Siddaramaiah blames BJP for reaping political benefit out of border row
Bengaluru, Dec 8: With the border row between Karnataka and Maharashtra over Belagavi still persisting, former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday accused the BJP of reaping political benefits instead of resolving the issue.
In a series of tweets, the Leader of Opposition said people were facing hardship owing to the controversy.
"It is in the DNA of @BJP4Karnataka to reap political benefits out of controversies. Belagavi border issue, which could have been resolved through negotiations, is now allowed to grow so that BJP can take benefits," the Congress leader said.
Siddaramaiah said the people were facing problems as the transport departments of both the States have stopped the Belagavi-Maharashtra inter-State bus service.
"People of both the States are anxious about the developments, & @BJP4Karnataka govt have to intervene & establish peace," the former Chief Minister said.
He further said the coalition government in Maharashtra has been trying to target Kannadigas residing in the neighbouring States and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should immediately intervene, reach out to his counterparts in Maharashtra and protect Kannadigas.
"It is not just enough to claim it is a double-engine govt. @BJP4India should step up whenever it is needed to solve the crisis. This time it has failed to resolve the issue...," the Congress leader said.
The border row was several decades old with Maharashtra claiming the merger of Belagavi with it on the ground that the district has substantial Marathi-speaking population.
Karnataka has refuted the claim by saying the issue has been settled long ago.
The border row once again flared up with the decision of two Maharashtra Ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai, who have been appointed by the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to coordinate with their legal team to deal with the issue, to visit Belagavi on December 6.
Since then, Belagavi city and parts of the city bordering Maharashtra have seen protests on both sides.
Today too, there were protests in Gadag where the pro-Kannada organisation members staged demonstrations and reportedly burned an effigy of Shinde.
It is in the DNA of @BJP4Karnataka to reap political benefits out of controversies.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 8, 2022
Belagavi border issue, which could have been resolved through negotiations, is now allowed to grow so that BJP can take benefits.
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Eggs safe for consumption, cancer risk claims unfounded: FSSAI
New Delhi (PTI): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorically dismissed recent claims linking eggs to cancer risk, terming them "misleading, scientifically unsupported and capable of creating unnecessary public alarm".
In a statement issued on Saturday, the food safety regulator clarified that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption and that reports alleging the presence of carcinogenic substances in eggs lack a scientific basis.
The clarification comes in response to media reports and social media posts claiming detection of nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) -- substances purportedly linked to cancer -- in eggs sold in India.
FSSAI officials emphasised that the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited at all stages of poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
The regulator explained that an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 µg/kg has been prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites -- but solely for regulatory enforcement purposes. This limit represents the minimum level that can be reliably detected by advanced laboratory methods and does not indicate that the substance is permitted for use.
"Detection of trace residues below the EMRL does not constitute a food safety violation nor does it imply any health risk," an FSSAI official said.
FSSAI said India's regulatory framework is aligned with international practices. The European Union and the United States also prohibit the use of nitrofurans in food-producing animals and employ reference points for action or guideline values only as enforcement tools.
Differences in numerical benchmarks across countries reflect variations in analytical and regulatory approaches, not differences in consumer safety standards, the authority noted.
On public health concerns, FSSAI cited scientific evidence indicating that there is no established causal link between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health outcomes in humans.
"No national or international health authority has associated normal egg consumption with increased cancer risk," the regulator reiterated.
Addressing reports related to the testing of a specific egg brand, officials explained that such detections are isolated and batch-specific, often arising from inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and are not representative of the overall egg supply chain in the country.
"Generalising isolated laboratory findings to label eggs as unsafe is scientifically incorrect," the statement said.
FSSAI urged consumers to rely on verified scientific evidence and official advisories, reiterating that eggs remain a safe, nutritious, and valuable component of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in compliance with food safety regulations.
