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‘DyCM Ashwath Narayan was kingpin of BBMP fire that destroyed incriminating files in 2011’

News Network
September 5, 2019

Bengaluru, Sept 5: Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has reiterated that incumbent deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan was a “kingpin” in the fire that destroyed incriminating files at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office in 2011.

Documents stored in the file room of the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) police station were lost in the fire. The BMTF, the agency empowered to probe corruption in BBMP, BDA and BWSSB, had reportedly named top political leaders and contractors in a report into a multi-crore rupee bogus bill scam.

“The DyCM has spoken of building a new India. These people... do we not know who they are? Is he not one of the kingpins who set fire to BBMP files inside the Palike headquarters?” said Kumaraswamy, reacting to Narayan’s comment that Congress leader D K Shivakumar was paying the price for indulging in corruption.

Kumaraswamy said the BJP central leadership was practising “vendetta politics against his friend” but it wasn’t a first. “Several bureaucrats including N Vittal, who retired as the chief vigilance commissioner, have recorded how successive governments used the ED and I-T to harass opponents,” said Kumaraswamy.

Veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun M Kharge also called it vendetta politics. He said his colleague had abided by the law and appeared each time ED and I-T officials had summoned him. “They [BJP] are under this impression that by arresting Congress leaders, the cadre and its party will be weakened,” Kharge said. “Shivakumar made himself available every time the ED summoned him, so why this arrest? Was he planning to fly abroad or was he hiding?”

In Mysuru, Congress Legislature Party leader and former CM Siddaramaiah reiterated that the arrest of Shivakumar was illegal. “Arrests are generally made when a criminal has murdered someone, has committed dacoity or the law fears that the person will run away or will destroy evidence,” Siddaramaiah said. “This arrest is nothing but intentional and politically motivated arrest.”

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News Network
February 8,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 8: The BJP on Saturday drew flak on Twitter for taking a swipe at Muslim women who appear to be standing in a line to vote in Delhi's assembly polls. ""Kaagaz Nahi Dikayenge Hum" ! ! ! Keep the documents safe, you will need to show them again during NPR exercise (sic)," the party's Karnataka Twitter handle posted using the hashtag #DelhiPolls2020. 

The video, which appears to have been taken from one of the polling booths in Delhi on Saturday, shows burqa-clad women flashing their voter ID cards. While the threatening tone of the tweet is unmissable, the tweet contradicts the government's statement that no person needs to submit any documents during the house-to-house survey for updating the National Population Register (NPR) and that information provided by individuals would be accepted and recorded. 

The tweet has added to the prevailing confusion regarding the NPR exercise in the country. 

The NPR is a list of "usual residents" of the country. In 2010, the data for NPR was collected along with the house-listing phase of the Census of India 2011. The data was updated in 2015 by conducting a door-to-door survey.

Currently, it has been decided to update the NPR along with the house-listing phase of Census 2021 during April to September 2020 in all the states/union territories except Assam.

Most of the opposition parties see NPR as a prelude to the contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC), which has been opposed by even NDA allies like the JD(U). The NPR questionnaire asked details like the birthplace of parents. In combination with the recently amended citizenship law, protesters fear that the registry might be eventually used for NRC. 

As a result, people, predominantly Muslims, have hit the streets as India witnesses one of the most widespread civilian unrest of recent times.

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News Network
August 6,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 6: No private hospital in Karnataka can turn away a patient without attending to him or her, irrespective of the Coronavirus status, an official has said.

"Private medical establishments shall not deny treatment and admission to any patient approaching the establishment irrespective of the fact that such patient may or may not be suffering from Covid-19," an official from the state Health and Family Welfare Department said on Wednesday.

Likewise, no private hospital can insist on a patient for a Covid-19 test report, said the official invoking the Disaster Management Act.

"The establishments also cannot insist for Covid test report," he said, directing all private hospitals to strictly abide by their responsibilities.

According to the department, it is the duty of every private hospital to provide first aid and take lifesaving steps when any patient approaches it.

"It is the duty of every private medical establishment to provide first aid and take lifesaving measures to stabilise the patient," he said.

The department also invoked statutes from Karnataka Medical Establishments Act 2017, under sections 11 and 11 (A) to drive home the message.

The directives assume significance at a time when several cases of private hospitals denying admissions and fleecing patients across the state have emerged.

"It has been noticed that some of the private hospitals are refusing treatment and admission to emergency patients, causing distress and this has resulted in complications, leading to death in certain cases," said the official.

The district authorities have been directed to take action on the erring hospitals as the department reiterated the responsibilities of private medical establishments.

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News Network
April 3,2020

Bengaluru, April 3: Messages have been displayed outside mosques in Shivajinagar requesting people to offer Friday prayers at home during the lockdown imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 threat.

In light of the coronavirus outbreak, several Muslim organisations and mosques across various states have temporarily halted the congregational prayers.

The usually bustling Jama Masjid area, today, wore a deserted look.

One new positive case of COVID-19 was reported in Karnataka on Friday.

The patient is a 75-year-old man from Bagalkot and has been isolated at a designated hospital in Bagalkot, the state government said.

"Till date, 125 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the state, this includes three deaths and 11 discharges," it added.

The total number of coronavirus positive cases rose to 2301 in India on Friday, including 156 cured/discharged, 56 deaths and 1 migrated, as per the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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