First phase COVID vaccination drive begins at 243 sites in Karnataka
Bengaluru: The first phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive began at 243 sites across the state, including 10 in Bengaluru on Saturday.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the vaccination drive nationally through video conferencing, Nagaratna K (28), a ward attendant at Victoria Hospital received the vaccine in the presence of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Health Minister K Sudhakar among others at the Bangalore Medical College.
Yediyurappa and other dignitaries greeted Nagaratna, who hails from a village near Bidadi, with rose flowers after she received the vaccine.
Several doctors and health experts including noted nephrologist and chairman of Manipal Hospitals Sudarshan Ballal also got vaccinated.
According to the Health Department, Covishield will be administered in 237 centres and Covaxin in six centres in Bellary, Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Chamarajnagar and Davanegere.
A total of 7,17,439 health warriors will be vaccinated in the initial phase, officials have said, the aim is to vaccinate 24,300 people on the first day itself, and we have 8,14,500 doses of vaccine and the initial phase is expected to complete within a week.
Speaking to reporters, Yediyurappa said, "the vaccination drive will be held at 243 sites across the state and at every site 100 people will be vaccinated, and it will be increased in the days to come."
Pointing out that Dr Ballal was also administered the vaccine, he said, this shows that no one needs to worry or fear about the vaccine, and we should be proud that they were produced in the country.
Asked as to when he will take the vaccine, the 77- year-old Chief Minister said, "Whenever they ask me to take, at that time I'm going to take."
Yediyurappa also released a special postal stamp on COVID vaccination.
Health Minister Sudhakar said, all the necessary arrangements were in place, there were observation rooms to take care even if there is a slight side-effect.
"There is no need to worry as the vaccines have come after clinical trials on 25,000 to 30,000 people. There is demand for this vaccine prepared in India from foreign countries too, and vaccines here are comparatively low cost," he added.
The government has said that the health warriors who are in the forefront in the fight against coronavirus will be given priority, and people with comorbidity are the next priority.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AAP questions BJP on continuing alliance with JD(S) after 'sex scandal'
New Delhi, Apr 29: AAP on Monday called the alleged sex scandal involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna of the JD(S) "worse than the Nithari serial murders" and questioned why the BJP did not sever ties with the southern party after the incident came to light.
Prajwal Revanna is the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate from Hassan, which went to the polls on April 26.
The 33-year-old is the son of HD Revanna, former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda's eldest son.
HD Revanna is currently an MLA and a former minister.
Some explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna were circulated in Hassan in recent days.
A case of sexual harassment and stalking was registered on Sunday against HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna on a complaint by their cook.
She alleged that four months after she started working for them, HD Revanna began to sexually harass her and Prajwal Revanna made video calls to her daughter and had "vulgar conversations" with her.
Former Delhi Commission for Women chief and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal appealed to the Election Commission to disqualify Prajwal Revanna and demanded that re-polling be conducted in the constituency.
"I am shocked how a man can be such a beast! He fled to Germany as soon as the elections were over! On whose behest did this man leave the country? I appeal to the Indian government that wherever this man is hiding in the world, he should be dragged to the country and strict action should be taken against him," she said in a statement.
"I also appeal to the Election Commission of India that this matter is so disgusting, it is such a big sex scandal that he should be disqualified from the elections and re-polling should be conducted on his seat," she said.
JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Monday said there is no question of defending his nephew over the allegations and the party will take "merciless action" if the special investigation team probe proves the charges.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh questioned how Prajwal Revanna was allowed to flee the country.
"This is worse than the Nithari scandal. A former prime minister's grandson is involved in the matter. This is an incident of harassment and exploitation of women and I am surprised that the prime minister is silent," he said.
Calling Revanna's actions "height of bestiality", he said it was an extremely "shameful incident".
"What action should be taken in the matter? How did he flee the country? The prime minister should speak on it. How is JD(S) still a part of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance)? You speak about 'Beti Bachao' and women's safety. Women have been subjected to inhuman behaviour. This is one of the biggest rape scandals in the country," he said.
The Karnataka government has constituted a special investigation team to probe into the alleged sexual abuse of hundreds of women by the MP.
Stating that such incidents cause embarrassment to society as a whole, Kumaraswamy said there is no question of defending anyone.
"Wrong is wrong, irrespective of who has committed it," he said.
