Karnataka: Strict Covid-19 restrictions kick in; Former CM HDK slams cops' action against violators
Bengaluru, May 10: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has appealed to the people to abide by the strict lockdown-like restrictions in Karnataka from Monday for the next fortnight to contain the spread of coronavirus, which is spreading in the state at an alarming proportion.
"As we begin the 14-day strict restriction to break the chain of infection, I request all citizens to follow the guidelines in letter and spirit. Your cooperation is crucial to contain the spread of the virus. Together we can defeat the pandemic," the Chief Minister tweeted.
Policemen wielding lathis were seen at places in an effort to implement the stringent restrictions.
The roads were barricaded and motorists were warned and allegedly got the stick for venturing out without valid reasons.
Those who went out to purchase medicines and essential goods were also allegedly roughed up at some places.
At Uttarahalli circle in Bengaluru, people who had gone to collect water from the government established water purifier unit were also allegedly beaten.
"The policemen saw me with a can of water, yet they beat me up. They were saying why I used the two-wheeler but what should I do if there is no water dispensing unit near my house, which is two kilometres away," a youth with tears in his eyes told PTI.
Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the present curbs were not sufficient and a stringent lockdown should have been effected.
"There should be a strict lockdown for two weeks as there are 50,000 cases emerging in the state on a daily basis," Siddaramaiah said.
He asked the government to ensure that everyone wears masks and physical distancing and hand hygiene is maintained.
Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy came down heavily on the government for the alleged police excesses saying that the government thought stopping people's movement was the only way to prevent the spread of the virus.
In a series of tweets, the JD(S) second-in-command expressed his anger over the way the curbs have been implemented.
"Strict lockdown and not just lockdown, where people will be beaten up like cattle has been implemented from today. It is a tragedy that the government thought lockdown means stopping vehicular movement. It forgot the woes of citizens in distress," the JD(S) leader tweeted.
He said these were not the restrictions the opposition had suggested.
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he has ordered that no one should be beaten up and instead people should be fined.
"We have enforced restrictions for the public good.
We don't intend to torture people.So, people should not be beaten up," Bommai said.
Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant tweeted that the police have been advised not to use any kind of force.
"Contrary to the videos doing rounds on Social Media, @BlrCityPolice has been strictly advised to only take action strictly as per law, in case if anybody violates lockdown guidelines. They have been advised not to use any kind of force in this regard."
He added that in case of any issue regarding travel to the place of work or carrying out permitted activities during the lockdown, DCP Intelligence Santhosh Babu may be contacted.
The government on Friday announced the restrictions on the advice of the ministers, opposition leaders, members of the government-formed Technical Advisory Committee on COVID-19 and other medical experts in view of the rising coronavirus cases.
As we begin the 14-day strict restriction to break the chain of infection, I request all citizens to follow the guidelines in letter and spirit. Your cooperation is crucial to contain the spread of the virus. Together we can defeat the pandemic.
— B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) May 10, 2021
ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಅಲ್ಲದ ಕಠಿಣ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್, ಜನ ಹೊರಗೆ ಬಂದರೆ ದನಕ್ಕೆ ಬಡಿದಂತೆ ಬಡಿಯುವ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಇಂದಿನಿಂದ ಜಾರಿಗೆ ಬರಲಿದೆ. ಜನಸಂಚಾರ ತಡೆಯುವುದೇ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಎಂದು ಭಾವಿಸಿರುವ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಸಂಕಷ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾಗರಿಕರನ್ನು ಮರೆತಿರುವುದು ದುರಂತ. ನಾವು ಸೂಚಿಸಿದ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಇದಾಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ನಾವು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದು ಜನಹಿತದ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಆಗಿತ್ತು.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 10, 2021
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ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಮಾಡಿ ಜನರ ಜೀವ ಉಳಿಸಿ ಎಂದು ನಾನು ಮೊದಲೇ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದೆ. ಹಾಗೆ ಹೇಳುವಾಗ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ನಿಂದ ಜನ ಜೀವನಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗುವ ತೊಂದರೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಪರಿಹಾರ ಕ್ರಮಗಳಿರಬೇಕು, ಜನರ ಅಗತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಭರಿಸಬೇಕೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದೆ. ಆದರೆ, ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ನೀಡಬೇಕಾದ ಪರಿಹಾರ ಕ್ರಮಗಳಿಂದ ವಿಮುಖವಾಗಿರುವ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಬೇಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿತನ ತೋರಿದೆ.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 10, 2021
