We're 80 per cent, you're 18; don't oppose CAA: Karnataka BJP MLA spews venom

Bengaluru, May 18: With the detection of 99 fresh cases of COVID-19, highest single-day spike, including 24 from Bengaluru Urban district, the total number of persons contracted for the disease in the state has surged to 1,246.

Apart from 24 fresh cases in Bengaluru Urban district, Mandya recorded 17 cases followed by Uttara Kannada (09), Raichur (06), Yadagiri (06), Gadaga (05), Kalaburagi (10), Hassan (04), Koppal (03), Vijayapura (05), Mysuru (01), Belagavi (02), Ballari (01), Udupi (01), Kodagu (01) and Koppal (03).

So far 37 persons had succumbed to the virus in the state.

Bengaluru, Apr 19: Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday thanked Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for backing his family regarding his son Nikhil s wedding, which drew flak for allegedly violating lockdown norms.

Asserting that social distancing was maintained during the wedding, the JD(S) leader in a series of tweets hit out at those accusing his family of violating lockdown norms, by stating that they were doing it out of "political hate".

"Despite maintaining social distancing and following rules during Nikhil's marriage, there are discussion that norms were not followed.

Because of political hate, poisonous comments are being made about an auspicious event, but Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa by rejecting all this is standing by the truth," Kumaraswamy said in a tweet in Kannada.

He said, "heartfelt thanks to Yediyurappa for his statement that a big political family in the state has conducted the marriage ceremony in a simple way."

Nikhil, the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, entered wedlock on Friday at a Bidadi farmhouse with Revathi, the grandniece of former Congress minister M Krishnappa.

On the day of the marriage several posts on social media, also media reports had criticised the Gowda family for violating locdown norms and social distancing during the event.

Coming to the defence of Gowda family, Yediyurappa in response to a question on Saturday told reporters "They (family) had all the permissions and the event was held in a simple fashion. There's no need to discuss this.

"Despite having many relatives, they stuck to the limitations. For this, I congratulate them," he had said.

Stating that lockdown rules were followed during Nikhil's marriage, Kumaraswamy said, "By looking for politics in Nikhil's marriage, certain faulty minds on social media are spewing venom that is in their mind."

Gowda family had scaled down Nikhil's wedding, which was earlier planned in a 95-acre land near Ramanagara with a lavish set, with lakhs of party workers and well-wishers in attendance, followed by a grand reception in Bengaluru.

Nikhil has acted in couple of Kannada films in the lead role.

He had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from the party bastion of Mandya and had lost against multilingual actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent candidate supported by BJP, in a bitterly contested polls.

Bengaluru, Mar 29: The State government launched a mobile application for people to track the movement history of patients, who tested positive, before their detection so that they can take precautions. The app will give the date and time of visit to spots by the patients.

The mobile app “Corona Watch” can be downloaded from Google Playstore https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ksrsac.drawshapefile

“The app also has a list of government designated first response hospitals for COVID-19 where citizen with symptoms can go. However, before going to a COVID hospital, people should call helplines — 104, 080-46848600 or 080-66692000,” said a message by Munish Moudgil, secretary, Administrative Reforms, who is also in-charge of the State COVID war room.