DKS mentions religion of Siddaganga seer’s doctor, later says sorry

TNN
December 11, 2018

Bengaluru, Dec 11: Water resources and medical education minister DK Shivakumar has raked up a controversy, stating the religion of the doctor who is treating Siddaganga mutt pontiff Shivakumara Swami in Chennai.

“I’m very happy that Shivakumara Swami is fast recovering. It’s all because of the expertise and effort of Dr Mohammed Rela, a Muslim, who runs the world-class Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre. Therefore, we all should keep one thing in mind that there is no point in playing politics in the name of caste or religion,” Shivakumar said, soon after he arrived at Sambra airport in Belagavi to attend the winter session of the legislature.

His statement, an apparent move to appease minorities, triggered angry reactions from the junior pontiff of the mutt and the BJP leaders who accused him of playing politics in the name of religion.

On Saturday, Shivakumar had called on the 111-year-old seer in the hospital. On Friday, the pontiff was airlifted to the Chennai hospital where he underwent an operation to treat his liver and bile duct infection.

Junior pontiff Siddalinga Swami said: “There is no caste in noble professions like doctors and teachers. The minister’s statement is in bad taste. Our society considers doctors as equivalent to God. For them, there is no caste or creed.”

BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa and former deputy CM R Ashoka hit out at Shivakumar for “playing politics in the name of the Walking God.”

“As a senior minister, he should not stoop to such a level. He is free to play politics in Vidhana Soudha or on the streets but not in hospitals and mutts,’’ they added.

‘No intention to hurt anyone’

If my statement has hurt the mutt or anyone, I tender an apology. I had no intention of playing politics, as is being alleged by the BJP. After visiting the hospital, I was impressed with the expertise and dedication of the doctor.

So I made that statement DK Shivakumar, medical education minister Pontiff recovering Shivakumara Swami is recovering after the surgery at the Chennai hospital. In a statement on Monday, the hospital’s CMD Dr Mohamed Rela said: “He is beginning to mobilise in the intensive care unit and his vitals are stable.”

Comments

KAMAL
 - 
Wednesday, 12 Dec 2018

DKS should not have commented on religion of the Doctor.  He should have just praised the good job being done by Doctor.   BJP is on watch of any error from its opponents.   Statement from DKS was in error and he apologised for it.  However, BJP is misusing it and trying to gain political benefit out of it.   They should know that people cant be foold always and latest election result is the example.   I hope people will reject BJP completely in MP election.

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
coastaldigest.com news network
May 19,2020

Udupi, May 18: As many as eight fresh coronavirus positive cases have been reported in coastal districts of Udupi and Uttara Kannada. 

No fresh positive case was reported in Dakshina Kannada since yesterday.

According to Health and Family Welfare Department, two men aged 38 and 24 years, an 8-year-old boy and a 24-year-old woman tested positive for coronavirus in Udupi district today. 

All of them were under quarantine after returning from Maharashtra recently. They were shifted to covid-19 hospital for treatment. With this the number of covid-19 positive cases in Udupi district mounted to 15.

Meanwhile, Uttara Kannada district also received a jolt with four more cases. Yesterday it had reported eight cases.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 12,2020

Mangaluru, May 12: The Karnataka government has ordered that Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts be considered as one unit for the movement of people to undertake permitted activities between 0700 hrs to and 1900 hrs.

Principal Secretary and Member Secretary, Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, T K Anil Kumar, in an order, said that there was no need for different passes for commuting by people between these two districts.

However, people should carry their identity cards issued by their respective enterprises/ companies to show that they are carrying out permitted activities only, he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
coastaldigest.com news network
June 12,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 12: A huge crowd gathered for the grand opening of the newly built 175-metre-long two-lane bridge across Phalguni River on National Highway 169 near Gurupura on the outskirts of the city today.

Even as the photos of the bridge inauguration ceremony went viral on social media, netizens took the elected representatives and the district administration to task for flouting safety norms at a time when the coronavirus cases are continuing to mount in coastal Karnataka.

The bridge was completed in a record time of 15 months. Dakshina Kannada MP and State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel and district in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari inaugurated the bridge in the presence of Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharath Shetty and others.

The bridge has come as a breather to thousands of travellers between Mangaluru-Moodbidri-Karkala on the busy NH. The age-old steel bridge had become dilapidated and was a cause for concern for road users. The highway is also under the process of getting widened to four lanes.

The bridge was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore by contractor Sudhakar Shetty of Mugrodi Construction. Work started in February last and the contractor had time till February next.

While the two-lane carriageway is 16 metres wide, the bridge has 2.5-metre-wide pedestrian paths on both the sides. New approach roads of 500 metres each were also part of the project.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.