Mangaluru: BJP minority leader detained as cops tighten security for Tipu Jayanti

Mangaluru, June 21: As many as 7 fresh cases of covid-19 were detected in coastal district of Dakshina Kannada today whereas neighbouring Udupi did not report any new case. 

The total confirmed covid cases in Dakshina Kannada today mounted to 425. Among them, 227 people have been already recovered and discharged. Today alone 26 were discharged. Currently there are 190 active cases in the district.

In Udupi there are only 102 cases are currently active among 1,063 detected covid-19 cases. So far 959 people have been discharged from hospital after fully recovering from the diseased. Today six patients were discharged.

Dakshina Kannada has so far witnessed death of 8 covid-19 patients. Among them 2 persons lost their lives due to non-covid reasons. Udupi has witnessed 2 covid related deaths so far.

Mangaluru, May 9: Dakshina Kannada District Collector Sindhu B Roopesh on Friday held a meeting to discuss the precautionary measures to be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the current situation in the district.

The meeting was attended by Member of Parliament and Karnakata BJP unit chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, Minister-in-charge of Dakshina Kannada Kota Srinivasa Poojary, MLA Vedavas Kamath and District Medical Officer Dr Ramachandra Bauri among others were present there.

Top officials of the police department, labour department officials and other concerned persons were also present in the meeting.

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.