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Amid voices of dissent, Council okays anti-superstition bill

DHNS
November 23, 2017

Belagavi, Nov 23: Ostracizing women during pregnancy will be included as a prohibited practice under the Anti-Superstition Bill, which was passed in the Legislative Council after a three-hour-long debate on Wednesday.

The Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017, seeks to ban 16 practices including human torture in the guise of religious rituals and creating pranic by threatening to invoke ghosts.

"Keeping women out of villages during pregnancy will be added," Law Minister T B Jayachandra said.

While several members welcomed the Bill, they raised concerns on differentiating between belief and superstition.

Leader of the Opposition K S Eshwarappa opposed the Bill saying it was impractical.  "How can you put an end to practices that have existed for years and that have been followed without any force," he asked, citing the examples of Mudradharane among Madhwa Brahmins, Sunat in Islam, piercing of cheeks and tongue among Lingayats and Kavadi or Harohara among Tamils. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal (Ind) opposed it, calling the Bill anti-Hindu.

However, BJP's D S Veeraiah supported the long-pending Bill. "It became a reality only because Siddaramaiah is the chief minister. Maybe J H Patel, too, would have brought a Bill like this," he said.

Veeraiah, Ivan D'Souza (Cong), Puttanna, Basavaraj Horatti and T A Saravana (all JD-S) demanded inclusion of televised astrology in the list of practices prohibited under the Bill. "After the 2008 polls, when I contested from Mangaluru, I was told by a Kerala astrologer that I'd win if I performed some rituals. I ended up spending Rs 1.5 lakh and I lost," D'Souza said.

Don't force me to visit temple: CM

During the debate Eshwarappa said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah did not visit the Sri Krishna temple while he was in Udupi recently because he was not invited.

Siddaramaiah said: "I was asked if I had been invited to the temple, I told reporters that no one called me. Is it a must to visit the Sri Krishna temple every time I visit Udupi? I'll go to a temple when I feel like going. No one can force me," he said. "I started going to temples only after becoming a legislator. Still, I don't believe Gods reside in temples."

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News Network
July 15,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 15: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D K Shivakumar on Tuesday alleged Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa led state government of corruption and said it had not spared even beds and pillows meant for COVID-19 patients to make "corrupt" money.

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, Congress leader said BJP government will be exposed in the coming days.

"It is nauseating that @BSYBJP govt has not even spared the beds and pillows meant for CoVid patients to make corrupt money from. There are many such scams involving ministers. Evidences about them will be placed before people and the BJP Govt will be exposed in the coming days," he tweeted.

Cabinet minister Jagadish Shettar on Monday announced a complete lockdown in Karnataka's Dharwad area from 10 am on July 15 to 8 pm on July 24 in a bid to control the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

According to the State's health department, Karnataka has a total of 41,581 positive cases so far, including 24,572 active cases and 16,248 recoveries.

So far, 757 people have lost their lives to coronavirus in the State.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 31,2020

Mangaluru, May 31: A yellow alert has been sounded in eight districts of Karnataka, amidst the Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) prediction that the low pressure area formed over Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep may to intensify further into a cyclonic storm.

The yellow has been sounded in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, Shivamogga and Chamarajanagara till June 1.

Moderate to heavy rain is expected to lash parts of coastal Karnataka today and tomorrow. 

The IMD has assessed that the situation is favourable for the onset of southwest monsoon. In view of the enhanced cloud cover and the deepening of southwesterly winds up to mid tropospheric levels, the southwest monsoon advanced further.

The IMD has also advised fishermen to avoid fishing in west coast of India from May 31 to June 4.

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News Network
August 7,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 7: Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, the state's health department issued fresh guidelines for the disposal of bodies of COVID patients.

"Although an increased risk of COVID infection from a dead body to health workers or family members who follow standard precautions while handling the body is unlikely, the lack of scientific data requires the utmost care to avoid the inadvertent spread of COVID-19 during these times," the statement from the health department's press release read, emphasising on the dignity of the dead and the religious and cultural tradition.

The 23-page press release elaborated on guidelines regarding testing, handling of dead bodies and other specificities in relation to the management of COVID-19 bodies.

"Testing should not be insisted in every case of death, but only when they have a recorded history of influenza-like symptoms. The body should be handed over to the family members/ relatives in a dignified manner immediately after swab collection and hospitals should provide handouts with a list of dos and don'ts in English and Kannada laying down relevant information," the statement said.

It added, "At the mortuary, health care workers, mortuary staff and the family of the deceased body shall not come in direct contact with the dead body and must wear full personal protective equipment (PPE). If the family or relative are for any reason unable to cremate or bury the body, the local health authority shall arrange for the dignified last rites as per the religious traditions of the family."

Regarding autopsies (post mortem) on COVID-19 bodies, the state department said that they should be avoided, except in necessary circumstances.

The statement also gave detailed guidelines regarding the appropriate recording of COVID-19 deaths in line with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines.

Additionally, the health department made a statement about the admission procedure for COVID positive patients referred by other district administrations saying, "It is now mandatory for all the referrals from the BBMP admission and discharge of COVID positive patients to be done through the online COVID Hospital Bed Management System (CHBMS)."

The state's count of coronavirus cases was 1,51,449 in the past 24 hours.

So far, a total of 2,804 people have died due to COVID-19 in the state, while the average recovery rate in Karnataka is 49.3 per cent.

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