With an eye on Dalit votes, JD(S) announces alliance with BSP for Karnataka polls

Kozhikode, Feb 28: Nearly 200 Umrah pilgrims from Kerala were deboarded from their flights to Saudi Arabia from Calicut international Airport here on Thursday after the gulf nation enforced a temporary ban on foreigners seeking to visit the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, following coronavirus scare.

Saudi Arabia halted travel to the holiest sites in Islam over fears about a viral epidemic just months ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, a move that came as the Mideast has over 240 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.

According to Airports Authority of India officials, as many as 84 of passengers from the Saudi Airlines and 104 from the Spice Jet Airlines were denied permission to board the flights and travel to Saudi Arabia.

However, other passengers bound to Jeddah were permitted to fly, they said.

A private tour operator here said two batches of 40 pilgrims each were denied permission to travel to Makkah to perform Umrah on February 27.

Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage that can be performed at any time of year.

"The pilgrims were denied entry by the two airlines, Spice Jet scheduled at 05.30 hrs and Saudi Airlines at 1130 hrs," Naiful Akbar, a travel agent said.

The Airport Authority of India sources said, "the passengers were asked to alight by the Spice Jet airline staff following an instruction received by them."

New Delhi, Mar 21: Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister B. Sriramulu on Saturday informed that one more person was tested positive for the coronavirus in the state.

He said that a total of 16 persons have been tested positive for COVID-19 in the state so far.

The victim had come from Mecca and was kept in quarantine facility by the state authorities.

"For a 32-year-old man, who had just returned from a trip to Mecca has found COVID-19 positive. The infection has been confirmed. He has already been treated at an isolated ward of the hospital. Citizens must not have any sort of anxiety," tweeted Sriramulu.

Also, the news and public relations department, the Indian Red Cross Society and the Karnataka State Labour Studies Institute have invited volunteers for the programme to provide real-time information to people to avoid spreading rumours and misinformation about coronavirus.

At least four volunteers will work in four shifts per day in each taluk of the state. There are about 120 volunteers in Bengaluru city and about 3,000 Corona Warriors are expected to register from across the state. Over 400 volunteers have registered via online application on the first day.

Social media giant Twitter briefly blocked the Karnataka BJP's account after it posted several provocative tweets and taunted Muslim women.

Ironically, the BJP called its unhygienic tweets as "liberal views". "It is unfortunate that our handle was locked out by Twitter for speaking the truth about liberals," it said.

"A big thanks for your support and encouragement. Satymeva Jayate. Jai Hind," the political party said to its supporters.

However, it did not specify for how long Twitter blocked its account but tweeted again on Wednesday after Monday.

Last week Karnataka BJP 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.

It tweeted on Monday, accusing Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Vijay Bahuguna for "cheating" Dalits.

Karnataka BJP spokesperson G. Madhusudhan said that he had no idea about the account being blocked and then unblocked by Twitter.

"What has happened? I don't know," said Madhusudhana.

Reacting to the drubbing BJP suffered in the Delhi Assembly polls, the party tweeted that there is no need to lose heart.

"Now is the time to go back to voters to win their hearts and minds. Let us plan for 2025 from today. We are with you," tweeted Karnataka BJP on Wednesday.

Though BJP congratulated Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for winning the Delhi polls, the party highlighted that it managed to increase it vote share by six per cent compared to 2015.

Also Read: Karnataka BJP taunts Muslim women, asks them to keep document safe for NPR