Bengaluru, 19 June

Key Bills including the one on crowd control and management in the wake of the 4 June stampede in Bengaluru that killed 11 people is likely to be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting, State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said on Thursday.

Notably, the bill doesn’t just hold event organisers responsible for failing to manage crowds, but it also proposes a fine of Rs 50,000 and up to three years of imprisonment.

Also, likely to be discussed are Bills against misinformation or fake news, and hate speeches and crimes.

"Four bills were proposed today -- Karnataka crowd control, managing crowd at events and venue of mass gathering Bill, 2025; Karnataka Rohith Vemula Bill, 2025; Karnataka misinformation, fake news prohibition Bill, 2025; Karnataka hate speech and hate crimes prevention Bill, 2025," Patil told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The draft Rohith Vemula Bill, reportedly proposes for compensation of up to Rs 1 lakh for students who face caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions, and jail term of one year and pay a fine of Rs 10,000 for guilty.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in April urging the Karnataka government to enact "Rohith Vemula Act" to ensure that no one faces caste-based discrimination in the education system.

Rohith Vemula, a Dalit student, allegedly died by suicide due to caste-based discrimination in Hyderabad, in 2016.