Three of five Karnataka ministers who came in contact with infected video journalist, test negative
Bengaluru: Three out of five Karnataka ministers, who reportedly came in contact with the COVID-19 positive video journalist of a Kannada news channel recently, on Wednesday said they have tested negative for the virus.
Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Kannada and Culture Minister C T Ravi tweeted that their test reports have come out negative and they are under home quarantine.
"After being informed that I might have come in contact with a COVID-19 affected person, I have been in home quarantine.
I have tested negative, but will continue to be vigilant and take all necessary precautions," Ashwath Narayan said in a tweet. While Bommai said, he has taken a swab test and it has come out negative.
"I am under self quarantine and I am healthy." Ravi said, "Even though I had no close interaction with him (camera man) during my meetings, I got myself tested on 28th April.
I am happy to share with You that I have tested negative for #CoronaVirus."
While, the other two ministers have not responded so far, according to sources, one of them had undergone test and tested negative.
Earlier in the day, Minister S Suresh Kumar, who is spokesperson for COVID-19 in Karnataka, told reporters that the five ministers are undergoing tests.
However, reports allege that the few of these ministers had flouted mandated quarantining and are going about with routine work.
Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar has questioned the government about ministers reportedly in contact with the video journalist not being quarantined, and termed it as "protocol violation".
"A Kannada News channel's cameraman is COVID +ve.His primary contacts include CM, DCM & Ministers.
Why aren't they in quarantine? Isn't it double standards by those who must set an example to citizens? This is a protocol violation. This Govt is not serious about fighting COVID," Shivakumar tweeted.
The journalist, who had visited containment zones demarcated by BBMP (city civic body), was confirmed positive on April 24. As per the 34-year-old patient's (video journalist's) flowchart, he had met five ministers on work, between April 21 and April 24.
Though, he had also visited Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's Home office "Krishna" multiple times during this period, according to officials, he had not met the CM.
On April 23, he had given his swab samples along with other journalists for testing, and was confirmed positive the next day.
At least 40 other contacts of the video journalist, including his family and journalists from various media outlets, have been quarantined, sources said.
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Prez, PM pay tributes to Vajpayee at his memorial 'Sadaiv Atal'
New Delhi (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the dignitaries who attended a prayer ceremony at 'Sadaiv Atal', the memorial of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Thursday to pay tributes to him on his 101st birth anniversary.
Former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers J P Nadda, Nirmala Sitharaman, NDA ally JD-U leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, several other ministers, MPs, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and BJP working president Nitin Nabin were among those who attended the event.
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In a message, the prime minister said Vajpayee's personality, work and leadership will continue to be a guiding light for the all-around development of the nation. He said Vajpayee dedicated his entire life to good governance and nation-building.
"He will always be remembered as a brilliant orator as well as a spirited poet. Vajpayee's personality, work and leadership will continue to be a guiding light for the all-around development of the nation," PM Modi said.
Vajpayee was born on this day in Gwalior in 1924 and passed away in New Delhi on August 16, 2018. The government observes his birth anniversary as Good Governance Day.
The BJP marked the day by its leaders commemorating Vajpayee's legacy in nationwide events. Its chief ministers, Union ministers and MPs, besides organisational leaders, are part of these programmes held across the country.
Vajpayee, India's 13th prime minister, served the country for three terms between 1996 and 2004.
He is known for his valuable contribution to India's economic growth. The 'Operation Vijay', commonly known as the Kargil War, was fought against Pakistan and won during his tenure as prime minister. He made India a nuclear weapons power.
He had a distinguished four-decade parliamentary career, was elected nine times to the Lok Sabha and twice to the Rajya Sabha.
Rising from humble beginnings in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) to the post of prime minister, he received the Padma Vibhushan in 1992 for his selfless dedication to the nation and was conferred with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 2015.
Vajpayee championed democratic ideals, women's empowerment, and social equality.
As prime minister, he prioritised good governance and economic development, building national highways, rural roads, expanding telecom, and improving infrastructure.
