BJP mocks CM, ‘confers best actor’ award on him

Mangaluru, June 24: Congress leader Ivan D’Souza has vowed to serve the poor and practice as a lawyer in the city, as he completed six years of tenure as a member of Karnataka legislative council on June 23. 

Expressing satisfaction about his work as an MLC, he said: “I’m one among the three MLCs who have 100% attendance in the council. Meanwhile, I’m the only council member to utilise the privilege of raising five questions in each session. I brought several major issues to the government through the questions and succeeded in finding solutions to the problems of people.”

“During my six years of tenure as a council member, I could bring sanctions to the tune of Rs 46 crore through various departments. Meanwhile, financial aid to the tune of Rs 13.24 crore has been distributed through Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to nearly 1,600 beneficiaries. I will continue to serve the poor on my own as an individual. For this, I have set up an office in the premises of my house,” Ivan said, adding that he has distributed grocery kits and other essential items to over 18,000 families during the lockdown period.

“I have successfully fulfilled my duties as the chief whip of the government in the council and also as the parliamentary secretary to revenue department in Siddaramaiah and H D Kumaraswamy governments, respectively,” he said. 

Ivan said his office in the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) building will be handed over to JD(S) MLC S L Boje Gowda. “My doors are always open for the people. I will strive to build the party in the state,” he added. 

Davanagere, Apr 8: BJP MLA from Honnali constituency, MP Renukacharya, said that the government should not ignore those who attended Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi and are escaping detection, and it is not wrong if the person is shot.

"Anyone who attended Tablighi meet, is not coming out for medical checkups and is escaping detection. The government should not ignore them. Even if he is shot, it is not wrong. Otherwise, the virus will spread throughout the entire country. In China it started with one person," Renukacharya said on Tuesday.

"We are suffering because someone is not coming for check-up. I request them to come voluntarily to the doctors and District Magistrates. Not all minorities are terrorists and not all of them are anti-nationals," he added.

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction for the government to impose a complete ban on all activities of the Tablighi Jamaat with immediate effect.

Over 1,000 coronavirus cases in India are linked to Tablighi Jamaat gathering. Hundreds of people who are related to Tablighi Jamaat have been quarantined.

Bengaluru, Mar 21: The news and public relations department, the Indian Red Cross Society and the Karnataka State Labour Studies Institute have invited volunteers for the programme to provide real-time information to people to avoid spreading rumours and misinformation about coronavirus.

This is an opportunity to join hands with the Karnataka government and fight coronavirus. These volunteers will be known as the "Corona Warriors", who will be entrusted with the job of monitoring social media sites to check rumours that are being spread across all taluks in the state. They will also take steps to provide proper information.

Applications are already being shared online and registered volunteers will be provided with appropriate training, security kits and identification cards at all district offices of the Department of Information and Public Relations.

At least four volunteers will work in four shifts per day in each taluk of the state. There are about 120 volunteers in Bengaluru city and about 3,000 Corona Warriors are expected to register from across the state. Over 400 volunteers have registered via online application on the first day.

Fifteen people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state, said Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Friday.