Aug 21: 1,350 COVID-19 cases, 18 fatalities in Karnataka
Dakshina Kannada logs 320 positive Covid-19 cases, 4 deaths, highest in State
Bengaluru, Aug 21: Karnataka reported 1,350 new COVID-19 cases and 18 deaths on Saturday, taking the total number of infections to 29,37,427 and the toll to 37,123.
The day also saw 1,648 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 28,79,433.
With 320 new cases, Dakshina Kannada outnumbered the state capital Bengaluru Urban that reported 260 infections on Saturday.
The total number of active cases in the state is now 20,845.
While the positivity rate for the day stood at 0.85 per cent, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was 1.33 per cent.
Out of 18 deaths reported on Saturday, four were from Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Kolar and Shivamogga accounted for two each, followed by others. Dakshina Kannada district topped in number of cases (320), Bengaluru Urban came next with 260, Udupi had 177, Mysuru 102 and Hassan 101, while the rest were scattered in other districts.
Bengaluru Urban district headed the list of positive cases, with a total of 12,34,769, followed by Mysuru 1,75,182 and Tumakuru 1,18,887.
Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban was on top with 12,11,014, followed by Mysuru 17,18,34 and Tumakuru 1,17,072.
Cumulatively a total of 4,18,39,866 samples have been tested in the state so far, out of which 1,57,509 were on Saturday alone.
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K'taka Cong to protest against replacing MGNREGA, 'hate politics' in National Herald case
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the ruling Congress in the state will hold protests against the central government's move to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, and the alleged "hate politics" against the party leadership in the National Herald case on December 17.
The state Congress president said that the protest led by him and CM Siddaramaiah will be held in front of Gandhi state at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Wednesday, and similar protests will also be held at all district and taluka centres of the state.
The party also plans to raise the issues in the state legislature here.
"The agitation has become necessary. Tomorrow at 9.30 am, the chief minister, myself, all ministers, MLAs and MLCs will stage a protest in front of the Gandhi statue. Everyone will participate," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the protests will also be held in all district and taluk centres including Bengaluru, and there is also a plan for a programme on Saturday, details of which will be shared later.
"In Assembly too there is a need to discuss this and for it to go into records, we are making preparations for it....the protest is against removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from MGNREGA, and against the hate politics towards Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders," he added.
The Congress' move, came as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
Also, a court in Delhi on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering charge against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.
Alleging that Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were "harassed" in connection with the National Herald case, Shivakumar said several people, including him, had given funds to help the party related organisation, and they too were being troubled.
"My brother D K Suresh (former MP) and I were supposed to appear before the Delhi police in connection with the National Herald case. We had written a letter to them seeking a FIR copy. Chargesheet was filed by ED in the case without an FIR," he claimed.
Pointing to the Delhi Court's decision, the Deputy CM said, "This is proof that the legal system in the country is still alive. This also proves that the power is being misused (by those in the central government) to harass political opponents."
Highlighting that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru started the National Herald in 1937, and that it is Congress' property, Shivakumar, questioning the validity of the ED case, said, "As Congress presidents (in past) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had their shares, it was not their own. Similarly, if we as Congress workers don't donate to the party organisation, who else will?"
Shivakumar also said that the move to rename MNREGA is with an intention to "insult" Gandhi and to weaken the scheme by reducing its funding.
