2019 Parliamentary polls will be a turning point in Indian history: Mattu

coastaldigest.com news network
August 9, 2017

Udupi, Aug 9: Terming the Constitution as a sacred document Dinesh Amin Mattu, media advisor to the Chief Minister of Karnataka, said that the ascendancy of reactionary forces posed a threat to the Constitution of the country.

Speaking at a public meeting organised by the Congress to mark the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement at the Clock Tower here on Wednesday, Mr Mattu said there were systematic efforts on to weaken the institutions in the country.

He said that the Parliamentary elections of 2019 would mark a turning point in the history of the country. People have to be made aware about the importance of the Constitution and its broad-minded spirit, pluralism, and secularism, he added.

The Congress has the correct ideology. But the party was hesitant to take on the BJP on ideological issues. The Congress should stop resorting to “soft Hindutva.” It was incumbent upon the Congress workers to go to the grassroots and explain their ideology to the people. “It is only when you believe in your ideology that you will be able to take on the ideology of the BJP,” he said.

It was a fact that the tall leaders of the Congress had gone to the prison during the freedom struggle and were responsible for the Quit India Movement. But none of the then Hindutva icons had participated in the Quit India Movement. Hence the “nationalism” that the Sangh Parivar harped about routinely carried no weight. “Those who talk about ‘nationalism’ need to be told about the freedom struggle,” he said.

It was social reformers such as Basaveshwara, Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Narayanaguru, who had tried their utmost to reform the Hindu religion. But many “dharma peethas” (religious centres) had now become recruitment centres of communalism. “I respect the Hindu religion of Swami Vivekananda and Sri Narayanaguru. But I am against the Hindu religion of BJP president Amit Shah and RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat,” he said.

A couple of decades ago, the people of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada were known for their intelligence and enterprising nature. But now these districts were being associated with communalism and moral policing.

“An atmosphere has been created here where you are considered a Hindu only if you hate Muslims,” Mr. Mattu said. Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports Pramod Madhwaraj and other Congress leaders were present.

Earlier, Congress members took out a procession from the Congress Bhavan to the Clock Tower.

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 15,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 15: A total of over 4,000 COVID patients have been discharged in Karnataka so far, as the state on Monday reported 213 new cases of coronavirus and two related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 7,213 and the death toll to 88.

On Monday alone 180 patients were discharged in the state after recovery. As of June 15 evening, cumulatively 7,213 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 88 deaths and 4,135 discharges, the health department said in its bulletin.

Out of the 2,987 active cases, 2,931 patients are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable, while 56 are in Intensive Care Units. Among the two deaths were a 65-year-old man from Dharwad, who was the contact of another patient already tested positive.

He was admitted on June 14 at a designated hospital and died the same day. The other was a 75-year-old woman from Bengaluru, diagnosed with ILI (Influenza Like Illness) A known case of Diabetes mellitus and Hypertension , she was admitted on June 13 at a designated hospital and died on June 15.

Out of 213 new cases 103 are returnees from other states, a majority of them from neighbouring Maharashtra, while 23 are those who returned from other countries.

Among the districts where the new cases were reported, Kalaburagi accounted for 48, followed by Bengaluru urban 35, Dharwad 34, Dakshina Kannada 23, Raichur 18, Yadgir 13, Bidar 11, Ballari 10, Koppal 4, three each from Vijayapura, Bagalkote and Shivamogga, two each from Udupi, Haveri and Ramanagara, and one each from Hassan and Davangere.

Udupi district tops the list of positive cases with a total of 1,028 infections, followed by Kalaburagi 944 and Yadgir 822.

Among discharges also Udupi is on top with total of 736 discharges, followed by Kalaburagi 459 and Bengaluru urban 329. A total of 4,49,331 samples have been tested so far, out of which 5,362 were tested on Monday alone.

So far 4,32,346 samples have been reported as negative, out of which 4,738 reported negative today, the bulletin said.

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News Network
April 5,2020

New Delhi, April 5: Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer a "credible scientific and rational" explanation for his candle-lighting call and said he is giving "meaningless tasks" to an already exhausted population.

The JD(S) leader questioned if the Prime Minister asked the nation to observe a candle-light vigil on the eve of foundation day of BJP.

"Has the PM slyly asked the nation to observe a candle light vigil on the eve of foundation day of BJP? April 6 being its foundation day, what else can explain the choice of date & time for this event? I challenge the PM to offer a credible scientific and rational explanation," Kumaraswamy tweeted.

"The government is yet to provide PPEs for doctors and make test kits affordable for the common man. Without telling the nation what concrete steps are being taken to combat COVID-19 menace, the prime minister is giving meaningless tasks to an already exhausted population," he tweeted.

"It is shameful to convert the national crisis into an event of self aggrandizement & it is beyond shameful to push the hidden agenda of his party in the face of global calamity. May sense prevail upon the PM," the JDS leader said in another tweet.

Amid a nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Prime Minister Modi on Friday appealed to countrymen to light diyas and candles on April 5 at 9 pm to fight the darkness spread by the pandemic. He asked the people to turn off all the lights in their homes and stand at doors or balconies and light candles or diyas, torches or mobile flashlights for 9 minutes on April 5.

Last month, PM Modi had asked the people to come out in their balconies and clap and beat utensils to show appreciation for doctors, nurses and others helping fight coronavirus on 'Janata Curfew'.

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Agencies
June 23,2020

Islamabad, Jun 23: Seven more Pakistan cricketers, including Muhammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz, selected for the tour of England have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total to 10, the PCB revealed on Tuesday.

The seven who tested positive on Tuesday are Kashif Bhatti, Muhammad Hasnain, Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Rizwan, Imran Khan, Hafeez and Riaz. Shadab Khan, Haider Ali and Haris Rauf had returned positive tests on Monday.

“It is not a great situation to be in and what it shows is these are 10 fit and young athletes...if it can happen to players it can happen to anyone,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO, Wasim Khan told a media conference.

He said a support staff member, masseur Malang Ali, had also tested positive for COVID-19.

Khan said that the players and officials would now assemble in Lahore and another round of tests would be carried out on June 25 and a revised squad would be announced the next day.

The squad has to leave on June 28 for the series scheduled to be held next month, he said.

“It is a matter of concern but we shouldn’t panic at this time as we have time on our hands,” Khan said.

He said the players and officials would be retested on reaching England.

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