Author: Vijay Grover
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dropped a legislative bombshell during the state’s 2026-27 Budget presentation: a proposed total ban on social media access for children under the age of 16. The announcement marks Karnataka as the first Indian state to take such a definitive stance against the “scourge of digital addiction”, effectively signalling that the era of unregulated scrolling for minors may be coming to a close. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah framed the ban as a protective measure for the state’s most vulnerable demographic. “To prevent the adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, social media will be banned for those…
The political atmosphere in Karnataka remains electric, but the expected downpour of leadership change in the government has, for now, turned into little more than a drizzle. However, with the Opposition BJP planning a no-confidence motion on the first day of the winter session, the Siddaramaiah-D K Shivakumar (DKS) issue continues to simmer. While Siddaramaiah continues his tenure as chief minister, defying the widely speculated mid-term power-sharing pact, and his deputy, DKS, waits in the wings, his ambition has created a palpable tension in the state’s corridors of power. The bureaucracy and party cadre remain a divided house, displaying loyalty…
For more than two years, Karnataka has been at the centre of India’s most ambitious welfare experiment. The Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has turned its “five guarantees” into both a social revolution and a political lifeline. Yet, even as the state celebrates their popularity, a persistent question lingers: How long can Karnataka afford its own generosity? When Siddaramaiah returned to power in 2023, few imagined that his campaign promises, the so-called “five guarantees”, would actually see the light of day. Two years on, not only has he delivered, but he has woven them into the very fabric…
What was meant to be a celebration of the Karnataka government’s achievements last month in Mysuru turned into a revealing display of political powerplay within the Congress. As the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah delivered a fiery speech before a crowd of over a lakh, the Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar quietly exited the venue — before the CM even took the mic. The gesture did not go unnoticed. In fact, it marked the clearest sign yet of a deepening rift within the Congress’s top leadership in the state. The rally, dubbed “Sadhana Samavesha”, was officially organised to highlight the government’s welfare…
