Pakistani roommate striving for release of Udupi man arrested in Saudi over offensive Facebook post

New Delhi, Mar 20: An official of South Western Railway has been suspended for "hiding" her son, who returned from Germany and later tested positive for coronavirus.

The youth has been hiding at a railway guest house in Bengaluru, officials said on Friday.

"She (the railway official) not only failed to inform authorities about her son's return from Germany, but also endangered the lives of others by lodging him in a railway rest house near the main Bangalore railway station," railway spokesperson E Vijaya said.

The Assistant Personnel Officer (Traffic) has been suspended, Vijaya said.

The 25-year-old man, who came from Germany via Spain and was instructed to be in home quarantine after he landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on March 13, later tested positive for Covid-19 on March 18.

"She virtually hid her son to protect her family but endangered all of us," a South Western Railway official said.

Bengaluru/Kodagu, Feb 24: Three days after the sloganeering by 19-year-old college student Amulya Leona Norohna at an anti-CAA rally and her subsequent arrest on charges of sedition kicked up a storm, Karnataka minister BC Patil on Sunday advocated central legislation that enables authorities “to shoot at sight” those chanting pro-Pakistan slogans.

Responding to reporters’ queries on the ongoing fracas over the chants, Patil said he would appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring in a law so that anti-national elements are “killed on the spot”.

“The Centre must promulgate a law that enables authorities to shoot those who do anything that is seen as anti-national and chant pro-Pakistan slogans,” Patil said. “These elements must be killed on the spot. I am appealing to the PM, through the media now, to bring in such a law. I will also write to the PM.”

In Kodagu, Union minister for chemicals and fertilizer, DV Sadananda Gowda, echoed state home minister home minister Basavaraj Bommai’s line that stringent action will be taken against those indulging in anti-national activity, saying there will be “no mercy” for those taking a pro-Pakistan stance.

“The Union government will assist in the police investigation in Amulya,” he said. Gowda went on to claim that many anti-national organizations have been using CAA protests for political gain.

“We will curb such incidents forever. We will not allow such incidents to happen in future. Organisers of such rallies should be thoroughly questioned,” Gowda said.

Bommai on Saturday had also claimed the government will initiate action against educational institutions and hostels it they fail to act against students indulging in such activity.

“The government will discuss ways to prevent such incidents in colleges and hostels. We will instruct heads of educational institutions and hostel wardens to initiate action against such students. If they fail, the government will take action against them,” Bommai said, without defining what constitutes anti-national activity.

However, despite Congress saying there is no room for anti-national activity and stringent action must be taken against those indulging in such activity, former minister and senior functionary DK Shivakumar suggested he found nothing in Amulya’s background to suggest she is anti-national.

“Let me make it absolutely clear that the Congress party will not support any person or persons who hail another country and bring shame to India,” Shivakumar said. “However, I have seen the girl’s [Amulya’s] previous posts on social media and read her statements on various forums. She has been making statements on an ideological ground. Let us not jump the gun, but investigate exactly what she meant to say.”

Bengaluru, Jul 21: Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah on Monday attacked the ruling government and said press conference of Health Minister B Siramulu was more like an exercise to hide facts than presenting proof with accurate data.

"Got to know about the press conference addressed by B Siramulu and Dr Ashwathnarayan CN to clear accusations of corruption. It looked more like an exercise to hide facts than presenting proof with accurate data," Siddaramaiah tweeted.

"It is still unclear about the points presented in the press conference. They have not answered any of my questions which were raised earlier. I will respond in detail once I receive the written explanation from the govt. Minister has claimed that both Health & Medical education department together have spent Rs323 Cr. But the data presented by them does not even add up to Rs100 Cr. What happened to the rest of the money?," asked Siddaramaiah.

He said that Centre has procured ventilators at Rs4 lakh per unit under PM Cares. But only in our state, the ventilators are procured at Rs12-Rs18 lakh per unit

"Prime Minister's Office has procured ventilators at Rs4 lakh per unit under PM Cares. But only in our state, the ventilators are procured at Rs12-Rs18 lakh per unit. Why do we see such a huge difference in price? Ministers, in the press conference, have told that quality & technological capabilities are the reasons for huge price difference. Does it mean ventilators under PM Cares lack quality? Why did they not present the technical specifications to justify the same?" he asked.

"Not just about the procurement of medical equipment, I had even asked data about food kits, PDS distribution, beds procured, quarantine centres & isolation wards. Where is the data for that?" he asked in a series of tweets.