1. Government Hostel Cook Relieved from Service Over RSS March Participation in Bidar
A contract assistant cook at a state-run boys’ hostel in Basavakalyan, Bidar district, has been dismissed from his position. The action follows his participation in a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) route march on October 14, 2025, part of the organization’s centenary celebrations. A civil society activist, Gagan Phule, president of the Committee for Protecting Democracy, filed a complaint objecting to the employee’s involvement. This development comes amid increased scrutiny by the State Government regarding the participation of its employees and outsourced staff in public RSS activities. A video of Mr. Pramod Kumar in the march and a photograph he reportedly uploaded as his WhatsApp status fueled the complaint.
2. From Devastation to Revival: A Tiny Wasp Rescues South India’s Tapioca Crops
Two years after scientists from ICAR-NBAIR introduced a minute parasitic wasp into tapioca fields across South India, the crop, once nearly wiped out by an invasive pest, is flourishing once more. Farmers in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry report that their tapioca yields have returned to pre-outbreak levels. This successful intervention represents a rare victory in managing a significant agricultural pest without resorting to chemical treatments.
Cassava, commonly known as tapioca, is cultivated across approximately 1.73 lakh hectares in India, with Tamil Nadu and Kerala accounting for over 90% of the total output. Prior to the pest outbreak, average yields were an impressive 35 tonnes per hectare, significantly higher than the global average of 10.76 tonnes. India also previously exported value-added tapioca products worth nearly ₹200 million annually, according to NBAIR officials.
3. Karnataka Travel Operators Urge Finance Ministry to Extend GST Concessions to Mid-Sized Vehicles
The Karnataka State Travel Operators Association (KSTOA) has voiced strong opposition to the new GST 2.0 reforms, specifically criticizing the exclusion of mid-sized multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) from the revised concessional tax structure. In a recent communication to the Union Finance Ministry, the association labeled this exclusion as a ‘grave injustice’ to the travel and tourism sector.
KSTOA President K. Radhakrishna Holla stated that omitting these widely used mid-sized MPVs and SUVs, which are crucial for tourism operations, will negatively impact travel businesses. He implored both the Union Finance Ministry and the Fitment Committee to acknowledge these vehicles as the ‘true workhorses of Indian tourism’ and provide them with appropriate tax concessions.
4. Police Fire at Alleged Cattle Thief, Seize Truck Carrying 10 Cattle in Puttur
In Dakshina Kannada district, Puttur Rural Police opened fire on a truck driver who was allegedly illegally transporting 10 cattle. The incident occurred near Ishwaramangala in the early hours of October 22, after the driver reportedly ignored police warnings to stop his vehicle.
The driver, Abdulla from Kasargod in neighboring Kerala, who police described as a repeat offender in cattle theft cases, sustained a leg injury and was admitted to a government hospital in Mangaluru. Authorities stated that the driver allegedly attempted to ram his vehicle into the police patrol car during the pursuit.