Karnataka Govt serves notice to 2 pvt hospitals for not admitting COVID patients; warn others
Bengaluru: Cracking the whip against a few private hospitals and medical colleges for refusing admission to COVID-19 patients, the Karnataka government on Tuesday served notices to two of them and said it would initiate criminal proceedings.
"Despite many rounds of meetings with private hospitals to join hands with the government in treating COVID-19 patients, a few hospitals continue to refuse admission," Medical Education Minister Dr. K Sudhakar told reporters here.
"Two private hospitals, Apollo Jayanagar and Vikram Hospital have been served notices and their Out Patient Departments have been ordered to be shut for two days as per the Disaster Management Act and Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act. We will initiate criminal proceedings against them," he said.
The Minister said strict action would be taken against private hospitals, including the filing of criminal cases if they were found charging more than the government capped prices.
He said private hospitals should respect the law and refrain from exploiting people by charging exorbitant prices.
He cited the case of a hospital which he however did not name, as having billed a COVID-19 patient Rs nine lakh.
The Minister said he had held a meeting with 25 private medical colleges, who had not yet established COVID testing labs.
"These private medical colleges assured the government that they would start labs within 10 days. Notices have been issued to two private medical colleges - SDUMC, Kolar, and Siddartha Medical College, Tumakuru.
He said a minimum of 500 tests would have to be conducted each day in a lab in the coming days.
"Three hospitals -- Sapthagiri Hospital, BGS Hospital, and Dr.Ambedkar Hospital -- have not reserved their quota of beds and have said they will do so in two or three days," he said.
The government also decided to pay a risk allowance of Rs 10,000 for the next six months, together with salaries, to Group D health department employees working in COVID wards, COVID care centers, swab collection centers, and fever clinics.
The minister said a dashboard has been created where the public can view real-time data about the availability of beds in hospitals in Bengaluru.
He said 1,419 posts of nurses, 506 lab technicians, 916 pharmacists, and D-group positions are vacant.
Deputy Commissioners have been authorized to appoint them on contract basis or sub-contract basis for six months, he added.
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Regret participating in 'movement' that vilified ex-PM Manmohan Singh: Prashant Bhushan
New Delhi: Senior advocate and activist Prashant Bhushan has expressed regret over his past role in political movements that, he said, contributed to the vilification of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Bhushan made the remarks in a post on social media on the first death anniversary of Manmohan Singh.
In his post, Bhushan described Manmohan Singh as “a humble, decent, well educated and well meaning man,” adding that the former prime minister’s humility and decency were “seen as a weakness.” He said he regretted having participated in a movement that helped discredit Singh and, in his words, “helped a rogue regime come to power.”
Bhushan’s statement is widely seen as a reference to the anti-corruption movement that gained momentum during the second United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, when Manmohan Singh was prime minister. The movement, led by civil society activists, had targeted corruption allegations against the government and eventually reshaped India’s political landscape. Critics have since argued that the campaign contributed to undermining Singh’s leadership and paved the way for a change in government at the Centre.
Manmohan Singh, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2014, was known for his low-profile style, technocratic approach and role in shaping India’s economic reforms.
He was a humble, decent, well educated & well meaning man. His humility & decency was seen as a weakness.
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) December 26, 2025
I regret having participated in a movement that vilified him & helped a rogue regime come to power pic.twitter.com/6JWOrdCZdE
