Countdown for Modi government has begun: Siddaramaiah

Chikkamagaluru, May 4: KSRTC resumed its service from Chikkamagaluru district headquarters to taluk centres amidst the lockdown to contain COVID-19 on Monday. Chikkamagaluru is in the green zone.

Hundreds of passengers travelled to Sringeri, Mudigere, Koppa and Kadur taluks since morning from the Chikkamagaluru city.

According to KSRTC Divisional Controller, passengers who wish to travel to taluk centres have to register half an hour prior to the journey. 

Sanitisers were placed in the bus stand in Chikkamagaluru to sanitise hands before boarding the buses.

Mangaluru, Mar 9: Deputy Commissioner Dakshina Kannada, Sindhu B Rupesh on Monday refuted reports that a passenger who arrived in Mangaluru from Dubai showed coronavirus symptoms had skipped a hospital visit.

While replying to reporters on the issue, Rupesh said: "Passenger who arrived from Dubai has not shown any coronavirus related symptoms. He just had a fever. He was shifted to district hospital last night, but he is not cooperating with us. He is not ready to stay in a hospital. We are convincing him".

"Till now, no positive case of coronavirus has been found in Mangaluru", she added.

Earlier, the Centre had suspended visas and e-visas granted on or before March 3 to people travelling from Italy, Iran, South Korea, and Japan, effective immediately, after a surge in cases of COVID-19 in these countries.

The coronavirus has affected 43 people in India so far and caused the deaths of over 3,800 people globally.

Mangaluru/Bengaluru, Jan 23: A day after two senior functionaries of the BJP — a deputy chief minister and a political secretary to the chief minister — made provocative speeches against a minority community, Nalin Kumar Kateel, state president of the saffron party, on Wednesday issued a gag order, banning functionaries from talking on issues without the party’s approval.

Deputy CM Govind Karjol and Honnalli legislator MP Renukacharya had passed comments castigating Muslims, in the process seriously denting the image of the party which is trying to avoid controversies in its efforts to allay fears on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The comments come on the heels of Ballari City legislator Somashekara Reddy warning Muslims at a pro-CAA rally of repercussions if they do not fall in line.

Kateel said a gag order has been “clearly” communicated to all concerned at a recent meeting that he and chief minister BS Yediyurappa had chaired. “Our message to party functionaries is in line with what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told his council of ministers and party MPs — to focus on their work and constituencies rather than comment on issues. Let them leave this task to official spokespersons of the party,” Kateel said.

However, it appears the message hasn’t gone through to Renukacharya, Yediyurappa’s political secretary. A day after courting controversy by saying anti-nationals were using mosques to store weapons, Renukacharya said he stood by his comments and launched a fresh tirade against madrasas, saying they were manipulating youth and encouraging terrorism.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Renukacharya said: “In our [temple-run] institutions, nothing anti-national is taught. We only teach values that are mandated for life. But at madrasas, youth are manipulated by teaching terrorism. Why do we need such schools? The majority of those accused of terrorism are Muslims.”

He immediately followed up this comment by saying he did not imply all Muslims were terrorists. The Honnalli MLA justified his comments saying he did not receive a single Muslim vote in the 2018 assembly elections. “They [Muslims] come to us seeking our help. They want the BJP for development, but when it comes to elections, they vote for Congress and JD(S),” Renukacharya said. He said no “special packages” will be distributed to Muslims in his constituency.