COVID-19: Dasara festival likely to be confined to Mysuru Palace and Chamundi Hills
Bengaluru: As part of checking the spread of COVID-19, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said on Wednesday there is a general view that the Dasara festival should be confined to the Mysuru Palace and Chamundi Hills this year.
"We have discussed the safety measures that should be taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection during the Dasara festival in Mysuru.
There is a general view in the meeting that the Dasara should be confined to the Mysuru Palace and the Chamundi Hills," Sriramulu tweeted after a meeting with the Mysuru district authorities.
According to him, a panel of technical experts will formulate the action plan on behalf of the district administration for the 'State festival'.
The action plan will be finalized after discussing with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, he said.
Every year thousands of people throng Mysuru from all over the globe to witness the 10-day Dasara festival during Navaratri, marked with regality when the ritualistic private military along with the caparisoned elephants march before the titular Maharaja and gives him a gun salute.
However, the abnormal situation caused by the coronavirus has cast its shadow on the festivities as well.
Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr. K Sudhakar too had maintained that the Dasara this year will be a low-key affair.
After chairing a meeting with the district authorities a couple of days ago, Sudhakar had said Karnataka will not commit the mistake Kerala did during the Onam festival by easing all restrictions, which resulted in the spurt in coronavirus cases there.
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Sri Lankan Tamils observe 15th anniversary of armed conflict end
Colombo (PTI): Sri Lanka on Saturday marked the 15th anniversary of the end of the armed separatist campaign with Tamils holding a series of events throughout the former conflict zone in the north and east regions to remember their dear ones killed in the clashes.
However, in many areas, police and the government troops were accused of attempting to disrupt the memorial events.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had run a military campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation for nearly 30 years before its collapse in 2009.
On May 18, 2009, Sri Lankan army declared victory with the discovery of the body of the dreaded LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran.
Agnes Callamard, the Secretary General of the Amnesty International, visited the final battle site at Mullaivaikkal in the north-eastern Mullaithivu district to attend the commemoration.
“Today’s anniversary is a grim reminder of the collective failure of the Sri Lankan authorities and the international community to deliver justice to the many victims of Sri Lanka’s three decade-long internal armed conflict,” Callamard said.
She said the UN investigations have found credible evidence of crimes committed by both sides to the conflict - “yet there has been little by the way of an independent or impartial national inquiry.”
The police and the government troops were accused of attempting to disrupt the memorials leading to the day’s event in different parts. The troops maintained that in the guise of remembering the 'conflict dead', permission cannot be given for the events that celebrate the LTTE, a banned organisation.
The troops came under fire for arresting several Tamils, including women, for organising memorials.
In Colombo, police thwarted an attempt to disrupt a ceremony commemorating those killed in conflict. One person was arrested as he argued with police saying he was against the LTTE being commemorated, police said.
Meanwhile, the government’s celebration of the victory in the war is to take place on Sunday with the participation of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the war memorial near parliament here.
The defence ministry has announced promotions to over 3,100 sailor and 1,300 soldiers to mark the victory over the LTTE ending the separatist campaign.
