A Report by

Faizan rizwan And lubna rizwan

BENGALURU: Lending credence to speculation that he could be back in the JDS, Congress MLC CM Ibrahim on Monday met JDS national president HD Deve Gowda at his residence. Former CM HD Kumaraswamy and Gowda — who was confined to bed for a few days over back-related issues — spoke to Ibrahim, though the details of the meeting are not clear. It is said that Ibrahim is being offered an important post in the JDS, a party he quit over serious differences with Gowda about 16 years ago.

It is no secret that Ibrahim is eyeing the post of Opposition leader in the Council, expected to be vacated by SR Patil when his six-year term concludes next year. Although Ibrahim has expressed his interest, he has not received any formal assurance from the Congress, which is still weighing its options after suffering serious poll reverses.

Among the frontrunners are backward communities leader BK Hariprasad, who has served as general secretary of ten states and and secretary of six states in the AICC. Ibrahim is not too hopeful as there are doubts that the Congress will elevate a Muslim to the position. The Karnataka Pradesh Congress got wind of Kumaraswamy visiting Ibrahim at his Benson Town residence about six days ago to invite him to rejoin his party, and KPCC president DK Shivakumar himself rushed to Ibrahim’s residence and spent considerable time with him.

Shivakumar said “They have worked together, and it could have been a courtesy call. Ibrahim enjoys secular credentials.’’Ibrahim, once a Gowda loyalist, went on to become a Siddaramaiah loyalist, but of late, the two leaders have fallen out, and MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan is said to have taken his place. Ibrahim has been consistently absent at Siddaramaiah’s meetings too. In 2013, Ibrahim got the Congress ticket from Bhadravati, replacing local leader Sangameshwar, but lost. He was later accommodated as MLC.

‘Centre plans to vaccinate 30cr people in Phase-1, those vaccinated may need booster shot’

ENGALURU: As the mercury levels are dipping, there is a serious threat of Covid second wave in the state. Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, however, said that the government is well prepared to take on the challenge. On the Covid vaccine, he said that the entire population in the state may not need it. Here are the excerpts:

There is a fear of Covid second wave, and has it already started? What are the preparations made?
The state is well prepared for a possible second wave. Ten district hospitals and 30 taluk hospitals have been allocated Rs 37.72 crore to procure oxygen generators and other equipment. We have held detailed discussions within the task force committee on the steps to be taken to contain the spread over the next three months. Also, Rs 11.32 crore has been set aside to purchase rapid antigen kits and Rs 22.50 crore to source medicines for the next 90 days.

When can we expect the vaccine? Is there a timeline for its delivery and do frontline warriors get it first? Will everyone eventually get it?
Multiple vaccine candidates are in different stages of development. Globally, approximately 50 candidates are at clinical research stage and 25 vaccines in advanced clinical trial stage, including five in India. We do not know who will get the licence, as meeting scientific and regulatory requirements is a must. The vaccine may require 2-3 doses with an interval of 3-4 weeks.

As per WHO guidelines, frontline workers in health and social care settings, people over 65 years old and those below 65 but with underlying conditions that put them at a higher risk of death are the priority, in that order. As per provisional plan for phase one of vaccination, the Union Government is planning to vaccinate 30 crore people (600 million doses) which includes one crore healthcare workers, two crore frontline workers, 26 crore aged above 50 years and one crore aged below 50 years with comorbidities. Not everyone may need the vaccine. Even the length of protection is uncertain and a booster dose may be required after some time.  

How do you ensure that the vaccine is safe and of good quality?
Vaccines which are under development are undergoing clinical trials as per regulatory requirements. The safety of citizens is the utmost priority to the government. There will be no compromise on meeting the regulatory requirements.

Many who participated in the Sira and RR Nagar bypolls tested positive for Covid. Experts warn that Gram Panchayat elections will take the virus to rural parts of the state.
Gram Panchayat polls involve intense campaigning where candidates and workers visit houses multiple times. Given that the winter is setting in, the next three months are crucial. Considering these factors, the technical advisory committee had recommended postponing of local body elections, but the State Election Commission decided to go ahead. The government will take all precautions to ensure that polls don’t spread the infection. I also appeal to all parties, candidates and workers to follow precautions and cooperate with the government.

Now that the New Year is coming, how will you deal with crowds?
The public celebration of New Year’s Eve will not be allowed on MG Road and Brigade Road in Bengaluru or anywhere else in the state. The government has restricted the number of people for the New Year, religious and other events to under 200 between December 20 and January 2. Pubs, bars and hotels should use only half of their seating capacity for the New Year as there is a threat of second wave of Covid.

Most families are celebrating weddings and other events without restrictions.
The government has issued a notification that businesses, like hotels, malls, theatres, restaurants and shops, will be penalised if there is a violation of Covid protocols on their premises. 

Congress said on Thursday they will be repealing the APMC, Anti-cow Slaughter and labor laws in the state once they are voted back to power.

MYSURU: Congress said on Thursday they will be repealing the APMC, Anti-cow Slaughter and labour laws in the state once they are voted back to power.

Party spokesperson M Lakshman accused former CM HD Kumaraswamy of misleading people with his claims that the JDS supported the bill since the state government has included several modifications based on their plea.

“It’s a lie that the government has changed clauses in the bills. Change of land use has been barred only in the case of irrigated lands, it does not say anything about dry lands, also 79 a, b, c and 80 that would have safeguarded the interest of farmers have been removed,” he said.

Earlier, during the debate, Minister Somashekhar said that the amendment will help farmers as it allows them to sell their produce at a place of their choice.

