1. Minister Priyank Kharge Reports Receiving Threats After Calling for Ban on RSS Activities
Karnataka’s Minister for IT-BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, has revealed he received numerous menacing calls and abusive messages aimed at him and his family. This wave of harassment began after he sent a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, advocating for a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities within government properties.
On October 14, 2025, Kharge expressed his steadfast resolve on social media, stating, “My phone has been relentlessly ringing for two days, barraged with threats, intimidation, and vile abuse targeting my family and me. All this, simply because I had the audacity to question and propose restrictions on RSS activities in public institutions. However, I am neither shaken nor astonished. If the RSS did not spare figures like Mahatma Gandhi or Babasaheb Ambedkar, why would they spare me?”
2. Bengaluru Sees Protests Over Alleged Layoffs at TCS Following Employee Number Reduction
In the wake of Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) second-quarter financial results, which indicated a notable decrease in its workforce, several labor unions have raised concerns. They accuse the company of engaging in “illegal retrenchment” and lacking transparency in its employment practices. The IT & ITES Democratic Employees’ Association (IIDEA) organized a protest outside TCS’s Whitefield campus in Bengaluru, condemning what they describe as widespread layoffs.
Demonstrators voiced strong opposition to these job cuts, reportedly affecting many mid and senior-level professionals. They called for an immediate cessation of these “illegal retrenchments.” Furthermore, the unions criticized TCS’s updated deployment policy, which mandates employees to achieve 225 billable days per year, labeling it as “exploitative.”
3. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy Rejects Calls for BMTC Privatization
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has strongly criticized proposals from Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and former Infosys CFO T.V. Mohandas Pai to privatize the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and dismantle its monopoly on urban bus services. Minister Reddy firmly asserted that public transportation is a vital welfare service that must remain under government stewardship. He argued this is essential to prioritize the needs of ordinary citizens over the profit motives of private entities.
During a press conference on October 14, Reddy directly addressed comments made at a MoveInSync-organized symposium, where Surya, Pai, and Yulu co-founder R.K. Misra had suggested privatizing city bus operations. Reddy dismissed these proponents, stating that they “have never traveled by public transport” and “lack a fundamental understanding of its operations.”
4. Over 6.4 Lakh Devotees Flock to Hasanamba Temple, Minister Assists with Crowd Control
Since October 10, the Hasanamba temple in Hassan, Karnataka, has welcomed an astounding 6.4 lakh visitors. Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda, who also oversees the district, personally got involved in managing the massive crowds. This revered temple is exclusively open to devotees during its annual festival, drawing hundreds of people from across Karnataka and beyond eager to pay homage to the deity.
The Minister reported that over 2.29 lakh devotees visited the temple in the 24 hours leading up to 5 a.m. on October 14. He expressed his delight, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome such a vast number of ordinary citizens to the temple. It brings us joy to see so many farmers and hardworking families participate.” The temple is scheduled to close its doors on October 23.
5. Bengaluru Police Uncover Major Cybercrime Extortion Ring Targeting North Americans
The HSR Layout police in Bengaluru have successfully dismantled a sophisticated “reverse digital arrest” extortion racket. The operation involved a raid on a local BPO company, where 16 specially trained employees were allegedly impersonating U.S. and Canadian law enforcement officials. They would threaten victims with fictitious drug and money laundering charges, then extort money under the guise of offering “assistance” to resolve the fabricated legal issues. This illicit BPO had been operating undetected for over a year.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh confirmed that the perpetrators posed as officials from U.S. enforcement agencies. Exploiting their victims’ fear, the accused would demand online payments to “settle” the false cases, illicitly amassing substantial funds through this intricate cybercrime scheme.