Spiking infections have seized the headlines — and it could get much worse.
from Health Care https://ift.tt/3p0ZWAW
via IFTTT
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Monday, November 2, 2020
RSS leader compares Muslim majority Mangaluru's Ullal to Pakistan
The video of a speech made by Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat in Dakshina Kannada was shared on social media.
File image
RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat stirred a fresh controversy after a video of him comparing Ullal in Mangaluru to Pakistan emerged. Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat was speaking at an event in Kinya village in Dakshina Kannada on Sunday when he said, "Hindus have reduced in and around Kinya. I don't have to speak about Ullal. So then who will protect our temples and who will protect our traditions? Why was there a Pakistan? Our numbers reduced and their numbers increased and that is why we got Pakistan and Bangladesh. If you go to Ullal pete (pete means town), isn't it Pakistan? Is it any different? Near home itself, a Pakistan has been built." The event was the 'Grama Vikasa Saptaaha' organised in Kinya village. A video of the speech was shared by social media users. Ullal is a locality in southern Mangaluru where a large number of Muslim families reside. The 2011 census data suggested that 56.1% residents are Muslim while 34.8% residents are Hindus in the area. The Ullal town also has around 9.34% Christians. UT Khader is the MLA of Manglauru constituency which was previously Ullal constituency. Khader is a second generation politician from Ullal and the lone remaining Congress MLA in Mangaluru and in Dakshina Kannada district. Reacting to Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat's statements, UT Khader said, "Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat's love for Pakistan is nothing new. The way he brings up Pakistan often would make you doubt if Mohammed Jinnah is his guru. More than India, it seems like he reads the history of Pakistan." He added, “For some elements that want to poison the society, Pakistan is a popular topic. In every corner of Ullal, I can only see India.” Khader also reminded that the army of Rani Abbakka who fought and drove away the Portugese hailed from Ullal. Rani Abbakka is a 16th century Tuluva queen of Ullal. She fought the Portuguese for decades and resisted several of their attempts to capture Ullal which was strategically placed. “That time, the Hindus, Muslims and Christians fought together. The religious centres from those times are still there. The traditions of that time are still respected here. I wish to see words that will strengthen the culture and goodwill of Ullal,” Khader said. This is not the first time Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat has made controversial statements. In December 2019, students in a school managed by Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat were made to enact the demolition of the Babri Masjid. The video of the enactment was shared on social media following which Dakshina Kannada police booked Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat.
from Karnataka https://ift.tt/3852QOW
via IFTTT
KSRTC to resume buses from Bengaluru and Mysuru to Hyderabad
The KSRTC will resume operations to Hyderabad from November 3, and has put in place measures to ensure passenger safety.
File image/PTI
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Monday announced that they will resume bus operations from Bengaluru and Mysuru to Hyderabad, starting from November 3. In a statement, the KSRTC said, “Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation had stopped operation of inter-state bus services due to COVID-19 and lockdown. As lockdown has been relaxed, KSRTC will restart the operations from Bengaluru and Mysuru to Hyderabad in Telangana State from 03.11.2020.” “The services will be operated keeping in view the density of passengers. It is mandatory for all passengers to wear mask. Passengers can book tickets in advance online at www.ksrtc.in or through KSRTC/Franchisee advance reservation counters,” it added. As part of an awareness campaign, the KSRTC is also printing messages on tickets, advocating for the usage of masks and encouraging people to maintain physical distancing. Since the union government relaxed interstate travel rules, the KSRTC had also gradually resumed restarting its services to neighbouring states. Interstate travel to Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra and Kerala has already resumed. On September 18, the KSRTC had announced that services to Maharashtra would resume from September 22. Since then, buses have been running between Bengaluru, Davangere, Mangaluru and other parts of Karnataka, depending on the passenger density, to parts of Maharashtra. Buses to Goa also started plying since October 8. The first batch of interstate bus services to function since the lockdown were to Kerala. Buses plied to the state from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kodagu and Sulia, on account of the Onam holiday season, from August 25 to September 6. While many routes have reopened since the lockdown period, the transport corporation is yet to get back to its full scale of operation, compared to the pre-pandemic days. “Prior to lockdown we operated 8,200 buses daily, but at present we are operating 5,100,” a KSRTC official said.
from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2GqHFeU
via IFTTT
‘Why was the Karnataka flag not hoisted in districts?’: Kannada activists to protest
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has called for a social media protest starting 5pm on Monday using #ನಮ್ಮಧ್ವಜ_ನಮ್ಮಹೆಮ್ಮೆ(Our flag, our pride) and will stage protests in all districts as well.
