BJP will win 150 seats; I will take oath as CM on May 17: Yeddyurappa

Bengaluru, Feb 8: The Department of Religious Endowments in Karnataka will undertake 'Ratha Yatras' in 110 major temples of the state, in order to inform the public about mass marriages, scheduled to be held on April 26.

The publicity campaign through Rath Yatra will be flagged off from Mookambika temple in Kollur of Udupi district from February 13.

The mass marriage programme 'Saptapadi,' would be held in 100 major temples of Muzrai department. The second phase would be held on May 24, Minister for Ports, Fisheries and Muzrai Kota Srinivas Poojary told newspersons here on Friday.

Mangaluru/Udupi, May 20: The twin districts of coastal Karnataka today reported seven new coronavirus cases. Six cases were reported from Udupi district and one from Dakshina Kannada.

All the six new coronavirus patients in Udupi have been admitted to Dr TMA Pai Covid hospital.

With the new case, 22 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported so far in the district, including a one death. Three have recovered, and 18 are active.

55th case in Mangaluru

The new coronavirus patient in Dakshina Kannada is a 40-year-old woman from Neermarga near Mangaluru.

With this, the total number of cases in Dakshina Kannada has risen to 55 out of which 33 are currently active.

The woman had travelled from Rajajinagar in Bengaluru along with her son to Mangaluru on May 10.

Sources said that she was residing in two houses at Kudupu and Kuttikala.

She was suffering from Asthma and respiratory problems. She was admitted to Wenlock COVID hospital on May 17.

Kolkatta, Mar 19: A local leader of BJP has been arrested for organising a cow urine consumption event in Kolkata, claiming that it will protect people from coronavirus or cure those already infected, leading to a civic volunteer falling ill after drinking it.

The police said that 40-year-old Narayan Chatterjee, who had on Monday organised a cow worship programme at a cowshed and distributed cow urine, was arrested following a complaint filed by the victim.

He had vouched for its "miraculous" properties while offering gaumutra to others.

A civic volunteer, who was on duty near the cow shed also consumed gaumutra and fell sick on Tuesday, following which he lodged a complaint with the police against Chatterjee.

Reacting to the arrest, the state BJP leadership criticised the state government.

"Chatterjee had distributed cow urine, but he didn't fool people in consuming it. When he distributed it he clearly said it was cow urine, he didn't force anyone to drink it. It has not been proved whether it is harmful or not.

"So how can just police arrest him without any reason. This is completely undemocratic," state BJP General Secretary Sayantan Basu said.

West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh has said there is no harm in drinking cow urine and he has no qualms in admitting he consumes it.

His party colleague and MP Locket Chatterjee, however, differed, terming it an "unscientific belief" that should be shunned.

The cow urine distribution as a cure for coronavirus had drawn sharp criticism from the doctors.