Karnataka allows cinema halls to operate at 100 percent capacity for 4 weeks on trial basis
Bengaluru, Feb 3: Considering the hardships faced by Kannada film industry's artistes, producers and workers, it has been decided to allow cinema halls to fill up to 100 percent of their capacity for four weeks on a trial basis, Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said on Wednesday.
The minister made the announcement after a meeting held as per instructions of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa with key office-bearers of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and representatives from the industry.
As per technical advisory committee's recommendations, the Health department had earlier allowed 50 per cent seatings in cinema halls.
Though Centre had given green signal for 100 per cent seating, the decision was left to the discretion of state governments depending on the situation in each state, he noted.
The film industry had opposed this decision and requested to reconsider it keeping in view the welfare of those employed in this field.
They had also appealed to the Chief Minister to support them in this "difficult time".
"It was discussed and as per the instructions of Chief Minister, the decision has been taken to allow 100 per cent seatings for four weeks.Strict guidelines will be released tomorrow," he said.
"Owners of cinema halls should adhere to these guidelines and people should strictly follow.If any case of COVID-19 is detected, government will have to inevitably revoke the decision," the minister cautioned.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
