How local Hindus saved lone Muslim family from bloodthirsty pro-CAA beasts

Bengaluru, Jun 25: Former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday claimed that there are shortage of beds and ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients in the state.

In a series of tweets, he targetted the Karnataka government on COVID-19 management.

"The state government has failed to provide adequate treatment to those infected with corona. There are no beds and no ventilators to treat more than four thousand patients. Self-induced lockdown is the only solution," he tweeted.

In his subsequent tweet, he said, "Residents of the state, including Bangalore, now have only one way to escape from COVID-19. Stay at home and celebrate yourself as a self-proclaimed lockdown. Money is not more important than life. Your life is in your hands now."

In another tweet, former Chief Minister alleged that the government has fixed Rs 10-15,000 per day for COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals.

"The state government is also saying this indirectly. The 'home remedy' in the home is to stay at home and be safe. The government has fixed Rs 10-15,000 per day for the treatment of this infection in private hospitals. How poor can afford it while upper class can't afford," he tweeted.

"If four members of a family infected with corona, the cost of treatment for a 15-day treatment at a private hospital is Rs 5-6 lakh. Where do the poor bring that Much money? We must save our lives while the government is sitting incapable. This is my concern for the people of the state," he said in another tweet.

In a video message that HD Kumaraswamy demanded the state government to give all kinds of safety and security to the students who are writing the SSLC exam tomorrow.
HD Kumaraswamy also urged students to be careful.

About 8,48,203 students will appear in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination tomorrow, said Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday.

The decision of the Indian government to ease the coronavirus-linked global travel restrictions imposed on those having OCI cards has given a big relief to many stranded overseas citizens of India across the world.

OCI card is issued to people of Indian origin globally which gives them almost all the privileges of an Indian national except for the right to vote, government service and buying agricultural land. The OCI card gives them a visa-free travel to India.

On Friday, the central government allowed certain categories of OCI card holders, who are stranded abroad, to come to the country. Earlier, according to the regulations issued by the Indian government in April, visas of foreign nationals and OCI cards were suspended as part of the new international travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic.

This privilege of visa free travel to India was causing distress among a large number of people of Indian-origin and Indian citizens in countries like the US whose children were OCI card holders as they were born in this country.

Many Indian parents, several of whom lost their jobs as a result of the economic crisis due to coronavirus pandemic, but were not allowed to take the special evacuation flights of Air India from various US cities, took to social media and urged the Indian leaders to allow them to travel to India.

“This is a big relief for the OCI card holders. It was a humanitarian crisis in the making. I am pleased that the Indian Government listened to their voices,” said social activist Prem Bhandari, chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, who has been taking up the cause of the OCI card holders.

Dr Arathi Krishna, former deputy chairperson of NRI Forum of Karnataka government, who had been demanding this relaxation, many of the thousands of stranded OCI card holders in defferent parts of the world were in pursuading her to exert pressure on the authorities concerned for this much needed relaxation.

The restrictions on traveling of OCI card holders to India was issued by govt of India on March 13 in the wake of global outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. 

She said: "Many parents who are Indian nationals could not travel for emergency purpose to India after repatriation flights started due to their minor children being OCI card holders. Many children who were OCI card holders could not travel to India to perform last rites when there was death in their family due to these restrictions"

"I was constantly pressurising and bringing these issues to the attention of ministry officials in External Affairs and Home Affairs departments. I was following up with Mr Dammu Ravi who is heading the COVID task force  task firce in the ministry of overseas Indian affairs who took interest in solving this problem through his consistent efforts with MHA. Iam thankful to Fireign Secretary too for his efforts and concern and to MHA for making it easier now for OCI card holders to travel in repatriation flights with emergency reasons," she said.

Mangaluru, Jun 19: Mohammad Haneef Guddemane, a cattle trader, who was thrashed by the miscreants of Bajrang Dal while legally transporting cattle last weekend, today appeared before media and demanded appropriate action against the assailants.

The attack took place on June 14 at Urwa in the city when he was transporting four buffalos along with all necessary documents. The attack was also captured on a CCTV camp. 

The victim, who addressed a press conference today, said that it was not the first time he is transporting cattle as into animal and husbandry for years. 

“I had bought 10 she-buffaloes on June 13 from Ranennur and obtained certificate from the local government veterinary doctor after which the animals were brought to my village,” said Haneef, who is a resident of Jokatte on the outskirts of the city. 

He said that he was transporting four out of the ten she buffaloes he had bought to the slaughterhouse at Mangaluru on June 14 when a gang of around 15 members which intercepted his vehicles near Urwa police station dragged him out of the vehicle, rained abusive words at him, made blasphemous remarks about his religion, and hit him with a helmet besides kicking him. 

He said that three of the assailants were armed with sabre, iron rod and wooden sticks. 

"They also tied me to the vehicle and assaulted. They also attacked me with their arms but I escaped. Their plan was to kill me. Fortunately, the police reached the spot and the assailants escaped. However, they thoroughly damaged my vehicle and robbed Rs 7,800 I had with me. I got treated at Highland Hospital in the city," he stated.

Expressing shock over the soft corner approach of the police towards the assailants, he said that only six of around 15 attackers were booked by the police. 

“All the accused were let off by the police after registering petty cases. Ironically, the police had not recorded my statement. On the day of attack, they had asked me to sign on a paper. It contained the complaint written by themselves. Hence, on June 17 I visited the Urwa police station and recorded my statement,” he said.

He said that even though he has all the documents pertaining to the cattle that he had purchased, the police had registered false cattle theft charge against him. 

Former city mayor K Ashraf, Hyder, bother of the victim and Shamsuddin, Jokatte gram panchayat vice president were present at the press meet.

Also Read: Mangaluru: Bajrang Dal men thrash cattle trader after waylaying buffalo-laden vehicle