Strict action against those blackmarketing COVID-19 vaccines: Karnataka Home Minister
Bengaluru: Stressing on accountability over use and management of COVID-19 vaccines at hospitals,Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday warned of strict legal action against those involved in blackmarketing and misuse,as he also urged the public to share information on it.
He expressed confidence that the issue of shortage of vaccines would be resolved soon, as its availability would be ensured, with production being ramped up.
"...Vaccinations are in shortage. Lower ranked workers at private and government hospitals like staff nurses and other employees are indulging in such things(misuse/blackmarketing).
Also, unfortunately some doctors' names have been heard.
Several cases have been booked and investigation is on," Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, vaccines are life saving drugs and accountability is required in its usage and management, by ensuring that there is no wastage.
"To stop misuse of vaccines and selling them at high price in the black market, accountability is required.
Investigations are on in this direction and those guilty will be booked and arrested," he said, as he appealed to the public to share information about those indulging in blackmarketing as it was illegal.
On shortage of vaccines, the Home Minister said production is being ramped up, Covishield is available and Covaxin would also be available in the days to come.
"As things have come under control with enough supply in case of Remdesivir, this (vaccine shortage issue) will also come under control within a few days," he added.
Noting that the lockdown is being enforced effectively in districts, Bommai said in urban areas, district headquarters and cities like Bengaluru, instructions have been given to increase barricading of roads, making some of them one way and prohibiting unnecessary movement.
He said checking and seizures would continue and would be made more stringent.
Karnataka will remain under lockdown till June 7 to contain the spread of COVID-19, with the government extending it recently.
The lockdown was to have ended today.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong performed better in Kerala, anti-incumbency trends influenced WB, TN: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the Congress had largely met or exceeded expectations in several States, even as results in some regions reflected shifting voter sentiments.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said the party accepted the mandate in Assam while performing better than anticipated in Kerala.
He also pointed to possible anti-incumbency trends influencing outcomes in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
“In Assam, we got the expected result, and we accept the people’s mandate. In Kerala, we have won more seats than expected. We anticipated around 76 to 80, but we have gone up to around 95,” Siddaramaiah said.
In West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, there may have been an anti-incumbency trend, and that could have influenced the results, he added.
Siddaramaiah also extended his congratulations to a new political entrant in Tamil Nadu, noting the emergence of a different electoral dynamic in the State.
“I congratulate the new entrant who has achieved success there,” he added.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said electoral outcomes in some States had diverged from the party’s internal assessments, reflecting evolving voter expectations.
“We expected a certain trend, but the results have been different. Political reading was wrong in some places,” he said.
“People were looking for change in some States, and that has been reflected in the results,” Shivakumar, who is also the Congress Karnataka unit president, said.
Referring to Kerala, he said the Congress-led alliance had benefited from public sentiment.
“There was already an expectation based on local body elections, and people had shown confidence in us. That has translated into a strong result,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
On Tamil Nadu, he acknowledged that the scale of political shift had come as a surprise.
“We expected to secure around 30 to 40 per cent of the vote share, but such a major shift was not anticipated. It shows that voter expectations were different,” he said.
Shivakumar added that electoral outcomes underscored the need for better political assessment in future.
“We have to understand these changes carefully. Political reading cannot go wrong like this,” he said.
