Rajya Sabha member Ashok Gasti dies of COVID-19
Fifty-five-year-old Gasti, who was admitted to Manipal Hospital on Old Airport Road on September 2 and diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, passed away at 10.31 pm, hospital director Manish Rai said in a statement.
Condoling Gasti's demise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was passionate about empowering the poor and marginalised sections of society.
"Rajya Sabha MP Shri Ashok Gasti was a dedicated Karyakarta who worked hard to strengthen the Party in Karnataka. He was passionate about empowering the poor and marginalised sections of society. Anguished by his passing away. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti," Modi tweeted.
According to Rai, Gasti was critically ill with multi-organ failure and was on life support system under constant observation of an expert panel of doctors.
"We deeply regret the loss and express our condolences to his family and friends," Rai said.
A grassroots level worker hailing from Raichur, Gasti was elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha in June this year on a BJP ticket.
Coming from the backward community of Savita Samaj, Gasti had been an RSS worker and was an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.
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.
Opposition stages walkout in RS over BJP MP's remarks on misuse of OBC reservation
New Delhi (PTI): The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed a walkout by several opposition parties over BJP member K Laxman's remarks that OBC reservation is being misused in the name of religion.
Leader of the House and Union Minister J P Nadda criticised the walkout, saying the Congress leadership and the opposition's INDIA alliance are neither interested in debates nor have any respect for democratic values or the Constitution.
During Zero Hour, Laxman raised the issue of OBC reservation, and said their quota is being misused in the name of religion.
He said some states are extending reservations to Muslims and requested the government to order a comprehensive review of such religion-based reservations.
While he was speaking, certain opposition members raised objections to Laxman's remarks.
Later, almost the entire opposition staged a walkout from the House.
Nadda said the opposition parties are disrespectful to the Constitution and do not respect the parliamentary procedures.
He further said opposition parties consider Muslims as a vote bank, while accusing them of engaging in appeasement politics.
