Siddaramaiah & other Cong leaders say they had declined invite for seminar on China
Bengaluru, Aug 27: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Saturday clarified that he had declined to participate in the India-China Friendship Association-Karnataka's (ICFA-K) seminar, and expressed surprise over his name still appearing on the event's invitation, after it drew flak from the BJP.
The invitation for "Seminar on Taiwan", with the topic, "Interference of US imperialist in the internal affairs of the People's Republic of China" and Chinese photographic exhibition, bore the former Chief Minister's name as chief guest, along with other Congress leaders.
The likes of BJP National General Secretary C T Ravi, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha National Secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and Hindutva ideologue Chakravarty Sulibele, among others had earlier Saturday criticised the Congress, for Siddaramaiah and its other leaders participating in the event.
However, following the controversy, the seminar that was scheduled for Sunday at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, stands cancelled, but the photo exhibition will continue as scheduled, ICFA-K General Secretary V Bhaskaran said.
"I had declined the invitation of India-China Friendship Association to participate in their event which will be held tomorrow. It is surprising to see my name despite declining it," Siddaramaiah tweeted with a cropped invitation.
"I declined to participate as my party's and my position are against the agenda of the programme," he added.
Names of other Congress leaders like former Minister H C Mahadevappa were mentioned as guest of honour in the invite and Rajya Sabha Member L Hanumanthaiah and former Minister P G R Sindhia, who are marked as speakers, have also tweeted that they too had declined to participate in the event, stating that its agenda was against their position.
The invite mentions Sindhia as ICFA national President, and Kolar MLA K Srinivas Gowda, who was recently expelled from JD(S) and has openly expressed his willingness to join the Congress, as ICFA-K President.
According to the invite, Sun Weidong, Chinese Ambassador to India, and Kong Xianhua Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Mumbai, were to participate in the event.
Ravi in a tweet said, "If anyone had any doubt that CONgress works for China, this will clear their doubt. Why should CONgress side with China if America is interfering in its internal affairs? Is this MoU signed by Rahul Gandhi with Chinese Communist Party the reason behind this support to China?
Bagga in a tweet called Congress "China's agent".
"We saw secret meeting pics of Rahul Gandhi with China Envoys in the past but this is new and huge. Congress is China's Agent it's official now. You can understand now why Congress always target Indian Army, why support tukde-tukde gang, Batla House terrorists and Anti- Nationals," he said.
While Sulibele in a tweet said, "Take a bow @siddaramaiah avare. Protesting against America for their interference in China's internal matters?! Wah. You never protested when China poke it's nose into Indian affairs. Great leadership."
Following Siddaramaiah's clarification, he tweeted and said, "Finally @siddaramaiah avaru clarified his stand after everyone tweeting against him. But why he cropped the invitation? Just to hide that the rest guests are from @INCIndia? What is the party's position then? Pro China? Anti India? Please clarify..."
I had declined the invitation of India-China Friendship Association to participate in their event which will be held tomorrow. It is surprising to see my name despite declining it.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) August 27, 2022
I declined to participate as my party's & my position are against the agenda of the program. pic.twitter.com/TmsrazwBTD
If anyone had any doubt that CONgress works for China, this will clear their doubt.
— C T Ravi 🇮🇳 ಸಿ ಟಿ ರವಿ (@CTRavi_BJP) August 27, 2022
Why should CONgress side with China if America is interfering in its internal affairs?
Is this MoU signed by Rahul Gandhi with Chinese Communist Party the reason behind this support to China? pic.twitter.com/ZeeD2KAnLq
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2 Indian nationals part of crew of luxury cruise ship that reported hantavirus outbreak
London (PTI): At least two Indian nationals are part of the crew of the Dutch vessel MV Hondius which reported a hantavirus outbreak with five confirmed cases and three deaths so far, according to the BBC.
The luxury cruise ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, began its journey on April 1 from Argentina’s Ushuaia and is expected to arrive in Spain’s Canary Islands on May 10.
About 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries were initially aboard the luxury cruise, but dozens disembarked on the island of St Helena on April 24, according to the report.
Of the 28 nationalities onboard, 38 are from the Philippines, 31 from the UK, 23 from the US, 16 from the Netherlands, 14 from Spain, nine from Germany, six from Canada, and two crew members from India, among others, the BBC reported.
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The World Health Organization said on Thursday that five of the eight suspected hantavirus cases had been confirmed.
A 69-year-old Dutch woman, confirmed to have the virus, has died; her Dutch husband and a German woman were also among the fatalities. Their cases are being investigated.
The UN health agency has said the outbreak is not the start of a pandemic.
Maria van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist at WHO, told a news briefing that the situation is not the same as six years ago with Covid-19 because hantavirus spreads through “close, intimate contact”.
Van Kerkhove said “this is not Covid, this is not influenza, it spreads very, very differently”. She said authorities had asked “everyone to wear a mask” on board the MV Hondius.
Those in contact with or caring for suspected cases, she added, should “wear a higher level of personal protective equipment”.
Hantavirus typically spreads from rodents - but in the latest outbreak the transmission between people was documented for the first time, the WHO said.
Meanwhile, health authorities are racing to trace dozens of people who have recently disembarked from the Dutch vessel MV Hondius.
Oceanwide Expedition said 29 passengers, of at least 12 different nationalities, had left the MV Hondius in St Helena, the British Overseas Territory.
It also said the body of one deceased person—now known to be a Dutch man - was taken off the vessel.
Seven of those who left the cruise liner were British nationals.
