Society should save the lives of innocent Akshatas by not producing Kartiks: GIO

Bengaluru, Jan 6: The city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao has ordered a special inquiry by the additional commissioner in connection with sexual harassment on a girl hailing from Kasaragod and the allegation that there were attempts to convert her to another religion.

Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Shobha Karandlaje on Sunday met Rao along with the girl and gave a complaint that two youths from Kasargod had raped her and forced her to convert to their religion.

A complaint has been filed in the Kasargod police station, but no action has been taken against them. Since both the accused work in Electronics City police station jurisdiction, she urged the police to arrest them.

Rao said he was yet to gather information about the case and he had directed the additional commissioner to conduct a preliminary investigation and submit a report.

After filing a complaint, Shobha told reporters that she has been sexually harassed ever since she was a minor. 

The MP said that the girl, who was brought from Kasaragod to Electronics City, where the accused youths run a business, was allegedly raped. “I have asked the Police Commissioner to direct the Electronics City police to register an FIR and arrest the youths,” she said.

“I have spoken to the survivor and she said that the youths were also forcing her to convert to Islam and threatened her with dire consequences if she did not,” the MP alleged.

Shobha went on to claim that there was a gang that could be operating to forcibly convert Hindu women to Islam. She also met Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa along with the girl’s family members and gave a petition.

Bengaluru, Mar 13: Karnataka Health Department is planning to set up a separate hospital for COVID-19 so that the affected can be kept in quarantine at one place.

Presently, it is in the process of setting up separate isolation wards for COVID-19 cases at eight Bengaluru hospitals.

Minister for Medical Education K Sudhakar said on Friday that he has already discussed the idea of a separate facility for COVID-19 cases, so that those isolated, can be kept at a single location to contain the spread of the virus.

Bengaluru, Jan 3: Former Karnataka chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that 90 per cent of the promises made by him remain unfulfilled.

"He (Prime Minister Modi) had promised that in 2020 the economy will be doubled, but only their troubles have doubled. He just lied. 90 per cent of the promises made by Modi have remained unfulfilled," Siddaramaiah told media here.

Siddaramaiah's remarks come at a time when Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to the state.

"In August, there was severe flood in state, he didn't visit Karnataka at that time. Flood situation was in 23 districts. Prime Minister will tweet for small issues. But at the time of severe flood he didn't even tweet. In 2009, Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister. He did aerial survey of the state and announced Rs 1500 crore relief on spot," Siddaramaiah said.

"This time the estimated damage due to flood is more than Rs 1 lakh crores," he said.

He went on to say, "Prime Minister came to witness Chandrayaan-2. He did not give time to Chief Minister and ministers and opposition party to meet him and discuss about floods."

"When I was the Chief Minister, the Prime Minister visited the state two times. Prime Minister had told at the time of inauguration of food park that there will be 10,000 direct employment and 25,000 employment. But nothing has happened till now," Siddaramaiah said.

Besides the Prime Minister, Siddaramaiah also criticised Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

"In last election, Prime Minister had told that, if BJP comes to power in Centre and state, there will be development. But nothing has happened. Chief Minister and ministers should have spoken to the Prime Minister about relief funds. The central government should have announced it as National disaster... That's why I called BS Yediyurappa as weak Chief Minister," Siddaramaiah said.

"He had said if BJP is in power at the centre and state, doors of fortune of the state will be opened. People trusted him and gave 25 seats in Lok Sabha elections. But now, he doesn't even open the doors of his house for his party leaders," he said.

Congress leader further cornered the Prime Minister over his address in Tumkuru Mutt on Thursday and said, "We admit Pakistan is an evil country. But what are you doing about minorities in our country? You are bringing law against the minorities. Is that right? And you give speech about these things in front of young children."

Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to Karnataka and is attending several events as part of his official engagements.