Cong extends Karnataka poll campaign to Saudi Arabia; leaders reach out to NRIs

Bengaluru, Apr 18: Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deposit at least Rs 10,000 in bank accounts of people belonging to the unorganised sector.

"The unorganised sector comprises barbers, dhobi, cooks, carpenters, sweepers, drivers and autorickshaw drivers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not mention anything about giving subsistence to these people," Shivakumar, told ANI, referring to the Prime Minister's address earlier this week.

Modi had announced the extension of the ongoing nationwide lockdown till May 3 in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

"I appeal to Prime Minister Modi to register the members of the unregistered sector under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) or deposit at least Rs 10,000 to the bank accounts of each of the members of unorganised sector to help them survive the lockdown," he added.

Though the Congress party will continue the central government and state government's fight against coronavirus, he said, both the governments need to help people who are part of the unorganised sector.

"The farmers have told me that due to the lockdown they are ready to sell the vegetables, which once used to be sold at Rs 100 per kg, at even Rs 5 per kg," he said.

Speaking on the suggestions he made to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Shivakumar said, "I requested the Chief Minister to send a team to do a videograph and make an assessment of the on-ground situation. However, till now, no one has gone."

Riyadh, Feb 24: Indian Islahi Center, Riyadh (IICR) kicked off the propagation campaign of "Learn the Quran" national conference, which is slated to be held on March 27, 2020 at Nofa Istiraha, Exit 18, Riyadh, Kingdom Saudi Arabia. It's IICR's 20th successful program.

Kerala Legislative Assembly's opposition leader & Congress leader, Ramesh Chennitthala inaugurated the campaign that was held at Voco Hotel in Riyadh, capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ramesh was on two days visit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The objective of the campaign is to instil the keenness & to keep creating the continuous awareness amongst the community on Quran. It also enables to recite the Quran with Tajweed (science of reading the Quran) & correct form.

Aboobakker Edthanatukkara (President of IICR), Abdul Qayyum Bustani, Kunhi Kumbala, Abdullah Vallanchira, Adv. Abdul Jaleel, Naushad Ali Kozhikode, Mujeeb Ali Thodigappulam, Muhammad Kutty Kadannamanna, Fasal Rahman City Flower, Mujeeb Irumbuzhi, Jaleel Alappuzha, Arafat & others were present on the occasion.

Bengaluru, July 20: The Karnataka government has reiterated that no final decision has so far been taken on reopening of schools in the state.

The clarification comes after minutes of the July 15 HRD ministry meeting where Karnataka education department officials said schools are reopening on September 1 went viral on social media. 

“The state government has not decided yet on starting schools. That they will reopen in September was only a general opinion expressed by our officials at the meeting. At present, we have no plans to start schools unless there is a conducive environment. There’s no need for anxiety,” said primary and secondary minister S Suresh Kumar.

Kumar said the government is involved in meeting the education sector’s changed priorities in the current scenario.

The minutes were of a virtual conference on school-safety plans, with representatives of state governments and Union territories expressing views on reopening of schools. 

Against the name of Karnataka, “After September 1” was written. Similar datelines were given by Kerala, Ladakh, Manipur, Rajasthan, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, while in case of many other states it said “no decision”.

An education department official said Karnataka submitted to MHRD that it will be able to take a decision only after September 1, depending on the situation in the state.