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ಜನರಿಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಪರಿಹಾರ ನೀಡಬೇಕಾಗುತ್ತದೆಯೋ, ಜೀವನ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆಗೆ ನೆರವು ನೀಡಬೇಕಾಗಿ ಬರುತ್ತದೆಯೋ ಎಂಬ ದುರಾಲೋಚನೆ ಮಾಡಿರುವ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಎಂಬ ಪದವನ್ನು ಧೈರ್ಯದಿಂದ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಕಠಿಣ ನಿಯಮ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ನಿಂದ ದೂರ ನಿಂತಿದೆ. ಕೇಂದ್ರವೂ ಇದೇ ಕುತಂತ್ರದ ನಡೆಯನ್ನು ಅನುಸರಿಸಿ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿಯಿಂದ ನುಣುಚಿಕೊಂಡಿದೆ.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 10, 2021
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ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಎಂದರೆ ಜನ ಹೊರ ಹೋಗಲಾಗದ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ. ಬದುಕಿನ ಅಗತ್ಯವನ್ನು ದುಡಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗದ ದುಸ್ಥಿತಿ. ಸರ್ಕಾರವೇ ಇದರ ಹೊಣೆಗಾರ, ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಸರ್ಕಾರವೇ ಪರಿಹಾರ ನೀಡಬೇಕು ಎಂಬುದೂ ನನ್ನ ನಿಲುವು, ಸಲಹೆ. ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಘೋಷಿಸಬೇಕಿತ್ತು ಮತ್ತು ಪರಿಹಾರ ನೀಡಬೇಕಿತ್ತು. ಆದರೆ ಈವರೆಗೆ ಪರಿಹಾರ ಪ್ಯಾಕೇಜ್ ನ ಮಾತೇ ಇಲ್ಲ.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 10, 2021
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ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ, ಕೇರಳ, ತಮಿಳುನಾಡು, ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಬಂಗಾಳ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾಯದೇ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಮಾಡಿವೆ. ಜನರಿಗೆ ಆಹಾರ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಪರಿಹಾರ ಘೋಷಿಸಿವೆ. ಆಂಧ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೋಂಕಿತರಿಗೆ ಉಚಿತ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಸಿಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಇದು ಸರ್ಕಾರಗಳ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿಯುತ ನಡೆ. ಆದರೆ, ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿಯಿಂದ ನುಣುಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಕೇಂದ್ರದ ದುರ್ನಡೆಯನ್ನು ರಾಜ್ಯ ಅನುಸರಿಸಬಾರದು.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 10, 2021
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ಮನೆಗಳಿಂದ ಹೊರ ಬರುವ ಜನರ ಮೇಲೆ ದರ್ಪ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶಿಸುವುದನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು, ಜನ ಹೊರಗೆ ಬಾರದಂತೆ ಅವರ ಅಗತ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂರೈಸುವ, ಪರಿಹಾರ ಒದಗಿಸುವ ಕ್ರಮಗಳತ್ತ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಗಮನಹರಿಸಬೇಕು. ಈ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ನೆರೆ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳು ಅನುಸರಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕ್ರಮಗಳನ್ನು ರಾಜ್ಯ ಅವಲೋಕಿಸಬೇಕು. ಜನರ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಎಷ್ಟು ಮುಖ್ಯವೋ ಜನರ ಬದುಕೂ ಅಷ್ಟೇ ಮುಖ್ಯವಾಗಬೇಕು.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) May 10, 2021
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ನಿತ್ಯ 50,000 ಪಾಸಿಟಿವ್ ಕೇಸ್ ಗಳು ದಾಖಲಾಗ್ತಿವೆ. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ ಎರಡು ವಾರ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು. ಜನರಿಗೆ ಆರ್ಥಿಕ ನೆರವು ಮತ್ತು ಅಗತ್ಯ ದಿನಸಿ ವಸ್ತುಗಳನ್ನು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕೂಡಲೇ ನೀಡಬೇಕು ಎಂದು @CMofKarnataka ಅವರನ್ನು ಆಗ್ರಹಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. 3/6#CoronaCurfew
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 10, 2021
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Russian First Deputy PM Manturov meets PM Modi; discusses trade, energy ties
New Delhi (PTI): Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties in areas of investment, energy and industrial cooperation.
Manturov, on a two-day visit to India, also held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
The Russian embassy said Modi and Manturov discussed "specific steps to implement agreements reached" during the India-Russia summit held in December last.
"Particular attention was paid to further strengthening Russia-India trade, economic, investment, energy and industrial cooperation," it said on social media.
In their meeting, Doval and Manturov were learnt to have discussed bilateral defence cooperation besides the evolving regional security situation.
The Russian first deputy PM's visit to New Delhi comes days after India cleared procurement of a fresh batch of five S-400 missile systems from Russia.
The decision to procure the additional batch of five S-400 air defence missile systems was taken against the backdrop of the missile system proving its capability during Operation Sindoor.
The missile system played a crucial role in India's dominance over Pakistan during the May 7-10 hostilities last year.
In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Three squadrons have already been delivered.
In the talks, the two sides are also expected to exchange views on the West Asia conflict and its impact on global economy, especially on the energy sector.
It is learnt that both sides also reviewed the implementation of decisions taken at the summit talks between Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in last December.
Following talks between the two leaders, India and Russia unveiled a raft of measures including a five-year roadmap to build a robust economic partnership and to increase the annual trade to USD 100 billion by 2030.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week lauded India's "independent foreign policy" and said that Russia looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi for a visit this year.
In an address at a conference titled 'India and Russia: Towards a new bilateral agenda', he said the "time-tested" friendship between the two countries is a model on interstate relations based on mutual trust and respect.