A day after Karnataka celebrated the state formation day, Karnataka Rajyotsava, pro-Kannada activists have raised questions over why the state’s unofficial flag was not hoisted in most district headquarters where events were held to mark the day. Calling this an insult to the sentiments of all Kannadigas, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada organisation has given a clarion call for an online protest starting 5pm on Monday. Additionally, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has also said their activists will stage protests in all 30 districts on Tuesday. On November 1, except in Bengaluru and Mysuru, where both the national flag and state flag were hoisted at the government functions, in other districts, only the national tricolour was hoisted. While Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa presided over the function in Bengaluru where the Karnataka flag was hoisted, the other districts did not follow suit. Activists are alleging that this is an emerging pattern where attempts are being made to impose a homogenous language and culture in the country. Speaking to TNM, President of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike(KRV), Narayana Gowda said, “Since BJP came to power this time, there is contempt against hoisting the Karnataka flag. We suspect that this is being done with instructions from the Sangh Parivar. Because this is the first time since inception of Karnataka that on Rajyotsava, in government offices, Karnataka flag is not being hoisted. This is an insult to Kannada pride. Their intention is to damage our identity. Starting tomorrow, our activists will stage demonstrations in all 30 districts against respective district-in-charge ministers and also lay siege to the District Collector’s office as well.” Only the national flag was hoisted in most districts across Karnataka Using the hashtag #ನಮ್ಮಧ್ವಜ_ನಮ್ಮಹೆಮ್ಮೆ(Our flag, our pride), KRV has called for a Twitter campaign to register their protest online as well. Arun Javagal, member of KRV told TNM, “All Kannadigas carry a certain emotional connect, pride with the red & yellow flag. States in federal countries having their own flags is a common practice.” He further alleged that anti-federal forces who believe in one nation one language one flag opposed furling of the Kannada flag. Sources in the Karnataka government told TNM that while the Chief Minister did not issue any circular or instructions to not hoist the Karnataka flag, after Siddaramaiah government’s proposal to award official status to a version of the Kannada flag in 2018, the BJP and its affiliate organisations have told the state leaders to stay away from endorsing the state flag on public platforms.
from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2TMQS40
via IFTTT
Vijay Mallya's extradition: SC gives Centre six weeks to submit status report
The apex court after a brief hearing in the matter adjourned the case to the third week of January.
File image/PTI
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to file a status report regarding the extradition of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya from the UK within six weeks. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice UU Lalit that some legal proceedings are still pending in the UK, which is delaying Mallya's extradition. The top court after a brief hearing in the matter adjourned the case to the third week of January. Justice Lalit noted that the order dated August 31 cites MEA report that certain legal proceedings by contemnor (Mallya) is pending in the UK. The top court had asked the counsel for Mallya to respond on the nature of these proceedings. The bench noted that an intervention application has been filed by EC Agrawala, counsel for Mallya seeks discharge from the case. Justice Lalit said this application seeking discharge is rejected and Agrawala shall continue to be the counsel for the contemnor. Justice Lalit queried Mehta, "When will the Mallya's extradition process be completed? Any time frame?" Mehta replied that no information from Indian High Commission in London yet. On October 6, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has told the Supreme Court that the UK Home Office has intimated, there is a further legal issue which needs to be resolved before Vijay Mallya's extradition takes place and this issue is outside and apart from the extradition process having effect under the UK law. The affidavit had said that Vijay Mallya's surrender to India should, in principle, have been completed within 28 days after he lost the appeal against extradition. However, the UK Home Office intimated that there is further legal issue which needs to be resolved before Mallya's extradition takes place. "The UK side further said that this issue is outside and apart from the extradition process, but it has the effect that under the UK law, extradition cannot take place until it is resolved," said the affidavit. The MHA said the UK has informed it that this separate legal issue is judicial and confidential in nature. On May 14, in a major setback Mallya lost his application seeking leave to appeal in the UK Supreme Court, after the London High Court declined to entertain his appeal challenging the extradition order to India on charges of fraud and money laundering in connection with unrecovered loans to his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. "The UK side emphasized that neither they can provide any more details nor intervene in the process. They have also indicated that through the designated channel, the UK Home Office has received a request to serve summons on Vijay Mallya for his hearing before the Supreme Court (India)," said the MHA. The UK side said it has informed the Indian High Commission that the issue is confidential and cannot be disclosed. The British Home Office also forwarded the Supreme Court order through Hertfordshire Police on September 17, for serving it to Mallya. "It is also submitted that during the course of processing of request of service of notice upon Vijay Mallya, an interim report from the UK authorities has been received through the High Commission of India, London," the affidavit said.
