No relaxation in new COVID-19 guidelines: Karnataka Health Minister Sudhakar
Bengaluru: Hinting at no relaxation in the new set of guidelines issued by the state government, amid pressure from various sectors, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Saturday said it was inevitable to take certain strict measures so that things don't go out of control.
He said the guidelines have been issued on the advice of the technical advisory committee consisting of experts, after examining the situation, and if things are under control by April 20, activities will be allowed to resume.
"The government is not happy by restricting activities.
I have been requesting through the media for the last one month that a second wave is at our doorstep and if we don't understand and take precautionary measures, the government will have no other options and may have to take serious measures," Sudhakar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said Karnataka was the first state to resume all the business activities, but the state is today reporting about 5,000 cases per day and 3,500 of them are from Bengaluru alone.
"The technical advisory committee has said this will be there for another two months, till the May end and the graph will start declining from June first week.
If we don't take measures and something untoward happens, won't it be the government's responsibility?" he asked.
Aimed at curbing Covid-19 with the spike in cases, the government on Friday in a new set of guidelines had ordered the closure of gyms and swimming pools while capping the seating capacity in theatres at 50 per cent in certain districts.
It has also ordered apartment complexes to shut common facilities such as party halls and clubhouses. The new restrictions imposed by the government through the guidelines will be in force till April 20.
Noting that the government has issued guidelines after getting several reports from the technical advisory committee, and after consulting senior officials and ministers, Sudhakar said it was not done at one go.
"People from several sectors are saying their activities should not be restricted and should go on freely. Yes, we (govt) too understand, but things should not go out of our control, so it was inevitable for the government to take certain strict measures.
We request for cooperation from everyone," he said.
The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce has decided to meet Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to bring to his notice about the impact of capping the seating capacity in theatres at 50 per cent, on the industry, and is likely to seek relaxation so that it doesn't impact films that have just been released.
Also, gym owners have demanded the government to reconsider the decision or allow them to operate with 50 per cent capacity or announce a package so that they can make payment for staff and use it for maintenance.
There is pressure from some private schools to allow them to function, similar is the demand from gym, swimming pool and club owners, also people want to hold marriages with large gatherings, the Minister said.
"These measures are not permanent, let's follow these temporary measures for some days... I'm not saying it (Covid- 19 spread) can be controlled 100 percent by these measures, but we can try to bring things under control," he said.
Responding to a question, the Minister said there are guidelines for elections, and religious places too, there is no concession for any sector or activities.
"The government is only trying to control this pandemic that's all, there is no politics or any malicious intent behind this," he said, as he evaded questions on night curfew or weekend lockdown stating that he doesn't want to speak on what measures will be taken in the future.
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.
Attempt to shield 'infiltrators': BJP ahead of Cong's rally against 'vote theft'
New Delhi (PTI): Ahead of the Congress' rally over the "vote theft" issue, the BJP on Sunday alleged that the main opposition party was holding the event in its bid to "protect infiltrators" from being removed from the electoral rolls.
The ruling BJP asserted that the Congress will not succeed in its design of misleading people as well as "insulting and defaming" constitutional institutions, because the entire world knows that India's democracy is "very robust".
Stepping up its campaign against the alleged "vote theft" by the BJP in elections, the Congress has organised a rally at the Ramlila Maidan here on Sunday that will be attended by the party's top leaders, including general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, and Sachin Pilot.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi are expected to address the gathering. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is also likely to be present at the event.
Ahead of the event, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said the Congress was holding the rally even as Union Home Minister Amit Shah "exposed" the opposition through his point-by-point rebuttal to their "fabricated" allegations during a debate on electoral reforms during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
"This shows that you do not have truth in your hand, yet you are trying to create an atmosphere of confusion. The Congress' rally is an exercise to protect 'ghuspaithiyas (infiltrators)'. This is what the Congress is doing," the BJP MP told reporters here.
"The Congress party may try all it wants to mislead the people as well as insult and defame our constitutional institutions. But, the entire world knows that India's democracy is very robust and it cannot be shaken," he added.
The BJP leader accused the Congress of holding the rally to pursue its "appeasement politics" and dared Rahul Gandhi to challenge the Bihar assembly polls if he felt that there was any irregularity.
"Rahul ji, you still have perhaps 10 days left in your hands. You can still file a complaint if you feel that there was any irregularity (in the poll process) in any of the seats in the Bihar assembly polls," Patra said.
