PM Modi's wife Jashodaben suffers minor injuries in road accident, her driver killed

Bengaluru, Apr 8: In a strong show of support, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa stood behind the minorities in the state and said no one should target the Muslim community over the coronavirus crisis and the Tablighi Jamaat.

He said those communalising the issue will be dealt with strictly.

BS Yediyurappa was speaking to a regional media channel when he said "Nobody should speak a word against Muslims. This is a warning. If anyone blames the entire Muslim community for some isolated incident, I'll take action against them also without a second thought. Will not allow that to happen."

Since then, many have welcomed the CM's remarks including the opposition.

Former Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted and said that other BJP leaders should follow the Karnataka CM and that it's a welcome step.

Congress president DK Shivakumar too said he agrees with the chief minister and that no one should target one community. "The CM should also act strictly against people posting communal remarks on social media and issue an order."

Earlier, Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa held a meeting with minority opposition MLAs and MLCs and urged them to pass the message within the community asking those who had attended the Delhi Nizamuddin Markaz event to come and get tested for Covid-19.

Bengaluru, Jul 16: Aiming to forge a citizen-government partnership in combating the Covid pandemic, the Karnataka government is seeking plasma donations from survivors for a token appreciation of Rs 5,000, a minister said on Wednesday.

"I request all those who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate plasma and save lives. As a token of our appreciation, we will give Rs 5,000 to patients who come forward and donate their plasma," said Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar.

He said the battle against the pandemic can only be won through citizen-government partnership.

On Wednesday, Covid cases swelled by 1,975 infections in Bengaluru, ground zero for the pandemic in the southern state, raising its total number of cases to 22,944, out of which 17,051 are active.

In the past 24 hours, the state as a whole registered a record 3,176 cases, raising Karnataka's tally to 47,253, even as 87 people succumbed to the virus.

Meanwhile, Sudhakar said 8,134 booth level workforce will conduct a house to house survey along with other Covid control measures in Bengaluru.

He said many locals and block level officers will be the members of the workforce.

Bengaluru, Mar 13: Health Minister B Sriramulu on Thursday assured the House that the state government will recruit doctors in all Primary Health Centres across the state through direct recruitment by the end of April this year.

The minister was answering MLA A T Ramaswamy, who raised the issue of shortage of doctors on Thursday. Sriramulu said there are 2,359 primary health centres in Karnataka, of which 1,432 centres have permanent doctors, 436 have doctors on contract basis, 236 have Ayush doctors, 55 have doctors who work under rural service, and the rest work on contract basis under the National Health Mission.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who had recently directed ministers to cancel KPSC recruitment and go for direct recruitment, expressed his anger  as it hasn’t been implemented even now. Sriramulu said, “I have directed the concerned District health officer to take action and go for direct recruitment. It will be done by end of April.”

He also said he is aware of the difference in salary between doctors working under the health department and those working under the medical education department. “This will also be rectified,’’ he assured.

Meanwhile, Sriramulu said that a hospital that he had inaugurated recently in Mysuru, has been shut due to the lack of doctors and furniture. “This will be sorted out soon,’’ he assured.