Meeting on November 3 in Bengaluru to Discuss Inauguration of New Udupi District Hospital: Minister Rizwan Arshad
Udupi: A meeting will be held in Bengaluru on November 3 to discuss the delay in the inauguration of the new Udupi District Hospital. An appointment with the Health Minister has already been sought for the meeting, which will be attended by the Deputy Commissioner, elected representatives and senior officials, said District Minister Rizwan Arshad.
Speaking to reporters in Udupi on Sunday, Arshad said the Health Minister was aware of the delay in inaugurating the hospital. The issue would be discussed at the meeting, following which a decision would be taken on the further course of action.
Reacting to the cancellation of the District Rajyotsava Award in Udupi, Arshad said similar measures had been adopted in one or two districts across the state. He stressed the need for a uniform policy applicable throughout Karnataka.
The Department of Kannada and Culture was holding discussions on the matter, and a decision would be taken on the procedure for presenting the awards across the state. Plans were also underway to formulate guidelines and constitute a committee for selecting awardees within this year.
He said the selection process should remain free from political or other external pressure, as the award carried its own dignity and prestige. He added that he would discuss the matter with the Department of Kannada and Culture.
Commenting on the increase in milk prices, the minister said the government had a responsibility to consider the demands and livelihood concerns of farmers. He pointed out that milk prices in Karnataka were lower compared to those in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
He said that without a price revision, farmers might have considered selling or supplying milk to other states. The possibility of a milk shortage in Karnataka and the need to ensure better returns for dairy farmers had also been taken into consideration while deciding on the price increase.
Responding to claims that the state treasury was empty, Arshad said Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had never made any such statement.
Commenting on the INDIA bloc’s protest in Delhi, Arshad said governments would come and go as long as democracy survived in the country. What mattered was protecting the democratic process and the system through which people elected their representatives.
He said the Election Commission must function impartially. If it acted like an associate of the ruling party or a partner of the ruling alliance, it became everyone’s responsibility to raise their voice against such conduct. He added that the INDIA bloc and youth groups were organising a major gathering in Delhi.
Alleging that the primary objective of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process initiated by the Election Commission was to exclude people from electoral rolls, he said protests against the exercise would continue.
Clarifying his recent remarks that popular actors had become communal, Arshad said his comments were directed at Bollywood actors and not actors from Karnataka.
He maintained that actors from Karnataka were not communal. However, he alleged that several Bollywood actors had behaved communally and had also made films reflecting such views. He said he had made the remarks while speaking at an event the previous day.
