Moodbidri: Young entrepreneur, farmer killed while on hunting trip

Bengaluru, Apr 19: A recent government order prohibiting congregations, Ramadan prayers is discriminatory and needs to be withdrawn, JD(S) MLC B M Farookh has demanded.

In a letter to the chief secretary, Farookh pointed out that the order contained certain conditions such as restriction of the use of public address system and delivering Azan in low decibels, which had nothing to do with the prevention of Covid-19 disease.

“These days, Azan includes a call for the community to pray at home and does not offer namaz at mosque. The order also prohibits preparation and distribution of porridge, which has always been taken up in the interest of the poor. The High Court has noted that the relief distribution by NGOs or individuals should not be prevented and the state machinery has to coordinate the same by ensuring social distancing. The ban on distribution of porridge by mosques amounts to discrimination. The order needs to be withdrawn or revisited,” he wrote in his letter.

Further, observing that a religious fair was conducted in Kalaburagi recently, in violation of the government’s social distancing norms, Farookh sought the government to ensure that social distancing norms are enforced with regard to festivals of all communities without discrimination.

Bengaluru, Mar 2: The Opposition Congress and the JD(S) members protested in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Monday over the BJP leader Basavaraj Patil Yatnal's alleged derogatory remark against veteran freedom fighter H S Doreswamy.

Opposition Leader in the Assembly and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, raised the issue, immediately after the obituary reference of sudden demise of former Minister C Chanigappa, and sought permission from the Speaker to raise the issue of Yatnal's outburst in the House stating that the matter of hurling defamatory remark against Gandhian Doreswamy, by Mr Yatnal, was very much serious. However, the treasury bench members protested and urged the Speaker not to allow the matter to discuss as the issue was not in the agenda.

The Speaker, Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri, promised the Congress leader about permitting the issue after the House adopts resolution on the thanksgiving motion for the Governor's address of the joint House recently and asked Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to continue his reply to the Governor's address.

The opposition Congress and the JD(S) members, protesting the Speaker's action, trooped into the well of the house and raised slogans against the BJP government.

The Chief Minister continued his reply amidst the din before the Speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes after the House adopted the thanksgiving motion to the Governor's Address.

Bengaluru, Jun 2:  With easing of COVID-19 lockdown curbs, the Karnataka excise department has accorded permission for fresh brewing or production of beer and to sell it in microbreweries as takeaways.

"Permission is hereby accorded to microbreweries for fresh brewing/production and sale of beer as takeaway in glass, ceramic or stainless steel container (up to 2 litre) till 30-06-2020, or until further orders, whichever is earlier," the Excise Commissioner in a letter dated June 1 to Deputy Excise Commissioners of all districts said.

The opening and closing hours of the microbreweries shall be from 9 am to 9 pm, it said, adding that all other conditions as laid down will remain unaltered.

Earlier, in a letter dated May 12, the Excise Commissioner had "conditionally" granted permission for microbreweries to sell their beer stock as takeaway on experimental basis for the period from May 14 to June 30 or until exhaustion of existing beer stock, whichever is earlier.

It had called for measures like social distancing, cleanliness, usage of masks and sanitizers, among others, and had said, microbreweries situated in containment zones are not allowed to function.