COVID-19: CM Bommai appeals for public cooperation to implement preventive measures
Belagavi(PTI): Amid spurt in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the world and cases of Omicron subvariant BF.7 found in the country, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday appealed for public cooperation in implementing the preventive measures that the government will prescribe, and also called on them to take the booster dose of vaccine.
The Chief Minister has called an emergency meeting of COVID Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on Thursday, with experts and officials to analyse the COVID situation and precautionary measures to be taken in the state.
"At the time when we were at ease that the COVID was gone, it has aggravated in other countries. From one country China it spreads across, it is contagious. So both state and central governments have taken it very seriously, as viruses move faster than electronics," Bommai said.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, he said in the current situation the focus should be more on prevention.
"For prevention the earlier restrictions and booster dose (will be key). For the booster dose administration, we made efforts, but the interest shown towards the first and second dose were not seen towards the booster dose, this has happened across the country. We will give importance to it," he said, adding the focus will now be on immediate preventive action.
Bommai further said, "Through this House I seek the cooperation of the people of the state. I appeal to them to cooperate with the actions taken by the government at this stage. So that in the future we can control hospitalisation and deaths, and what happened during the first two waves doesn't repeat."
Noting that in countries like China, Japan, South Korea and the USA, COVID cases and related hospitalisation have increased, Health Minister K Sudhakar too appealed to people to take booster or preventive doses of vaccination, as he pointed out that its coverage has been only 20 per cent in the state.
"We have successfully completed the first two doses of vaccination hundred percent, but booster or preventive dose did not get good response, with only 20 percent coverage. So we have planned to organise a vaccination camp at the legislature here for legislators to start with. We will have such camps for preventive doses across the state to ensure that people take the vaccination," he said.
Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, urged that the booster dose should be made compulsory, as "life is important."
Urging the central government to stop direct flights from China to India, he also urged the state government to take preventive measures on a war footing.
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Karnataka Governor gives assent to legislation against ‘honour killing’ in inter-caste marriages
Bengaluru: The government has brought into force the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of honour and tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Act, 2026, intended to restrict ‘honour killings’ in inter-caste marriages.
According to The Indian Express, the legislation received assent from Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on April 9 and was officially notified in the state gazette on April 10. The law had been passed unanimously by the state legislature last month.
The Bill was proposed by the Congress government in the wake of caste-linked ‘honour killings’ in the state, including the December 21, 2025, murder near Hubli of a 20-year-old Lingayat woman by her father for marrying a man from another caste.
The phrase ‘Eva Nammava Eva Nammava’ in the title is in reference to the message of universal humanity that the Lingayat saint Basavanna espoused. Basavanna, who rebelled against the caste system to lay the foundation of the Lingayat faith system, an amalgamation of all castes, used the words meaning ‘he is a part of me’ to say all people are one.
Under the new law, crimes committed in the name of ‘honour’, including murder, assault, threats, and social boycott, are specifically addressed with stringent punishments. ‘Honour killing’ offences carry a minimum imprisonment of five years, while serious assaults attract at least three years in jail.
The new law defines the social boycott of inter-caste couples as forcible eviction to remote corners of villages, refusal to provide services, refusal to provide work, refusal to conduct business, denial of loans and admissions to schools, and makes it punishable.
In the case of ‘honour killings’ per se, the new law prescribes a minimum imprisonment of five years, and in the case of assaults, a prison term that is not less than three years for serious injury and two years for minor injuries.
The offences under the proposed law are cognisable and non-bailable, which means police can carry out arrests without court permissions after taking up a case.
The legislation follows several reported inter-caste relationship-related killings in Karnataka in 2025, including cases in Raichur and another involving 18-year-old Kavita.
The law to protect the freedom of choice in marriages is among several social bills that the Congress government has brought out in line with its policies for the backward and downtrodden communities in the state.
