Joshi breaks silence, says no Modi wave in country

Bengaluru, Jun 3: Former Union minister and senior Congress leader K H Muniyappa on Wednesday extended his support to former Prime minister and JD(S) National president H D Deve Gowda in the Rajya Sabha polls.

In a statement issued here here, Mr Muniyappa said that party which had an electoral understanding in the Lok Sabha elections, may extend support to Gowda in the June-19 Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka.

It may be recalled that the Election Commission of India, is conducting elections to Rajya Sabya to fill four vacancies from the Karnataka Assembly, in which the ruling BJP may bag two seats, while the remaining may be won by the Congress and the JD(S).

Ernakulam, May 25: Miscreants belonging to self-proclaimed Hindutva outfits have demolished a church set erected for the shoot of a Malayalam film at Kalady in Kerala’s Ernakulam district.

The set was erected to shoot the climax scene of the super hero film Minnal Murali, directed by Basil Joseph and starring Tovino Thomas and newcomer actor Femina.

The incident took place on Sunday. Members of the Antharashtra Hindu Parishad claimed that with the help of their sister outfit Antarashtra Bajrang Dal, they demolished the church set, erected on an island on the Periyar river in Kalady.

Hari Palode, the General Secretary of AHP, an organisation founded by Praveen Togadia, boasted on Facebook that they were not used to pleading to anyone, and decided to demolish the church set that was constructed near the Adi Sankaracharya mutt. 

“When they built such a structure in front of the Mahadeva shrine in Kalady, we said no. We had also submitted several complaints. We do not have the habit of pleading. We decided to demolish it. Our self respect must be protected at all cost,” AHP’s General Secretary Hari Palode wrote on his Facebook post along with pictures of members demolishing the set. 

The post also credited members of the Anrarashtra Bajrang Dal and its Ernakulam Division President Malayatoor Ratheesh for participating in the ‘service work’ of razing the church set. 

Mini Biju, member of Kalady Town panchayat confirmed that the film unit had indeed secured permission from the department before going ahead with the construction of the set.

“They had submitted a letter seeking permission to raise a temporary set. This was back in February before construction began. The panchayat committee had approved this request,” Mini said.

Bengaluru, Jun 21: As many as 518 private hospitals and medical colleges empanelled under the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST) have been allowed to treat Covid-19 patients in Karnataka amid rising cases, an official said on Saturday.

"These 518 institutions across the state empanelled under ABArK are permitted to admit and treat Covid patients as per government protocols and criteria," the health official said.

The private hospitals can treat patients only if referred by public authorities such as BBMP Commissioner, Health department Director, District Health Officers and others.

In Bengaluru, there are 44 such empanelled private facilities. The entire list is available at www.arogya.karnataka.gov.in and also on the Health Department's website.

The hospitals will be paid an appropriate package rate for Covid management, said the official.

The state has not barred private hospitals from treating Covid patients but they have to mandatorily report all positive cases.

"Due to increasing number of Covid cases in the state, it was decided to involve private hospitals in treatment of such patients," said Additional Chief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar.

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