Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah flays BJP for 'communalising' hospital bed scam
Bengaluru, May 5: The Congress in Karnataka on Wednesday flayed the BJP for 'communalising' the hospital bed scam, pertaining to 'blocking' the beds in fake names for COVID-19 patients on payment of exorbitant amounts.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya had on Tuesday alleged that hospitals in the city 'blocked' at least 4,065 beds in fake names to make a killing at a time when COVID-19 cases were rising in the country and Karnataka.
These beds are blocked in the name of asymptomatic patients who are in home isolation. They are fraudulently shown as occupying the beds in hospitals, he had alleged.
While levelling the charges, the BJP Yuva Morcha President and Bengaluru South MP had named 16 people of a particular community and sought to know why "they are controlling the COVID war room in the city."
A city civic official told PTI that there are over 200 people in the COVID war room and not just 16 as mentioned by the MP.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a series of tweets, slammed Surya for being 'insensitive' and 'communalising' the issue.
"It is really unfortunate & insensitive on the part of @BJP4Karnataka MP @Tejasvi_Surya to communalise the issue.
From food to death, BJP leaders want to earn political mileage by targeting a few communities," he tweeted.
On Surya's claim that he was aware of the scam 10 days back, the Congress leader demanded to know why he had remained silent since then.
"Why was he silent for 10 days? Was he negotiating a deal with BBMP officers? Or was he preparing a script to protect @BJP4Karnataka leaders? Only @Tejasvi_Surya can tell!" Siddaramaiah tweeted.
He alleged that the 'drama' was staged to protect the image of his political bosses and to make the civic officials and workers as scapegoats.
Two people were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the scam, taking the total to four, police said.
.@Tejasvi_Surya, ರವಿಸುಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯ, ಸತೀಶ್ ರೆಡ್ಡಿ ಅವರೇ,
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 5, 2021
ಕೋವಿಡ್ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆಯ ಗುಪ್ತ ಕಾರ್ಯಾಚರಣೆ ನಡೆಸಬೇಕಾಗಿರುವುದು BBMPಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳ ವಿರುದ್ಧವಲ್ಲ, ವಿಧಾನಸೌಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂತಿರುವ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ, ಸಚಿವರು ಮತ್ತು @BJP4Karnataka ಶಾಸಕರು,ಸಂಸದರ ವಿರುದ್ಧ. ಸಣ್ಣಮಿಕಗಳನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿದಿರುವುದು ದೊಡ್ಡ ತಿಮಿಂಗಲಗಳ ರಕ್ಷಣೆಗಾ?1/11
ಕೋವಿಡ್ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭದ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ನಾನು ಪತ್ರಿಕಾಗೋಷ್ಠಿ ನಡೆಸಿ ಕೋವಿಡ್ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿನ ಭ್ರಷ್ಟಾಚಾರವನ್ನು ದಾಖಲೆಸಹಿತ ಬಹಿರಂಗಗೊಳಿಸಿದ್ದೆ. ಅದರ ಜೊತೆ ಈಗ ನೀವು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿರುವುದನ್ನೂ ಸೇರಿಸಿ ಹೈಕೋರ್ಟ್ ಹಾಲಿ ನ್ಯಾಯಾಧೀಶರಿಂದ ತನಿಖೆ ನಡೆಸಲು @CMofKarnataka ಮೇಲೆ ಒತ್ತಡ ಹೇರಿ @Tejasvi_Surya. 2/11#Corona
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 5, 2021
ಬೆಡ್ ಬ್ಲಾಕಿಂಗ್ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಗಮನಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದು ಹತ್ತು ದಿನ ಆಯ್ತು ಅಂತೀರಿ. ಇಷ್ಟು ದಿನ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳ ಮನವೊಲಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೀರಾ? ಬೇರೇನಾದರೂ ವ್ಯವಹಾರದ ಮಾತುಕತೆ ನಡೆದಿತ್ತಾ? ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಿಗೂಢ ಮೌನವನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ ಅರ್ಥೈಸುವುದು @Tejasvi_Surya? 3/11#Corona
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 5, 2021
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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
