Karnataka crisis: Am working as per Constitution, says Speaker

Agencies
July 16, 2019

Bengaluru, Jul 16: Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar against whom 15 ruling coalition rebel MLAs have moved the Supreme Court alleging delay in accepting their resignations, on Tuesday said he is working in accordance with the Constitution and was performing his duty.

The apex court will pronounce its order on Wednesday morning on the pleas of 15 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs seeking direction for Kumar to accept their resignations from the Assembly.

"Ultimately, what the Supreme Court will come out (its verdict), after going through that, I will respond," Kumar told reporters in Kolar district.

Stating that he was working in accordance with the Constitution, he said "I don't have freedom to comment on all other matters being the Speaker."

"I am not someone who is going to challenge...I will only perform my duty…everyone will have to wait till tomorrow," he added.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi concluded the hearings of the rebel MLAs, the speaker and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday.

The order from the Supreme Court will come a day before the Congress-JD(S) government faces the floor test in the Assembly, which would end suspense over the numbers game triggered by a raft of resignations by the ruling coalition lawmakers.

As many as 16 MLAs -- 13 from the Congress and threefrom the JD(S) -- have resigned while two independent MLAs S Shankar and H Nagesh have withdrawn their support to the coalition government, keeping it on the edge.

In a bid to keep their flock together ahead of the floor test, the Congress, BJP and JD(S) have shifted their MLAs to resorts.

The Congress on Tuesday shifted its MLAs from a hotel in the city to a resort on the outskirts, amid fears that some more legislators may resign.

Reacting to state BJP chief Yeddyurappa's reported statement claiming that another 2-3 MLAs were likely to resign ahead of the confidence motion, KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao alleged that resignation of Congress-JD(S) MLAs were with "malafide intent".

"This statement clearly proves that the resignations by @INCIndia/JDS MLAs were done with malafide intent. @BSYBJP has purposely said this to ensure that the Speaker has enough material to disqualify the rebel MLAs.

The rebel MLAs have fallen into a trap," he said in a tweet.

The ruling coalition's strength in the House is 117-- Congress 78, JD(S) 37, BSP 1, and nominated 1, besides the Speaker.

With the support of the two Independents, the opposition BJP has 107 MLAs in the 225-member House, including the nominated MLA and Speaker.

If the resignations of the 16 MLAs are accepted, the ruling coalition's tally will be reduced to 101.

According to official sources, the nominated member too has a right to vote.

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coastaldigest.com news network
August 7,2020

Mangaluru, Aug 7: Coronavirus surge in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi today at 411  with with Udupi tallying 245 fresh cases and DK 166. 

A dozen deaths also reported from the twin districts. While DK reported seven fatalities, Udupi recorded five deaths. 

With this, Dakshina Kannada district's Covid-19 tally increased to 6,881 and the total number of deaths increased to 208. 

While the district has 3,369 active cases as on date, the day also saw 188 people getting discharged from hospitals. As many as 3,304 persons were discharged in the district so far. 

Out of seven deaths reported in Dakshina Kannada on Friday, five were from Mangaluru taluk and one each from Puttur and Belthangady taluks.

Meanwhile, out of 245 new coronavirus cases reported in Udupi on Friday, 175 are asymptomatic and 86 have no specific contact history. With this, the total number of cases in Udupi increased to 5,605, which includes 2,292 active cases. 

Udupi also reported five fatalities including a female victim, taking the district’s death toll to 55. Udupi deputy commissioner G Jagadeesha said all the five victims were also suffering from various comorbidities. Udupi district has collected Rs 1,43,300 as penalty from people for violating rules related to social distancing and mask till August 6.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 2,2020

Yadgir, July 2: A fresh video of the health staff dragging the body of a Covid-19 victim and dumping it into a pit disgracefully has gone viral on social media.

The incident occurred in Yadgir district of Karnataka on Tuesday, just days after shocking visuals of bodies of Covid-19 victims being handled disrespectfully in Ballari district went viral.

In the fresh video, two persons with PPE suits can be seen dragging, hurling and dumping the dead body of a senior citizen who died of covid-19. The duo dragged the body using a wooden log inserted to both hands of a plastic body bag for nearly 300 meters.

After pulling till the pit, the body was heartlessly dumped including a wooden log. Several villagers were also seen in the video.

The victim was settled in Siravara in Raichur district, although he originally hailed from Yadgir. On Sunday he was busy overseeing his daughter' wedding that was first postponed due to lockdown.

According to a relative of the deceased, on Monday he complained of breathing problems following which an ambulance was called to carry him to Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

Raichur Deputy Commissioner (DC), R Venkatesh said he was brought dead to the hospital as he succumbed en-route. The family members were quarantined and the body was packed as per the protocols and sent to Yadgir as his family members informed that the victim is from the neighbouring district. "In Yadgir district he was swabbed and his test results came positive," DC informed.

As soon as residents of Honagera village learned about the arrival of the body, the family members were harassed asking them to not to bury the body in any of the fields in the village.

Sridevi, a relative of the deceased said "the locals assembled near our house and threatened consequences if the body was brought here. Fearing backlash, we asked the district authorities to perform the last rites in the farmland owned by the victim. But it is now saddening to see the video where the body was inhumanely dragged and dumped."

Meanwhile Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa on Wednesday (July 1, 2020) said that six staff members have been suspended in connection with the inhumane funeral of a man who died of COVID-19 in Balari district.

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News Network
May 11,2020

Bengaluru, May 11: Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Monday asked Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to urge PM Narendra Modi to give a 'COVID Package' to Karnataka.

In a series of tweets, Kumaraswamy said that Yediyurappa should raise the demand during the course of the meeting scheduled to be held today with the PM, which will also be attended by Chief Ministers of other states.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks with CMs from different states on coronavirus control and lockdown today. The state's CM BS Yediyurappa will also be in it. At this meeting, BSY should urge Modi to offer a 'COVID Package' to the state," Kumaraswamy's tweet, roughly translated in English from Kannada, read.

In subsequent tweets, the JDS leader said that, "The central government has set up a PM Cares Fund for the fight against Corona. As MPs, entrepreneurs and citizens have made generous donations. BSY must convince Modi that the state has not received adequate financial support from the Center so far."

He further said that the package could be utilised for "medical procedures", "financial compensation for the affected people."

Kumaraswamy also said that "In addition to the 'COVID Package', other dues from the Center, including GST dues, flood relief, etc should also be asked for by BS Yediyurappa at the meeting with Modi."

PM Narendra Modi will hold a meeting, through video conference, with state Chief Ministers on Monday at 3 pm to discuss the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country.

The Prime Minister had earlier interacted with Chief Ministers four times over the COVID-19 situation via video conferencing.

The upcoming interaction comes days ahead of the scheduled ending of the nationwide lockdown.

The ongoing lockdown, which was imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus, is scheduled to end on May 17.

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