Shivakumar slams BJP leader for moving HC over Dasara festival
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday hit out at former BJP MP Pratap Simha for moving the High Court against the state government's invitation to writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Dasara festival, calling it an effort to remain politically relevant.
Dasara celebration will begin in Mysuru from September 22 and culminate on 'Vijayadashami', which falls on October 2.
Mysuru district administration on Wednesday formally invited Mushtaq despite objections from some sections, including the opposition BJP.
Speaking to reporters here, Shivakumar said, "Pratap Simha has been ignored by his own party. He needs to be relevant in politics and hence he is doing such things. The court will hear the case and take a decision."
Mushtaq, a prominent Kannada writer, is the author of 'Edeya Hanate'. Its English translation 'Heart Lamp', translated by Deepa Bhasthi, won the Booker Prize.
Simha, a former MP from Mysuru, on Saturday accused the Congress government of making a "unilateral decision" without consulting key stakeholders, including the erstwhile Mysuru royal family.
He had requested the High Court to issue directions to withdraw the invitation extended to Mushtaq, citing public outrage and the potential to disrupt communal harmony.
Criticising the BJP, Shivakumar said: "They don't have anything else to do politics. If they are so concerned about the state, let them go to Delhi and bring funds for many irrigation projects and Bengaluru development. They can also get approvals for the Mekedatu, Mahadayi and Upper Krishna projects."
Referring to the Dharmasthala issue, he alleged that the BJP was misusing the matter to cover up its own infighting.
"We brought out the truth in the Dharmasthala case. The BJP is making it a scapegoat to hide its internal feud. It is the BJP which is conspiring against Dharmasthala. The masked man is a BJP worker. If Dharmasthala has been insulted, it is by the BJP and its leaders," he said.
A controversy erupted after a complainant, later identified as C N Chinnaiah and arrested on charges of perjury, claimed burying a number of bodies, including those of women with signs of sexual assault, in Dharmasthala over a period of time.
On criticism of the government's decision to use ballot papers in local body elections, Shivakumar countered, "In a couple of days, I will place before you a law which the BJP introduced. The law introduced by the BJP itself states that either the EVMs or ballot papers can be used for elections. What is wrong in following the law?"
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4 children test HIV positive in MP govt hospital; contaminated blood transfusion suspected
Satna/Bhopal (PTI): Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday.
The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said.
Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children.
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MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report.
“It is also being investigated whether the blood transfusion took place in other hospitals also or only in the government hospital,” he said.
The affected children, aged between 12 and 15 years, received blood transfusions from the hospital's blood bank, as per an official.
Devendra Patel, in-charge of the blood bank at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel District Hospital in Satna, said four children have tested HIV positive and an investigation is underway to determine how they got infected.
"Either an infected needle was used or a blood transfusion occurred. These are the two main reasons I believe. Blood transfusion seems to be the most likely cause," he told PTI Videos.
All these children suffer from thalassemia, and some have received 80 or 100 blood transfusions, he said.
A family member of one of the affected children said that their child was found to be HIV positive during a routine checkup about four months back, and he has been receiving medication, but it had proven to be of no use.
After taking the medication for HIV, the child starts vomiting, feels low and becomes ill, he said.
After the four children were detected with HIV infection, their family members were also tested and the results came out negative, he added.
The Opposition Congress targeted the government over the matter and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Shukla.
Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Congress MLA and former minister Sachin Yadav claimed such incidents were continuously occurring in Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, a case of toxic cough syrup came to light in Chhindwara, followed by incidents of rat bites at hospitals in Indore and Satna, and now children have been given HIV-infected blood, he said.
"The health minister is unable to manage the department. He should resign. A murder case should be filed against those responsible for the Satna incident," Yadav said.
Senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma termed it a failure of the government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government has no connection with ground realities, he charged.
"Somewhere rats are roaming in hospitals, somewhere children are being given HIV-infected blood. Instead of preventing HIV, you are spreading it. Mohan Yadav should wake up from his slumber. Children are the nation's heritage and should be taken care of," he added.
