Karnataka CM Yediyurappa to interact with gram panchayats over high COVID caseload
Bengaluru, May 25: With the increase in COVID-19 cases in rural areas, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will interact with select gram panchayats reporting high caseload, via video conferencing on May 26, regarding containment measure.
"Tomorrow the Chief Minister will interact with select gram panchayats with high cases, via video conference," Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, he said with indications that COVID is coming under control in cities like Bengaluru, the government's focus is now on rural areas, and hence district administrations have been given greater responsibility, including, implementation of lockdown locally.
Noting that the steady decline in daily cases, especially in cities like Bengaluru, was a bit of an ease, the CM had said, however the situation in rural areas is not satisfying, and people there need to be more cautious.
Bommai said instructions have been given for micro contaminants in rural areas, PDOs (Panchayath Development Officers), health officers and police officers of the respective limits have been given the responsibility.
They have also been asked to ensure ration and medicine supplies to the needy, he said.
Instructions have been given to test primary and secondary contacts of those infected compulserly, and provide vitamin and zinc tablets to primary contacts.
Orders also have been issued to ensure that Doctors visit rural areas, he added.
On black fungus disease, Bommai said the state ministers have held discussions with Union Minister for Chemical and Fertilizer D V Sadananada Gowda, who has assured that the Centre will supply 1,000 vials of medicine for the treatment of Mucormycosis (black fungus).
".. instructions have been given to set up special wards in all the districts," he said.
Karnataka has reported 446 Mucormycosis or black fungus infections and 12 related fatalities so far.
The Minister said directions have been to make special arrangements, including setting up ICUs at pediatric wards in district hospitals, for the treatment of children, in the days to come.
There have been reports expressing concern that Covid will disproportionately affect children in the next wave, however, several experts have said that there is no reason to believe in it.
On increasing COVID deaths despite the number of cases gradually coming under control, Bommai said the virus in the second wave is spreading fast and within two to three days of infection, many are experiencing drop in oxygen level and they develop pneumonia like symptoms among others, unlike last the time.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
