New Delhi/Bengaluru, Aug 27: Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje has demanded an apology from Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over his ‘Chamundi Hills is not exclusive to Hindus’ remark.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Shobha Karandlaje said on Wednesday: “Shivakumar has hurt Hindu sentiments. He chose to do so in order to please the Congress high command and his bosses in Delhi. He created a controversy in the Karnataka Assembly session by singing the RSS anthem. That may have upset his bosses, and they are angry with him.

“To divert attention, he created another controversy by claiming that Chamundi Hills does not belong to Hindus. What does he mean by this? Across the country and in Karnataka, the Waqf Board has claimed lakhs of acres of land, and in land records these have been declared Waqf properties. Farmers are not getting loans, people cannot build houses. Amid this, why has Shivakumar made such a statement about Chamundi Hills?” Shobha Karandlaje questioned.

Lashing out at Shivakumar, who is also the Congress’ Karnataka unit chief, she questioned: “Why is it not a Hindu property? Whom are you trying to please, Mr. Shivakumar? After you sang the RSS anthem, your high command grew angry. Now, to divert the issue, you are making statements that Chamundi Hills does not belong to Hindus. What exactly are you trying to say?

“Chamundi Hills belongs to Hindus, and Goddess Chamundeshwari is the deity of Hindus. We worship her and pray to her. Navaratri is the festival of Chamundeshwari,” Shobha Karandlaje said.

Further criticising the Siddarmaiah-led Karnataka government for inviting Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Dussehra, she said: “How can the state government invite Booker awardee Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Dussehra? Banu Mushtaq does not believe in Goddess Kannada Bhuvaneshwari. For ages, the Kannada language has been equated with Goddess Bhuvaneshwari, and we respect the language by giving it the status of a goddess. Banu Mushtaq does not respect this and has even spoken against it.

“After insulting Goddess Bhuvaneshwari, now Goddess Chamundeshwari has been insulted. In this background, Shivakumar should immediately apologise to the people of Karnataka. We will not tolerate this conspiracy. The conspiracy of Shivakumar, CM Siddaramaiah, and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will not be tolerated by Hindus.”

Attacking the Congress-led government in Karnataka, Shobha Karandlaje said: “Earlier, the police had taken the idol of Ganesha and placed in a police vehicle. This year too, the government has introduced peculiar rules and regulations. Authorities have conveyed that it will not be easy to hold Ganesha festivities and cultural programmes in the state.

“I question the government—why have so many restrictions been imposed on the Ganesha festival? Once a year, people install Ganesha idols, worship them, celebrate, and take out processions. But the government is imposing regulations and curbing their celebrations. The restrictions must be rolled back immediately. Ganesha festival was an inspiration during the freedom struggle.

Mumbai, Aug 27: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the Maharashtra government has established a war room to review the situation arising from the US government’s move to impose a 50 per cent tariff on India, effective from August 27.

“The government will make all efforts to convert the present crisis into an opportunity by exploring new market options. When one path is shut, many other paths open. We have kept our eyes open for new opportunities. We will take this challenge as a new opportunity,” claimed the Chief Minister while speaking to reporters at his official residence, Varsha, after performing Pooja on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.

He further added that the government has opened a war room to look for increasing trade opportunities in other markets and make improvements to be ready for global competition, adding that the government has set a target of making nearly 100 improvements, which include efforts to reduce production costs and export products to other markets.

The Chief Minister’s statement comes when the state government has already initiated discussions with the Union government to seek guidance to protect the interests of Maharashtra industries and employment to weather the US tariff shock.

He claimed that the state government is committed to safeguarding the interests of its industries and the economy.

The state government’s move to swing into action to tackle the imposition of a 50 per cent tariff by the US is important as Maharashtra is the second-highest exporting state from India in FY 2023-24 with IRs 5.56 lakh crore exports, which is 15.37 per cent of total exports from India.

Of the Rs 5.56 lakh crore exports, the state’s exports to the US were reported at Rs 111762 crore.

According to the state government data, the top five exporting districts from the state are Mumbai Suburban, Mumbai City, Pune and Thane, contributing 74 per cent of the state’s total exports.

The top 10 importing countries from the US are the UAE, Hong Kong, Belgium, the UK, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, and Mexico. Top export products from Maharashtra are pearls, precious and semi-precious stones; drug formulations/ biologicals; gold and other precious metals, jewellery; motor vehicles and cars; and iron and steel.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that the Ganeshotsav Mandalas have responded positively to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to showcase Operation Sindoor during the ongoing festival.

He further added that the self-reliant India and Swadeshi have also been projected by the Ganeshotsav Mandalas.

“In response to the appeal made by the Prime Minister to the country, the people have responded by accepting it as a people’s movement,” he claimed.

On Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and his family visiting the cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Raj Thackeray’s home for Ganapati Darshan, CM Fadnavis said that it is good that both brothers have come together.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief over the loss of lives due to a landslide on the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple route in Jammu and Kashmir amid heavy rains. According to reports, over 30 lives have been lost due to the tragic landslide incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. On Tuesday, the massive landslide, triggered by heavy rains, hit the pilgrimage route at Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwar.

“The loss of lives due to a landslide on the route to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is saddening. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. The administration is assisting all those affected. My prayers for everyone’s safety and well-being,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

The landslide occurred approximately midway through the serpentine 12-kilometre journey from Katra town to the mountaintop temple. Two pathways lead to the shrine, although the pilgrimage on the Himkoti trail had been halted since the morning, devotees were still using the traditional path until 1.30 p.m., when officials suspended all movement due to rainfall concerns.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted both Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, pledging complete assistance to the Union Territory’s administration.

Shah in a post on X said, “The landslide tragedy on the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage path in Jammu and Kashmir, caused by intense rainfall, is deeply distressing. I have discussed this matter with Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister, Shri Omar Abdullah ji, and Lieutenant Governor, Shri Manoj Sinha ji.”

“Local authorities are actively conducting relief and rescue efforts to help those injured, with NDRF personnel also being deployed to the area,” he added.

Wounded pilgrims have been transferred to Katra’s Community Health Centre (CHC) for treatment.

Intense rainfall has battered the Jammu region for two consecutive days, causing flash flooding throughout the area. The Kashmir Valley has similarly suffered extensive infrastructure damage.

Communication networks have failed across significant portions of the union territory, isolating millions from contact and worsening the crisis, according to officials cited by PTI.