Jan 19: 40,499 coronavirus cases recorded in Karnataka, 24,135 from Bengaluru Urban alone
Dakshina Kannada reports 983 fresh Covid cases, 3 deaths
Bengaluru, Jan 19: Karnataka on Wednesday reported 40,499 new cases of COVID-19, and 21 fatalities, taking the tally to 33,29,199 and the death toll to 38,486.
The state, which has been witnessing a steady surge in cases since the last week of December, had recorded 41,457 fresh infections on Tuesday.
Of the new cases on Wednesday, 24,135 were from Bengaluru Urban that saw 18,081 people being discharged and five virus-related deaths.
The total number of active cases across the state is now 2,67,650.
There were 23,209 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries to 30,23,034, a health department bulletin said.
While the positivity rate for the day stood at 18.80 per cent, the case fatality rate (CFR) was 0.05 per cent.
Of the 21 deaths, five are from Bengaluru Urban, four from Mysuru, three in Dakshina Kannada, and one each from Bagalkote, Belagavi, Chikkaballapura, Gadag, Hassan, Raichur, Shivamogga, Tumakuru and Vijayapura.
Apart from Bengaluru Urban, Tumakuru recorded the second highest with 1,804 new cases, Hassan 1,785, Mysuru 1,341, and Mandya 1,340, followed by others.
Bengaluru Urban district now has a total of 14,82,484 cases, followed by Mysuru 1,91,803 and Tumakuru 1,31,569.
According to the bulletin, Bengaluru Urban tops the list among discharges with 12,81,636, followed by Mysuru 1,80,264 and Tumakuru 1,20,917.
Cumulatively, a total of 5,96,06,693 samples have been tested, of which 2,15,312 were on Wednesday alone.
To view today's health bulletin: CLICK HERE
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.
Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
