RSS, other outfits misusing temples for illegal activities: Kerala Minister

Bengaluru, Jul 15: With the state capital along with a few districts under lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the measure was important to break the chain and people seem to have understood its importance.

Appealing for cooperation from the people, he asked them not to make it inevitable for police to use force in implementing the lockdown. "Traffic movement is less, there is a lockdown atmosphere everywhere, I feel that people have understood the importance... cooperation is required. I appeal to the people, if this lockdown has to be effective it has to be voluntary, only then we can control the rapid spread of coronavirus," Bommai said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said this lockdown is important, last time the infection was not up to this level. "This time areas that have a high number of infections- about five districts and Bengaluru city are going for lockdown. People have understood that this lockdown is to break the chain," he said. "Please don't make it inevitable for police to use force," he added.

Bengaluru urban and rural areas are under "complete lockdown" since last night at 8 pm and it will be effective till 5 am on July 22.

Following Bengaluru urban and rural, administrations in several districts like Dharwad, Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi (only in Urban areas), Bidar, Raichur (in Raichur city and Sindhanur) and Yadgir too have announced lockdown.

Noting that Police have taken all necessary strict measures to enforce lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural districts by restricting the movement of vehicles and people, Bommai said barricades have been erected at various places and flyovers have been shut. People have been allowed to purchase vegetables and groceries till 12 noon, he said.

The government has warned of action in case of any violation of the lockdown rules. As of July 14 evening, cumulatively 44,077 Covid-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 842 deaths and 17,390 discharges. Bengaluru Urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 20,969 infections.

Bengaluru, Jan 18: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the "flag-bearer" of the Indian culture and tradition.

In his speech at an event organised by Vedanta Bharati here, Shah said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is touring across the globe as the flag bearer of the Indian culture and tradition." To buttress his point, the BJP National President said Modi took a holy dip in Ganga and attended Ganga Arati in Varanasi before taking oath as the Prime Minister.

It was for the first time that Modi sent red sander to Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal to perform special prayers on behalf of the government of India.

Shah also slammed the previous governments for their wrong interpretation of secularism, preventing them from honouring the best things of the country. "But after a long interval we have a Prime Minister who sends across the message that we have a lot to give to the world," Shah said.

Mangaluru, Jan 26: A 55-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly attacking his sister-in-law and her daughter with acid used to make rubber sheets in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, police said on Saturday.

The victim, a 35-year-old widow with three daughters, has been admitted to the government Wenlock Hospital here with severe burns. Her daughter, who suffered minor injuries, is also hospitalised.

In her complaint, the woman said her late husband's elder brother came to her house on Thursday, abused her in foul language before opening an acid bottle and throwing its contents at her through the window.

The woman suffered burn injuries on her face, neck and shoulders and her daughter on her legs and hands.

The victim's husband had taken a loan of Rs 5 lakh from a cooperative bank but died in 2018 after paying only two instalments and the woman could not repay it further.

The bank's notices kept coming to the elder sibling's address, which infuriated him. There was also a long-pending land dispute between the two, sources said.

Based on the woman's complaint, a case was registered on Friday and the man arrested soon after. Kadaba sub-inspector police Rukma Naik visited Wenlock

Hospital to record the woman's statement, police added.