announcement drew immediate criticism from the BJP, which accused the ruling Congress government of undermining constitutional principles for electoral gain.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said the move violated constitutional norms by extending benefits based on religion. He argued that the Constitution makes no room for religion-based reservations and accused the Congress of using social engineering to polarise communities and destabilise Karnataka’s social fabric. According to him, the government’s focus appeared to be short-term political advantage rather than inclusive governance.

Echoing this sentiment, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the state administration was stripping rights from Hindus to placate a specific community. He contended that the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, were focused solely on appeasement and corruption rather than ensuring equal development for all sections of society.

The Congress, however, has defended its decision as a step toward social justice, saying it was backed by data and intended to improve living conditions for historically disadvantaged groups. While the political standoff escalates, legal experts and civil society organisations are likely to scrutinise the constitutional validity of the move in the days to come.

Bannerghatta gears up for cheetah debut

OB Bureau

The Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) is gearing up for a major expansion of its wildlife collection, with African cheetahs set to arrive in the next few months as part of a global animal exchange programme. The park will become the third facility in India—after Hyderabad and Mysuru—to house the world’s fastest land animals.

Announcing the development while launching India’s first electric bus wildlife safari at BBP mid-week, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said that the park would receive a pair of cheetahs from South Africa within four to five months. He added that by 2026, BBP would also welcome jaguars, pumas, and ten other exotic species from abroad.

As part of the exchange deal, BBP will send an elephant to a zoo in Japan. The park is also expected to receive capuchin monkeys from South America and chimpanzees, further diversifying its animal population. Officials from the Zoo Authority of Karnataka confirmed that the cheetahs will likely be sourced from the Ann Van Dyke Cheetah Centre in South Africa and will be housed in an exclusive enclosure designed for the species.

Minister Khandre noted that BBP already boasts the highest density of carnivores among Indian zoos and offers guaranteed sightings of lions, tigers, leopards, and sloth bears. With the addition of cheetahs and other exotics, the park aims to offer an even more compelling experience to visitors.

In a move towards sustainability, Khandre also flagged off the country’s first electric bus safari at the park, replacing diesel-powered vehicles currently used for wildlife tours. He said the shift to e-buses is part of the government’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and enhancing eco-tourism.

BBP recently recorded its highest-ever footfall in May 2025, attracting over 2.8 lakh visitors. With the cheetahs’ arrival and new additions in the pipeline, park authorities expect the numbers to climb even higher.

Bomb hoaxes rock city again

OB Bureau

Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) received two separate bomb threats via email in the past week. While both alerts were ultimately declared hoaxes, the incidents triggered heightened security checks and raised alarm over the increasing misuse of digital anonymity tools.

The first threat arrived on June 13 in the inbox of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) posted at the airport. The message, sent from an Outlook ID under the name “Chitrakala S Gopalan,” mentioned a group called the “Madras Tigers” and warned of “human IEDs” allegedly planted near the airport’s fuselage and prayer rooms.

A second email, received on June 16 by the KIA engagement centre, was sent from another suspicious ID—“alex_paul_menon@hotmail.com.” The message stated that there were improvised explosive devices placed in two different locations and described the situation as a puzzle, hinting that solving one would help discover the other. It also warned of a potential remote detonation using RFID technology.

A senior police officer involved in the investigation said that both emails had been routed through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which made it difficult to trace the original IP addresses or server locations. He added that cybercrime specialists had been engaged to assist with further analysis.

Though no explosives were found during intensive security sweeps, airport authorities have remained on alert and are not treating the incidents lightly, given the sensitive nature of the facility.

Meanwhile, similar threats have been targeting schools across the city. Several institutions in Bangalore’s Central Business District (CBD) were among those that received threatening emails last week. On Thursday, three private schools in the northeast part of the city also reported receiving bomb threats.

Authorities suspect a deliberate attempt to create widespread panic and have urged schools and public institutions to remain vigilant while fully cooperating with ongoing investigations.