BENGALURU: Amid a walkout by Congress members, the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (Regulation & Development) (Amendment) Bill, which will allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere, was passed by the Legislative Council on Wednesday.

After a lengthy debate which lasted more than five hours, Co-operation Minister S T Somashekhar proposed passage of the Bill. The Congress members, who alleged that the amendment had some hidden agenda and it was done on instructions from the BJP-led Union Government, walked out of the House. Though the JD(S) members demanded that the Bill be put to vote by division and entered the well of the House, the Bill was passed by voice vote.

Earlier, during the debate, Minister Somashekhar said that the amendment will help farmers as it allows them to sell their produce at a place of their choice. “As of now, they have to sell their produce only at APMCs. Also, the APMC Vigilance Committee was penalising farmers Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 and booked cases against them if found selling their produce outside APMCs. This is also repealed from the Act,” he said.

Opposition members expressed fear that the Bill will change the way the farm sector functions and that it may put farmers in trouble. JD(S) MLC Marithibbegowda said that only 30 per cent of agricultural produce was coming to the APMCs and the rest was being sold outside by farmers. 

Opposition leader S R Patil, said that APMCs cannot help farmers with Minimum Support Price (MSP) if the amendment is made. “I am sure the APMCs will vanish in a few years if the bill is passed,” he added and walked out of the House, while other members of the Congress party followed him.Somashekhar said that the amendment had nothing to do with MSP and it will continue even after the Bill is enacted.

Active cases had been on the rise since then, except on December 5 and December 7 when it declined from the previous day.

Active cases had been on the rise since then, except on December 5 and December 7 when it declined from the previous day. The biggest decline in active cases was on October 22, when the number fell from 1,00,440 cases to 92,927, a drop of 7.48%. The active cases fell below the 30,000- mark on November 12. Karnataka recorded the highest recovery rate as on Wednesday at 96.09%. It had crossed the 98%-mark on November 30, but in the following days it fell as the number of daily additions to positive cases was more than those discharged.

October 22 saw the 13,550 patients being discharged, which is the highest so far in a single day. The state’s positivity rate (the number testing positive for every 100 persons tested) has been steadily declining. It has dropped to 7.48% from the highest it reached – 12.54% – on September 27. Health officials say this is heartening, as the number of tests per day has crossed 1.15 lakh from 10-15,000 in the initial days of the pandemic. The positivity rate fell below 10%-mark on November 5, below the 9%-mark on November 17, and below the 8%-mark on November 30.

Bengaluru: Amid bedlam, the controversial anti-cow slaughter bill was passed in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday, with the Congress members staging a walkout in protest.

The bill known as the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill-2020 seeks a total ban on the slaughter of cows in the state and stringent punishment to those who indulge in smuggling, illegal transportation, atrocities on cows and slaughtering them, BJP sources said.

Besides cows and calves, the bill also intends to protect buffaloes and their calves less than 12 years of age.

There is a provision to set up special courts for the speedy trial of the accused people.

It also makes provision for setting up Goshala or cattle-sheds for the protection of livestock. Police have been given powers to conduct checking.

The law also gives protection to those who protect these livestock. The bill was passed without any discussion as there was din in the House. The Congress later staged a walkout in protest.

Earlier, when Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan tabled the bill in the evening, Congress MLAs led by leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah trooped into the well of the House.

They alleged the bill was not discussed for tabling in the Business Advisory Committee meeting.

“We had discussed yesterday that new bills will not be tabled.We had agreed that only the ordinances will be passed.

Now he (Prabhu Chavan) has all-of-a-sudden introduced this anti-cow slaughter bill,” Siddaramaiah said.

However, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said he had clearly said in the meeting that important bills will be tabled on Wednesday and Thursday.

Not convinced with the reply, the Congress MLAs trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the BJP government.

The Congress has expressed fears that the bill, if passed, may be misused for polarisation on communal lines and target the minorities.

On the other hand, the BJP has been saying the bill is to protect the cows which are holy to the Hindus.

To make the provisions of the proposed law stringent, Chavan had referred to similar laws in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

A team of officials led by Chavan had recently visited Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, where the law has been enacted, to study its implementation.

BENGALURU: The Bharat Bandh on Tuesday mostly saw mixed response in Karnataka. While the state capital saw thousands of farmers taking out a rally from Town Hall, rallies and protests were held in other districts. Several farmers’ organisations came out in support of the bandh called by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene as part of the all-India bandh to protest againt the reforms to farm laws by the Centre. Pro-Kannada organisations too backed the shutdown. 

The bandh disrupted normal life as businesses downed their shutters in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts although the response was mixed in Mandya district. Farmers, joined by Dalit and labour unions, stopped bus services, disrupting movement of long-distance buses from 7 am for an hour. Rallies, demonstrations and protests were also held in Mangaluru, Belagavi, Tumakuru, Vijayapura, hubballi-Dharwad, Davanagere, Chitradurga, Raichur, Bidar, hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Koppal, Kolar and Chikkaballapur.

Though there were demonstrations, the bandh call evoked poor response in hassan. State transport buses, private taxis and autorickshaws were on the roads as usual in the district. In Davanagere and Chitradurga, KSRTC and city bus services besides autorickshaws and cabs remained off the roads, but government offices and banks functioned normally. Crowds, were however, noticeably thinner. In Davanagere, protesters at Jayadeva Circle raised slogans against the Central government and burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for introducing the farm bills. In Chitradurga town, protesters took out a march and submitted a memorandum at the deputy commissioner’s office.