Mysuru: K'taka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao orders suspension of officials amid foeticide racket
Mysuru: In response to the shocking case of female foeticide that has rattled the state, Karnataka's Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dinesh Gundu Rao, has taken action by ordering the suspension of Mysuru Taluk Medical Officer Dr. Rajeshwari and former Mysuru District Health Officer Dr. Ravi for alleged dereliction of duty.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Thursday, Health Minister Gundu Rao expressed concern over lapses within the Health Department and stressed the need for an exhaustive investigation to uncover the network of individuals involved in the foeticide racket. He informed reporters that discussions had taken place with Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the investigation, with the Chief Minister expected to decide on the type of inquiry to be conducted.
Acknowledging foeticide as a social problem, Minister Gundu Rao said it was necessary for a shift in societal mindset to effectively combat the issue.
The Health Minister, prior to addressing the media, visited Matha Hospital in Mysuru, which has been reportedly identified as the epicenter of the criminal activity. During the visit, he reprimanded Mysuru Taluk Medical Officer for providing inaccurate information, including the duration of the foeticide occurrences at the hospital and the plausibility of oversight in detecting such cases.
Minister Gundu Rao took Dr. Rajeshwari to task after receiving detailed information on the incident, revealing that the foeticide activities had been ongoing for an extended period.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
