Siddaramaiah downplays rift in Congress

Bengaluru, Apr 27: Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice in the United Kingdom (UK), Robert Buckland, on Sunday appreciated Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa for the measures taken to control COVID-19 and strict implementation of lockdown in the state.

"During an interaction with Kannadigas in England, Buckland sought information about control of COVID-19 in India, especially in Karnataka. 

The Chief Minister replied to his queries and explained that effective implementation of lockdown, maintaining food and essential commodities supply chain intact and the concern of the government that no one should go hungry, has made it possible, with immense support and cooperation from people," as per a press release from Karnataka Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

Economic activities would be started according to the guidelines of the central government in a phased or graded manner in the coming days, the Chief Minister said, who also held a video conference with some people from the state, who stay in London, amid coronavirus lockdown.

During the interaction, the Chief Minister assured the Kannadigas residing abroad that they need not worry about their parents or elders in the state as their well-being would be taken care of.

He said that they can contact helpline numbers for medial and other needs.

The Chief Minister also said that the government would consider the loan repayment issues of students studying abroad availing educational loans after the situation turns to normal.

He said that the Karnataka government would be in touch with the Centre regarding the rescue of Kannadigas stranded abroad only after international flight services resume.

We came on foot, we came on boats, shouting slogans of Azadi.

We stood on roof tops and sat on walls under the burning midday sun,

Listening to the words that we had longed to hear for so long.

Words that had been scripted through the lonely fears of our hearts.

Words that were spoken now with the clarity of courage.

Words that were spoken now with the suppressed strength of pent up anger.

Words that were spoken now with the certainty of belonging to the soil 

Which had become one with the dust of our ancestors.

We stood there in the waves of heat

Feeling the surge and press  of countless bodies around us.

Bodies meshed through the odour of sweat 

And the shared fear of a common persecution.

And hanging from the roof tops,

And tied to the poles,

And clutched in hands slippery with sweat,

And wrapped round the pillars,

And spreading into our blood,

Were three strips of colour with a wheel of spokes,

Sewn together into the shape of our being.

Woven into the folds of our future and the creases of our past. 

Stitched to the seams of the earth, the water, the air and the sky 

That belonged to us and to which we belonged. 

And we stood there from noon to evening,

We the people of India.

Raising our clenched fists like signposts to the future.

Chanting slogans like a new anthem.

Kin to each other through the ties of community.

Born to live and die 

In a nation that was ours to hold on to

And ours to belong to.

Dr Parinitha is a professor of English in Mangalore University. She penned the poem soon after participating in the historic protest against CAA, NPR and NRC at Shah Garden, Adyar, Mangaluru on 15th January, 2020.

Also Read: 

‘The more you try to divide us, the stronger and united we’ll be’: Record turnout in Mangaluru’s anti-NRC protest

Anti-NRC protest in Mangaluru brings ‘media bias’ to the fore

Bengaluru, Jun 29: Bengaluru continued to see a sharp spike in covid- 19 cases as 738 more people tested positive on Monday that took the city's tally to 4052 of which 3427 is active.

The surge in Bengaluru pushed up the number of positive cases to 1105 across Karnataka. The total number of cases in Karnataka now stands at 14,295 of which 6382 are active.

The death toll stood at 230 as 19 more people died in the 24 hours till 5 pm on Monday.

Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru, has seen a sharp rise in cases over the last two weeks indicating the possibility of community transmission and further rise in cases.

Estimates by government authorities project that Karnataka will have around 25,000 cases by mid-August.

R.Ashok, the revenue minister incharge of covid- 19 in Bengaluru on Monday told doctors that they would have to dedicate another six months to contain the virus indicating that authorities were expecting the case count to rise in subsequent days and months.

The city reported over 3,200 cases since 19 June as against 844 cases between 8 March and 18 June.

There are around 500 containment zones in Bengaluru that is likely to have an impact of business and activities in the state's growth capital and its efforts to revive the economy.

The state government on Monday held meetings with private hospitals to increase the number of beds available for treatment of covid- 19.

The number of people in intensive careunits (ICU) jumped to 268.