Modi, Shah, Hegde not Hindus; those who support killings cannot be Hindus: Raj

Bengaluru, Mar 18: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said that the lockdown in the state will continue till March 31st. However restaurants and hotels will remain open.

Speaking to reporters here, Yediyurappa had said, "...we need to take more stringent measures, when the US President has recommended avoiding gatherings ofmore than 10 people in his country. We will discuss in the cabinet and take all necessary measures."

Two more coronavirus cases have been registered in Bengaluru on Wednesday, 18 March, taking the total infected cases to 13, ANI reported quoting state Health Minister B Sriramulu.

Meanwhile, Dental clinics in Bengaluru have shut shop after order from Indian Dental Association and Karnataka State Denta Council. The doctors have been advised to treat the patients only if there is an emergency.

In Udupit distrcit, Section 144(3) have been imposed across the district by DC G Jagadish.

No religious events allowed, devotees should not enter temples, churches or Masjid's in groups. Tourist locations closed. Students in PGs and Hostels asked to return home.

While, schools and colleges remained shut, IT professionals and other professionals working in air- conditioned places were advised to work from home. Till Tuesday evening, 13 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka, including one death.

The State government had on March 13 leapt into action announcing lock-down of malls, cinema theatres, pubs and night clubs for a week.

Instructions were also given to stop all kinds of exhibitions, summer camps, conferences, fairs, marriages, sports and engagement events and birthday parties state-wide for a week from Saturday.

While, schools and colleges remained shut, IT professionals and other professionals working in air- conditioned places were advised to work from home. Till Tuesday evening, 11 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka, including one death.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that there are 276 coronavirus infected Indians abroad - 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, five in Italy, one each in Sri Lanka, Hong Kong SAR, Kuwait, and Rwanda.

Earlier in the day, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India neared 150, according to the Health Ministry data.

Bengaluru, Apr 14: Karnataka Labour Department has issued an order instructing public and private establishments not to cut salaries or lay off employees during the lockdown imposed to counter Coronavirus.

In view of Covid-19, there may be incidents where services of employees or workers may be dispensed with on the pretext of the disease or employees may be forced to go on leave without pay, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said.

Legal action will be initiated if any establishment violates this advisory, Labour Department Secretary P Manivannan said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

Bengaluru, Feb 27: Chief minister BS Yediyurappa has again kindled hope for several ministerial aspirants by suggesting he will expand his council of ministers in April. A dozen senior BJP legislators are aspiring for ministerial berths, but there are only six vacancies in Yediyurappa’s cabinet.

However, Yediyurappa suggested on Tuesday he will fill only three spots, one of which would go to Hukkeri legislator Umesh Katti. With this, lobbying has intensified for the two remaining berths as the expansion exercise is expected soon after the budget session that ends on March 29.

The aspirants include Murugesh Nirani, S Angara, Appachhu Ranjan, SA Ramdas, Aravind Limbavali, Narasimha Nayak and GH Thippareddy besides others.

Yediyurappa, it is being said, is keen on inducting Katti and Limbavali since they are close to him. He will leave the decision on choosing legislators for the remaining two berths to the party’s central leadership.

On more than one occasion in the past, Yediyurappa has publicly stated that his wish is to induct Katti, a former minister, into the cabinet. In fact, the CM had wanted to induct Katti in the previous expansion that took place last month, but dropped the idea at the last minute due to pressure from party bosses.

The CM is also under pressure to induct Athani legislator Mahesh Kumatalli, who was among 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs who resigned to help the saffron party form the government. Several BJP MLAs and Lingayat seers have been piling pressure on Yediyurappa to make Kumatalli a minister as promised.

Kumatalli was denied a cabinet berth only to accommodate Katti. Both are Lingayats and from Belagavi district. As the Lingayat community already has a lion’s share in cabinet berths, the CM cannot afford to induct both.

Nirani, who has been leaving no stone unturned to secure a spot, reiterated his wish to become minister, but insisted he will not lobby for the post.

Yediyurappa has been upset with Nirani for lobbying for a berth through Panchamasali Mutt seer Vachananand Swami. The former minister was also part of the team of alleged disgruntled MLAs which met Jagadish Shettar at his residence to put pressure on the CM for cabinet berths.

However, while expressing confidence of being made minister when Yediyurappa’s expands his cabinet next, Nirani said, “Yediyurappa is not upset with me. My relationship with him is that of father and son. He knows me and what I am.”