Haveri (Karnataka) [India], March 3 (ANI): Karnataka’s Haveri Health Officer Dr Rajendra Doddamani issued a notice to Taluk Health Officer ZR Makandar after a controversy erupted over state minister BC Patil being administered COVID-19 vaccine at his residence on Tuesday.
Karnataka Minister BC Patil took his first shot of the coronavirus vaccine at his residence in Hirekerur, Haveri on Tuesday.
“Took the COVID-19 vaccine with my wife, at my Hirekerur house from government doctors today. While ‘Made In India’ vaccines are being immensely appreciated by many countries, some vested interest groups are spreading false information about the vaccines,” he tweeted after getting the jab.
He said in another tweet, “I appeal to all the eligible people to follow the protocol and take the vaccine to help the cause of building pandemic free, healthy India.”
Responding to the controversy, Patil told media that he has got vaccinated at home so that the public do not have to wait at the hospital.
“If I go to hospital to get vaccinated, the people who were already there for the vaccination jab, will have to wait. But by taking COVID-19 vaccination shot at my residence, I can attend to people as well also can get vaccinated. What is wrong in this?” asked Patil.
However, asking about the minister receiving vaccine shot at his residence, Rajesh Bhushan, the Health Secretary of the state said that it is not allowed in the protocol.
“This is not allowed in the protocol. We have asked for a report from the state government,” Bhushan said. (ANI)

Tezpur (Assam) [India], March 3 (ANI): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday was seen running towards the stage as she was getting late for a public rally in Assam’s Tezpur. However, she managed to make it on time.
In a video released by Priyanka Gandhi’s office, she was seen sprinting down a dusty path and was surrounded by her bodyguards, who tried to catch up with her as they ran towards the stage.
People on both sides of the fenced pathway clapped for her as she continued the dash to the raised pavilion.
Earlier today, the Congress general secretary, who is on a two-day visit to the poll-bound state spent some time with tea estate workers at Sadhuru tea garden in Biswanath district.
Dressed in a saree and balancing a basket on her back, the 49-year-old was seen plucking tea leaves.
Assam assembly elections will be held in three phases. In the first phase, 47 seats in 12 districts will go to the polls on March 27. In the second phase, 39 constituencies in 13 districts will go to the polls on April 1 while 40 assembly constituencies in 12 districts will go to polls on April 6. Counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): The crime branch of Delhi Police busted a gang of fraudsters and arrested three persons for allegedly dealing in forged and fake cheques. The accused allegedly attempted to transfer Rs 68.70 lakh from the bank account of a hospital.
According to police, the director of a leading hospital of northeast Delhi lodged a complaint stating that he received an SMS from his bank that a cheque of Rs 68.70 lakh has been presented for clearance. He was shocked to learn it as he had not issued any such cheque and immediately stopped the payment. He further came to know that culprits have used a fake and forged cheque bearing his forged signatures and this cheque was never issued to the complainant.
On investigation, it was learnt that the forged cheque was presented on July 6, 2019, by an NGO at Indraprastha Sehkari Bank Ltd, Paschim Vihar, Delhi.
According to Police, a notice was given to accused Arvind Kumar to produce the original cheque which was returned to him by the bank but he neither joined the investigation and nor produced the original questioned cheque.
“Arvind Kumar was arrested on February 28 and sent to two days police remand. He disclosed that he is the president of the NGO. In May 2019, one Lokender Rao met him through Kulbhushan, a resident of Paschim Puri, New Delhi. Rao told that he had a cheque worth Rs 68.70 lakh, which he wanted to encash,” read the police statement.
“If the said cheque is realised in the account of his NGO Life Style Foundation, a huge amount of money would come which they can share in between them. After some days, Rao handed over a blank cheque of a hospital of PNB Bank, for encashing the same,” it added.
Kumar, the accused was arrested with the help of technical details. Thereafter, the team of Delhi Police searched all the possible hideouts of other accused at various places in the national capital and arrested Rao and Kulbhushan. The accused revealed before the police that they were previously involved in a similar type of offence. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): Union Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare on Tuesday wrote to the Manipur government saying that powers to administer notices have not been delegated to state governments, police commissioners or District Magistrates under the new media laws.
“The rules relating to news publishers and publishers of Online Curated Content (OTT) Platforms, including the Code of Ethics, the 3-Tier Grievances Redressal Mechanism, are to be administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. These powers have not been delegated to the state governments or District Magistrate, or Police Commissioner,” read Khare’s letter to the Manipur Chief Secretary.
The letter was sent after the Imphal West district magistrate on Monday served a notice to Manipuri talk show ‘Khanasi Neinasi’ under the new media laws notified by the Centre on February 25.
The DM had served the notice to the Publisher/Intermediary of the talk show Khanasi Neinasi, directing the publisher to furnish to the DM all the relevant documents for ensuring compliance to the provisions of the Information Technology Rules, 2021.
The notice also said, “failing which, steps as deemed fit would be initiated without further notice.” (ANI)

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 2 (ANI): Asserting that Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is the right of the people of Andhra Pradesh, senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao on Tuesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him not to privatise public sector companies.
“Back in the time, people have fought for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and nearly 53 people have sacrificed their lives in the fight. But now, the central government is saying that the steel plant is running in losses and there is no raw material (iron ore) to run the steel plant and that is why they are selling the steel plant to private companies,” Rao said.
Comparing the Centre with the Britishers, he said that even they had not sold any organisation to private sector. He alleged that the Central government is in the clutches of corporate companies.
The Congress leader suggested that instead of selling the steel plant to a private company, the government should bring the iron ore from the Kadapa region of Andhra Pradesh to run the steel plant.
He referred to the ongoing farmers’ protests claiming that the BJP government is working hand in glove with the corporate companies and it reflects from their wish to privatise the agricultural sector.
He further mentioned that the government is privatising Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), airlines and many others public entreprises.
Several protests were held in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana against the move of the Centre to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. (ANI

New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Tuesday hit out at Congress over its alliance with the Left front and Indian Secular Front (ISF) in West Bengal, alleging that its only ideology is corruption and nepotism.
Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Despite dissidents within the party, the Congress joined hands with the ISF and the Left front in West Bengal. At the same time, Congress is fighting against the Left in Kerala. They are working to strike an alliance with Badruddin Ajmal’s AIDUF in Assam and has joined hands with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. This shows Congress has no ideology. Its only ideology is corruption and nepotism, and make the state a ATM machine to loot wealth.”
He added that all these attempts by Congress being made to fulfil the ambitions the Gandhi family relevant instead of nation building.
Continuing his attck against Congress, Patra went on to say that Congress will “castigate” anyone who wants democracy in the party, wants its president to be elected, speaks in favour of politics of development or stands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rightful agenda.
“Congress is just about fours leaders of Gandhi Family. Congressis only agenda is hate Modi. It has grown to such an extent that Congress workers are protesting on the streets against their own leaders who are praising good work done by our Prime Minister,” he said.
This comes a day after veteran Congress leader Anand Sharma tweeted, “Congress’ alliance with parties like ISF and other such forces militates against the core ideology of the party and Gandhian and Nehruvian secularism, which forms the soul of the party. These issues need to be approved by the CWC.”
The meeting between ISF, Congress and Left parties, which was held today was attended by ISF chairman Naushad Siddiqui along with Pradeep Bhattacharya, Abdul Mannan, Biman Bose and Mohd Salim.
West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. Counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)