from Karnataka https://ift.tt/3jSrcO2
via IFTTT
Bengaluru riots case: Police to question hospital staff over ex-Mayor's disappearance
Central Crime Branch (CCB) sources said that the hospital discharged Sampath Raj without notifying investigation officials, which helped him abscond.
Bengaluru’s Central Crime Branch on Monday questioned 11 personnel at Baptist Hospital including doctors and the management, in connection with the disappearance of former Bengaluru Mayor Sampath Raj. The politician, who is presently absconding, stands accused of conspiring to plan and execute the riots and vandalism at DJ Halli and KG Halli in the city on the night of August 11. On October 7, the CCB had issued a notice to Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru, asking it to notify sleuths regarding the date of Sampath Kumar’s discharge as he was named as an accused in the Bengaluru riots case. Sampath Raj was admitted to the hospital after he claimed to have COVID-19 symptoms. Sampath Raj’s personal assistant Arun Kumar was arrested by the CCB in September in connection with the case. The CCB allegedly found 11 screen recordings of WhatsApp calls made from Arun’s phone to members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), who have been named as prime accused in the case. The calls were allegedly made on the evening of August 11. In this backdrop, Sampath Raj was questioned earlier in October but the CCB was unable to arrest him as he was admitted to the hospital. At midnight on October 29, the hospital discharged Sampath Raj without notifying the police, which has the CCB suspecting whether the establishment colluded with Sampath Raj, in helping him abscond. Police said that Sampath Raj was admitted to the same hospital four times in the last one month, claiming to have symptoms of COVID-19. The CCB had also requested the Health Department to form an independent panel of experts to check whether Sampath Raj had contracted the novel coronavirus or not. However, he was discharged from the hospital by the time the panel could conduct an examination. The doctors and members of the hospital’s management were still being questioned at the time of writing. CCB sources said that four teams have been formed to nab Sampath Raj and that the last location of his mobile was in Kerala. A team of sleuths had gone to Kerala on Saturday evening to look for him, the police said. The CCB on Saturday also conducted raids at Sampath Raj’s house in Cox Town. The police said that Sampath Raj allegedly hired a taxi driven by his former driver before he left Bengaluru. “He is an accused in the case and when we find him, he will be arrested,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said.
from Karnataka https://ift.tt/3kT7hQC
via IFTTT
The Kuruba demand for inclusion in ST list: The politics and politicking in Karnataka
The Shepherds India International convention held in Bengaluru last month has revived the demand for a Scheduled Tribe tag for the Kuruba community.
Three years after Karnataka witnessed a demand from the Lingayat community for a separate religion tag, the Kurubas (who are sheep rearers or shepherds) have decided to revive a decades’ old demand of including them in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. The fourth largest caste in Karnataka after the Lingayats, Vokkaligas and Muslims in that order, the latest demand, driven by Kuruba politicians cutting across party lines with the support of the community mutt heads, is said to be an attempt by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa to score brownie points over former chief minister Siddaramaiah. Both are Kurubas, but Siddaramaiah, who has positioned himself as a leader of the backward classes, is the undisputed chief of the community similar to what former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda is among the Vokkaligas. Eshwarappa, who is miffed over not being made the deputy Chief Minister, reportedly wants to pioneer the ST tag demand with the Centre. However, an earlier attempt by the Karnataka government to include the Kurubas under the ST category was rejected by the Centre. Congress MLA Priyank M Kharge, who was the social welfare minister in the Kumaraswamy government, said the proposal to include Kurubas was not approved by the Modi government while another proposal sent during Siddaramaiah’s regime in 2014 to include Gangamatha, Kabbaliga and Koli – synonyms for the same community – was rejected twice. Presently, the Kurubas constitute 9.3% of the state’s population and come under the backward classes category sharing 15% reservation with 104 other castes. From pre-Independence till 1977, the community enjoyed the ST status. In 1977, Justice LG Havanur, who headed the backward class commission, removed the ST tag, moving the Kurubas to the ‘most backward classes’ category, and brought in an area restriction stating that those living in