Mangaluru: Cong's Harinath is new Mayor; BJP's Sumithra his deputy

The Centre’s step-motherly attitude towards Kannadigas stranded in the Gulf countries in general and Saudi Arabia in particular has prompted the Kannadigas to resort social media campaign once again.

A couple of weeks ago, Twitterati had launched a campaigned to bring back Kannadidags stranded in Saudi Arabia. A variation of the hashtag #SaudiKannadigasNeedFlights trended today. 

Trend Setters India, which has taken the twitter campaign initiative, had urged the Kannadigas around the world to join the twitter storm at 4 p.m. IST on June 15, to exert pressure on the authorities concerned. Around 7 p.m. the hashtag began trending with thousands of tweets.

Millions of Kannadigas are working in Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. They contribute greatly to the Indian economy.

Even though government of India has launched Vande Bharat Mission for the repatriation of Indians stranded across the world, it has operated only a few flights from Saudi Arabia to Karnataka so far. Thousands of Kannadigas including pregnant women, elderly people, those who have lost jobs and those who need emergency medical care are still waiting for repatriation flights from Saudi Arabia to Mangaluru and Bengaluru.
 

Mangaluru, May 28: A pregnant woman who returned from Dubai in a repatriation flight suffered miscarriage after she was allegedly denied entry to her apartment flat and also refused proper treatment in the institutional quarantine.

Fathima was put in a paid quarantine facility after she returned on May 12 flight for her first delivery.

On the second day of her return, she tested negative for Covid-19 in the first test. As per SOP (Standard operating procedures) for pregnant women, she was ready to shift to her apartment, Shivdeep Residency, located at Shivbhag in the city for home quarantine.

However, the members of the Resident Welfare Association of the apartment who got a whiff of her arrival, called an emergency meeting the previous night and reportedly informed the pregnant woman that her entry to the flat would put other residents in trouble and suggested that she stay away.

Sources said the RWA consists of some serving and retired police officials.

With no other go, the woman continued in the paid quarantine.

Treatment for a pregnant woman?

Fathima's father-in-law Azeez Bastikar said the doctors who attended her during the quarantine did not provide proper healthcare required for a pregnant woman and also refused to touch her, out of fear.

Many a time, they did not even check her BP, saying that they ‘forgot to bring the kit’. When her situation worsened, the family members contacted several hospitals in the city but all of them allegedly refused to admit her, fearing the sealing down of the hospital in case she tests positive on the 14th day COVID test.

Finally, the six and half months pregnant woman was shifted to a clinic on Wednesday after her 14th day test had turned negative.

The doctors who checked her found out that she had suffered a miscarriage and operated on her to remove the stillborn. The doctors said further delay would have costed the woman her life.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Azeez Bastikar approached Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh, seeking action against the doctors and hospitals who denied treatment and the RWA who refused her entry to the apartment.

Stating that the ill-treatment meted out to her daughter-in-law by doctors and others added to her trauma resulting in the miscarriage, he appealed to the authorities to ensure that no one else is treated in a similar manner.

He said that Fathima and her husband live in Dubai and that she came to India for a safe delivery as the situation was critical in Dubai.

The paid quarantine facility where she had to continue after RWA denied her access, charged her Rs 60,000 for her stay.

Meanwhile, the MCC commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde on Thursday issued a notice to Shivdeep Apartment for refusing Fathima's entry.

The apartment has to respond within three days, failing which legal action will be initiated against it.

Bengaluru, May 1: Former underworld don and real-estate baron Muthappa Rai was admitted to Manipal hospital in Bengaluru on Thursday.

As per sources, Muttappa Rai’s condition is said to be serious.

Muthappa Rai was diagnosed with brain cancer two years ago and had undergone treatment at hospitals in New Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru.