Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: Siddaramaiah says BJP turning Ayodhya Ram temple into politicla affair, and more

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the Congress high command’s decision not to attend the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya saying the ruling BJP at the Centre has turned a religious event into a political affair. “We are all devotees of Lord Sri Ram. But we are opposing the use of Sri Ram temple for political gains by the BJP,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

The Chief Minister claimed that voters have been seriously observing the politics of BJP and the Sangh Parivar for the last 35 years, and would not fall victim to their trap. “People have already started asking for the account of donations collected in the name of bricks,” he said.

Police officers in Hangal of Haveri district have registered a case against five persons on charges of trespassing into a private lodge and beating up a man and a woman, accusing them of being an inter-faith couple. The alleged offence occurred on January 8. The case was registered on January 10.

According to the FIR, the accused forcefully entered a room at Idigas Lodge close to Nalkara Cross near Hangal on January 8 afternoon. They allegedly abused the couple, tore the woman’s clothes, pushed her around and assaulted her. They also reportedly slapped and kicked the man, and threatened to kill them both.

The stage is getting set for the launch of Yuva Nidhi, the fifth and final guarantee scheme of the Congress government, at Freedom Park in Shivamogga town on January 12.

But with difficulty in uploading digital marks cards on the National Academic Depository (NAD) by universities along with server problems, registration for the scheme has not been to the expected level. The government has identified around 5.29 lakh beneficiaries who have completed graduation and diploma courses for the scheme in 2022-23, but only 61,700 have registered so far. 

A hero stone (veera kallu) with an inscription in Kannada script used during 15-16th century has been found at Ulturu-Kattemane, near Gulladi in Kundapur taluk of Udupi. According to T. Murugeshi, a retired Associate Professor of Ancient History and Archaeology at Mulki Sundaram Shetty College, the stone was discovered during an exploration in and around Gulladi.