Handover Gauri Lankesh murder case to Modi govt’s agency: BJP

New Delhi, Feb 18: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is holding a daylong meeting with 70 columnists from across India on Tuesday in an effort to clear misconceptions about the organisation, sources said.

RSS chief Bhagwat, who last year met representatives of international media organisations posted in India, is expected to deliver a keynote address that will be followed by a free-flowing conversation, they said.

The 70 columnists attending Tuesday's meeting write in different languages.

The meeting, in Chhattarpur in New Delhi, is a closed-door meeting and the proceedings are "strictly confidential", the sources said

Mangaluru, July 1: Even as the number of covid-19 positive cases is mounting with every passing day in the region, the Dakshina Kannada district recorded three new deaths due to coronavirus within 24 hours. 

According to sources, a septuagenarian from Bhatkal breathed his last on Wednesday afternoon. He was suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and battling respiratory illness and pneumonia. His swab was collected and sent for test and the result came as positive.

Earlier in the day, two people had died in Mangaluru due to covid-19: A 31-year-old youth from Bhatkal and a 78-year-old man from Bengre in the city.

The coastal district has witnessed seven deaths from Sunday due to coronavirus.

The 31-year-old man, who was battling health issues due to high blood pressure, breathed his last at a private hospital. His swab was collected after his death. The report came as corona-positive.

The elderly man from Bengre was suffering from diabetes and pneumonia. He passed away at a private hospital.

With this, the total number of death of covid patients in the district reached to 17. Among them two people died due to non-covid reasons.

Bengaluru, Mar 18: BJP MLC Lahar Singh Siroya on Wednesday wrote a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, urging him to allow half-an-hour daily discussion in the State Assembly and Council to take stock and review preparation of the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"Since the entire world including India is facing an emergency-like situation, it is appropriate for lawmakers to discuss the matter in the legislature. I would like to request you to allow the matter to be discussed every day in the upper house," said Siroya in his letter to the Chief Minister.

He said discussion and suggestions on the issue can help the government to improve the surveillance activities.

He said members of the Assembly can bring realistic information from their districts and present the same before the House.

Stressing that Bengaluru is a global hub of software and electronic industries, Siroya said: "We need to step up surveillance on the improvement of the international community. So, we have to discuss in detail and devise a robust strategy to contain the spread of the disease."

He asserted there is a possibility of people using social media to mislead public.

"lf the government discusses and debates the issue besides making announcements if any, there will be no scope for social media to mislead the public. Media is doing a good job in educating people. So, I would like to request you to involve the media and select NGOs to sensitise people and bring in the preventive mechanism of self-quarantine more effectively," he said.

Two more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Karnataka on Wednesday, taking the tally of infected persons in the state to 13, Health Minister B Sriramulu said.

A total of 147 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far, as per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The deadly virus has claimed three lives in the country, the first one was reported from Karnataka.