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Bengaluru, Jan 10: Barely 24 hours after the standoff between BJP workers and students of Jyoti Nivas College (JNC) in Bengaluru over CAA became breaking news, it took political hues with the saffron party and the Congress locking horns over the issue.

Taking the battle to the anti-CAA camp on Thursday, the BJP aggressively defended its party workers, who on Wednesday erected a pro-CAA banner on the college compound wall and allegedly forced students to sign on it as a mark of support.

With one of the workers who had locked horns with JNC students by his side, deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan, at his official residence, questioned students’ right to protest party cadre erecting a pro-CAA banner on their college compound wall.

“How can you tell people not to create awareness about a law that has been passed in this country? Who gave students the right to question political workers? If there was anything wrong, let them report to the police,” retorted the minister, who also holds the higher education department portfolio.

On the other hand, the Congress, cashing in on simmering anger over the assault on JNU students in Delhi, used the JNC standoff to project the ruling party as prime culprits in stifling the voice of students. BTM Layout MLA and seasoned politician R Ramalinga Reddy even warned the BJP against “allowing JNC to become another JNU”.

Reddy met with the JNC administration and extended his support against any “threats” to students. It is being alleged that Reddy was the first to “leak” the video of Wednesday’s row to the media. The college falls in his assembly constituency.

Taking a cue from his colleague’s stand, former CM and opposition leader Siddaramaiah also leaned into the matter and sent a strong message “backing” students in the standoff. “BJP goons are threatening students of Jyotinivas College to support CAA. MrYediyurappa, I am strictly warning you to control hooligans from your party. Don't subvert knowledge & institutions for your selfish motives. We won't let Ktaka to be victim of your Hitler rule!” said Siddaramaiah in a tweet.

Bengaluru, Jul 16: Amid difficulties being faced by COVID-19 patients in getting beds, the Karnataka government on Wednesday made bed allocation display board mandatory in all hospitals registered under Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME).

"It is made mandatory that all hospitals registered under KPME in Karnataka State should display at the reception counter, a bed allocation display board," a notification issued by the state government read.

"It should display the name of the hospital, the total number of beds (as per of KPME registration) and the total number of beds allocated for COVID-19 patients referred by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)," it said.

The notification further stressed that the data must corroborate with the data of the central bed allocation system of BBMP. The display board should be arranged by July 16.

Non-compliance to the order issued by the state government will attract punishment under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act 2005 and Indian Penal Code, the order read.

The state government on June 23 issued a notification making it mandatory to reserve 50 per cent of the beds in private hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients referred by public health authorities.

Kottayam, Mar 31: A 91-year-old and 88-year-old senior citizen couple were discharged from the isolation ward of government medical college after getting treated from COVID-19 on Monday.

"It is a testimony to the dedication and expertise of the medical staff as well as the strength of the Kerala public health system. We shall overcome," Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac tweeted as he praised the healthcare services for treating the elderly couple considered as highly vulnerable to the contagious virus.

Apart from the two senior citizens, five others suffering from COVID-19 have also been treated and discharged from the hospital.
Thomas, 91, and his wife Mariyamma, 88, who were under treatment at the Kottayam Medical College were already suffering from various age-related problems. The 91-year-old had a heart attack and severe breathing trouble when he was under treatment.

"The aged couple based in Ranni in Pathanamthitta district had got infected with the virus after coming into contact with their son, wife and grandson who had arrived from Italy. COVID-19 was confirmed in them on March 8. They were admitted to Pathanamthitta hospital. However, they were shifted to the Medical College in Kottayam the very next day as their condition was critical," the Kerala government said.

The family will have to remain in home-quarantine for 14 more days.

The Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 32 and the number of total coronavirus cases to 1,251 as on Monday. 

There are 1117 active cases in the country with the state of Kerala contributing the highest number of cases which stands at 202.