Bidar, Yadgir, Kalaburagi and Madikeri with Kuruba synonyms can continue to avail the ST benefits. In the early 80s with Siddaramaiah making his debut into the legislative assembly, the Kurubas came into prominence once again. During the Janata Party government, then Social Welfare Minister VL Patil, a Kuruba himself, issued an order stating those who had already obtained the ST tag in the community can continue to enjoy the benefits, irrespective of the area restrictions stipulated in the Havanur Commission. But this was struck down by the court. Since then the demand for a ST tag has been alive. Political representation Regarding political representation, until the defection of some Congress-JD(S) MLAs to the BJP, the Congress had the highest numbers from the community. The Kuruba faces in the BJP now, apart from Eshwarappa, are the formerly disqualified MLAs AH Vishwanath, MTB Nagaraj and R Shankar, while the Congress has Siddaramaiah and former MLA HM Revanna and the JD(S) has its deputy leader in the legislative assembly, Bandeppa Kashempur. Until Siddaramaiah was in the JD(S), the party was successful in consolidating its hold over the old Mysuru region with Deve Gowda and he worked in tandem to garner the Vokkaliga-Kuruba votes. After Siddaramaiah quit the JD(S), the polarisation of the Vokkaligas and Kurubas came to a boil in Mysuru between 2013 and 2018 when Siddaramaiah headed the Congress government. The two communities vertically split on caste lines aligning with the JD(S) and the Congress. With the demand for inclusion in the ST increasing, the JD(S)-Congress led government constituted the Justice HN Nagamohan Das Commission to look into increasing the existing reservation for SCs from 15% to 17% and for the STs from 3% to 7% by not exceeding the overall 50% reservation quota as mandated by the Supreme Court's order of 1992. The report was submitted to the state government in July this year and is awaiting a decision. According to BJP MLC AH Vishwanath, who heads the Shepherds India International, of the 12 crore Kuruba population across the country, Karnataka accounts for 50 lakh. “The demand for a ST label is not a political agenda, but one with cultural, social and economic ethos. The way out is to increase the ST quota from the present 3% to accommodate us,”' he added. He said the Kurubas in other states were known by different names – as Dhangars in Maharashtra, Rabaris or Raikas in Gujarat, Dewasis in Rajasthan and Gadarias in Haryana. “We’re a historical community with a tribal background,” he maintained. Sources said while many backward classes have been included in the ST category, the reservation quota cauldron has remained static. “Everyone wants a share of a piece of the pie, which is small. Everybody is talking about getting the tag but not of sharing the resources. If some castes wish to be included, they should come with the quota they had in the earlier category,” sources maintained. Present reservation quota in Karnataka Adhering to the Supreme Court’s 1992 order, Karnataka has capped the reservation to 50% where 32% has been earmarked for backward classes, including Muslims, Christians and Jains, 15% for SCs and 3% for STs. This reservation quota has been further pared into categories: Category 1 (4), Category 2A (15), Category 2B (4), Category 3A (4), Category 3B (5), SC (15) and ST (3). What did the Supreme Court say in 1992 In 1991, the Narasimha Rao government issued an order providing an additional reservation of 10% for “other economically backward”' sections, to the existing 27% reservation recommended by the Mandal Commission for the other backward classes. This was challenged by an advocate, Indra Sawhney, and the apex court struck down the additional 10% and upheld the 27% reservation by capping the overall quota at 50%. Presently, only Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have exceeded the apex court's ceiling of 50%. Tamil Nadu has 69% reservation, which was achieved by including the reservation legislation in Schedule 9 of the Constitution. In the case of Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court upheld the state government's quota for Marathas. Referring to speculations that the BJP or the RSS will make the ST tag its political agenda, Revanna said it is being championed by all parties. The community's leaders have chalked out a series of engagements till February 2021. A women's convention has been organised in Kaginele Kanaka Guru Peetha in Haveri on November 8 apart from a walkathon, which will commence from Kaginele on January 15, 2021 and culminate in a rally in Bengaluru on February 2, he added. Naheed Ataulla is a journalist who has covered Karnataka politics for over two decades, and is a former Political Editor of The Times of India. Views expressed are the author’s own.
from Karnataka https://ift.tt/32651xY
via IFTTT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)