Leader of the Opposition in Assembly R. Ashok during his visit to Ballari Medical College and Research Centre on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: SRIDHAR KAVALI

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok demanded a Lokayukta probe into the recent deaths of lactating mothers in the State-run Ballari Medical College and Research Centre (BMCRC) in Ballari.

“A report was submitted to the government mentioning the sub-standard quality of the Ringer’s lactate infusion. Yet, the same IV is being supplied to government hospitals in the State. As a result, four lactating mothers died in the Ballari hospital. The government should take responsibility and order a Lokayukta probe,” Mr. Ashok said during his visit to BMCRC in Ballari on Sunday.

Mr. Ashok also said that there is a need to examine the situation in all government hospitals in the State. “If the government does not order a Lokayukta probe, I will file a complaint with the Lokayukta,” Mr. Ashok said.

Speaking specifically about the deaths in Ballari, Mr. Ashok claimed that the lactating mothers in question developed liver failure after they were given the Ringer’s lactate infusion and their blood pressure drastically dropped.

“Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) notified the government about the sub-standard quality of the IV six months ago. Why did the government then purchase it? The government has escaped its responsibility by placing an officer, who was appointed just two months ago, under suspension. Indeed, the government itself should get suspended,” Mr. Ashok said.

Standing in support of the doctors who administered the drugs, Mr. Ashok claimed: “Even after this tragedy, district In-charge Minister [B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan] has not visited the hospital. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah came to Ballari but did not visit the hospital. It shows their negligence”.

Criticising the compensation of ₹2 lakh to the family of the deceased, Mr. Ashok demanded that it be hiked to ₹25 lakh.

Candidates for a KPSC examination staging a protest in Sindhanur on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Tension prevailed outside a government degree college at Sindhanur town in Raichur district on Sunday, after hundreds of candidates staged a protest alleging that a Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) examination was conducted after violating norms and demanded that it be conducted again.

The KPSC conducted the examination to fill 97 Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) posts for Kalyana Karnataka. On Sunday, the morning paper was general knowledge which was scheduled between 10 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. 

Road blocked

Blocking the Sindhanur-Kushtagi main road for hours, the protesters alleged that the question papers were not given on time and that the bundle of question papers was unsealed when it was brought inside the examination block. Therefore, there is a suspicion of the questions being leaked, they claimed.

Officers visit

After receiving information, Basanagouda Badarli, MLC, Deputy Superintendent of Police Balappa Talawar, and Sindhanur tahsildar Arun Kumar Desai came there and tried to pacify the protesters. But they continued to protest till 4 p.m., demanding a re-examination.

Allegations denied

Denying allegations of the questions being leaked, Mr. Desai said that the packets of question papers were distributed to all 35 blocks properly. But, owing to confusion by a supervisor while distributing the packets, a booklet pertaining to one block was distributed to another block. It was immediately recollected and distributed to the actual block. 

He also denied the allegation that the papers were not distributed on time and said that CCTV camera footage had confirmed this. The authorities have prepared a detailed report to be sent to the KPSC for further action, he said.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Kalaburagi city, as candidates expressed anger over the late supply of question papers in some examination centres and even resorted to a protest. Some andidates boycotted the exam, alleging that the question paper was leaked. The candidates alleged that a seal on the envelope with question papers was tampered with and opened before the scheduled time.

Some aspirants burst into tears, stating that multiple instances of irregularities while conducting recruitment examinations to various posts had a significant impact on students’ careers.

Bengaluru:

Inmates of Karnataka’s Kalaburgi jail are getting VIP treatment, indicate videos which are being widely circulated on social media. Photos and videos, not independently verified by NDTV, show them having easy access to smart phones and marijuana. 

In one video, a prisoner is seen making a video call to friends using his smart phone. Other prisoners are seen posing for selfies while smoking marijuana.

Malini Krishnamurthy, Director General of Police in charge of the state’s prisons, assured that the matter will be investigated.

Such incidents coming to light frequently, the authorities have ordered a preliminary inquiry, she said. 

“There is already an FIR registered. We will investigate if there is any role involving the police officers as well. We will take action accordingly…. We are working towards putting an end to this,” she added.

Actor Darshan, accused in a murder case, was recently caught enjoying VIP treatment at Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru.

Darshan’s Personal Assistant Nagaraj was moved to Kalaburagi Jail when he was shifted to Ballari. Taking note of this, the DGP Prisons of Karnataka paid a visit to Kalaburagi to take stock of the situation.

The matter has surfaced amid the headlines over the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, allegedly by the gang of Lawrence Bishnoi. 

Bishnoi currently being in Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail, questions have been raised about how he can orchestrate such a massive crime from behind the bars. 

Kannada Development Authority chairman Purushothama Bilimale at a workshop for Kannada writers at Sharnbasva University in Kalaburagi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Terming Kannada not just a language but a culture as well, Kannada Development Authority (KDA) chairman Purushothama Bilimale stressed the need for reconstructing the history of Karnataka with unexplored cultural sources.

“The task of reconstructing Karnataka’s cultural history remains unfinished. What we have so far reflects only one side of Karnataka’s past. We need to reflect on the other sides by reconstructing history with available cultural sources. It essentially means that we need to take into account the cultural details that the historians did not touch upon and reconstruct the past life. The stories of Mailaralinga’s marital life and his prophecy, for instance, need to be understood as a part of our cultural past,” he said.

He was speaking at a workshop for Kannada writers at Sharnbasva University in Kalaburagi on Saturday. The event was part of a series of workshops being organised by the KDA across the State on exploring Karnataka’s harmonious traditions.

“80% of Karnataka’s original cultural practices remained untouched in the mainstream cultural discourses thus far. They have not found space even in the textbooks. Kannada is not just a language for communication but it is life and culture of its speakers,” Dr. Bilimale said.

Upholding Karnataka’s pluralism as a base on which the Karnataka society was built, Mr. Bilimale said that different communities with divergent cultural practices harmoniously lived and progressed for centuries to shape Karnataka’s society.

“Pampa who introduced the Mahabharat in Kannada in the 10th century was a Jain poet. There are a number of Jain and Buddhist writers who enriched Kannada literature and its culture. If you go to any village festivals, you will see the profound cultural sphere of the local community unfolding before you. Karnataka’s cultural tradition is a fabric woven by different communities with diverse identities and practices. Ours is a society of pluralism built on the foundation of secularism.  The purpose of the workshop series being organised across the state by KDA is to identify the historical events, figures and happenings that contributed to the construction of Karnataka’s culture of pluralism and peaceful coexistence and compile them in 100 smaller booklets,” Dr. Bilimale said.

He advised the writers to adopt simple language and easy narration in drafting the booklets by avoiding the exhibition of scholarship and intellectual calibre.  

Expressing concerns over the fast-spreading hate among people in society, Dr. Blimale said that it was love that had led the Karnataka society for over 2,000 years and asked writers to tell the younger generation through their writings as to how the society could sustain for a long time just because of love.

“You could patently study and understand our cultural past and tell our younger generation through your writings about how our society could sustain because of love, you would be part of the history with your timely intervention to discharge your historical duties at crucial juncture,” he said.