Congress leader from Karnataka quits, says he is ‘lacking passion’
The Hindu
Supreme Court advocate Brijesh Kalappa had joined the Congress in 1997. His mentor former Union minister Kapil Sibal quit the Congress recently and is contesting the Rajya Sabha elections with the support of the Samajwadi Party
In a setback to the Congress in Karnataka ahead of its two-day Chitan Shivir that starts on June 2, Supreme Court advocate Brijesh Kalappa resigned from the primary membership of the party.
Mr Kalappa had joined the Congress in 1997. He quit the party saying he has been ‘lacking in passion’ in the recent past. His mentor former Union minister Kapil Sibal quit the Congress recently and is contesting the Rajya Sabha elections with the support of the Samajwadi Party.
In his letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mr Kalappa said: “I have been representing the party in Hindi, English and Kannada TV channels (since the UPA years in 2013) for almost a decade, and have clocked 6,497 debates. Besides, the party has been regularly assigning political work to me, which I have performed to the best of my satisfaction. Regarding TV debates, I have done my very best at all times and have never ever appeared without adequate preparation for any debate. Even at the worst of times for the party in the aftermath of 2014 and 2019 debacles, I have never felt enervated, and lacking in energy and enthusiasm.”
“But, in the recent past, I have been finding myself lacking in passion, while my own performance has been listless and perfunctory.
“It is under these circumstances that I am left with little option but to resign from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress, and to end an association that began in 1997.”
Mr Kalappa thanked Ms Gandhi for offering several opportunities in the party and in his home State of Karnataka.
Mr Kalappa served as the legal adviser to the Government of Karnataka with rank of Minister when the Congress was in power under the leadership of Siddaramaiah.
“Writing, in general, is a very solitary process,” says Yauvanika Chopra, Associate Director at The New India Foundation (NIF), which, earlier this year, announced the 12th edition of its NIF Book Fellowships for research and scholarship about Indian history after Independence. While authors, in general, are built for it, it can still get very lonely, says Chopra, pointing out that the fellowship’s community support is as valuable as the monetary benefits it offers. “There is a solid community of NIF fellows, trustees, language experts, jury members, all of whom are incredibly competent,” she says. “They really help make authors feel supported from manuscript to publication, so you never feel like you’re struggling through isolation.”
Manoj Kumar, a talented artist with a disability, paints vibrant murals at Sabarimala, narrating the story of Lord Ayyappa.
Lieutenant General Karanbir Singh Brar assesses operational readiness and administrative effectiveness in Hyderabad and Secunderabad military facilities.
Supreme Court ruling on socialism, secularism
Several principals of government and private schools in Delhi on Tuesday said the Directorate of Education (DoE) circular from a day earlier, directing schools to conduct classes in ‘hybrid’ mode, had caused confusion regarding day-to-day operations as they did not know how many students would return to school from Wednesday and how would teachers instruct in two modes — online and in person — at once. The DoE circular on Monday had also stated that the option to “exercise online mode of education, wherever available, shall vest with the students and their guardians”. Several schoolteachers also expressed confusion regarding the DoE order. A government schoolteacher said he was unsure of how to cope with the resumption of physical classes, given that the order directing government offices to ensure that 50% of the employees work from home is still in place. On Monday, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) had, on the orders of the Supreme Court, directed schools in Delhi-NCR to shift classes to the hybrid mode, following which the DoE had issued the circular. The court had urged the Centre’s pollution watchdog to consider restarting physical classes due to many students missing out on the mid-day meals and lacking the necessary means to attend classes online. The CAQM had, on November 20, asked schools in Delhi-NCR to shift to the online mode of teaching.
Tamil Nadu rain weather LIVE updates: Follow The Hindu’s live coverage of the Tamil Nadu rains on November 27, 2024
Norway parliament apologises to Sami and other minority groups for assimilation policies
Nearly 50% of Dakshina Kannada’s shoreline has been eroded, the highest among the three coastal districts of Karnataka, according to a study for the period 1990-2018 by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR).
Sambhal mosque controversy
The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on November 27, 2024
Bengaluru publishers face backlash over new quality affidavit rule for pending dues, sparking demands for fairness and transparency.