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Bengaluru, Aug 8: Congress is confused on the Ram Mandir issue and in dilemma to take a firm stand fearing loss of Muslim or Hindu votes, according to BJP leader and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.

"Congress opposed BJP's stand on constructing Ram Mandir in Ayodya, it called Lord Ram fictional and even decided to break the Ramsetu. Now, Congressmen are speaking the other way. Congress cannot think beyond vote bank politics which is in its DNA itself. Congressmen think that they are born to be in power," he said while speaking to media persons. 

He said that BJP is all for constructing a grand Ram Mandir peacefully and legally, due to its conviction and not for politics. Same was the case with the revocation of Article 370 for Jammu & Kashmir. Anti-national activities have comparatively come down now. 

Some people do not want everything going smoothly in the country, and Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi are among them, Joshi opined, adding that the Congress is merely frustrated.

Bengaluru, Aug 6: No private hospital in Karnataka can turn away a patient without attending to him or her, irrespective of the Coronavirus status, an official has said.

"Private medical establishments shall not deny treatment and admission to any patient approaching the establishment irrespective of the fact that such patient may or may not be suffering from Covid-19," an official from the state Health and Family Welfare Department said on Wednesday.

Likewise, no private hospital can insist on a patient for a Covid-19 test report, said the official invoking the Disaster Management Act.

"The establishments also cannot insist for Covid test report," he said, directing all private hospitals to strictly abide by their responsibilities.

According to the department, it is the duty of every private hospital to provide first aid and take lifesaving steps when any patient approaches it.

"It is the duty of every private medical establishment to provide first aid and take lifesaving measures to stabilise the patient," he said.

The department also invoked statutes from Karnataka Medical Establishments Act 2017, under sections 11 and 11 (A) to drive home the message.

The directives assume significance at a time when several cases of private hospitals denying admissions and fleecing patients across the state have emerged.

"It has been noticed that some of the private hospitals are refusing treatment and admission to emergency patients, causing distress and this has resulted in complications, leading to death in certain cases," said the official.

The district authorities have been directed to take action on the erring hospitals as the department reiterated the responsibilities of private medical establishments.