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Karnataka health minister warns of action against UK returnees if they fail to undergo covid test

News Network
December 29, 2020

Bengaluru, Dec 29: Karnataka Minister for Health Dr K Sudhakar on Monday hinted at stringent action against those returnees from the UK who failed to get themselves tested for COVID-19 and were now untraceable and had switched off their mobile phones.

Speaking to newsmen here, he said that the state government will not hesitate to take police action against these violators.

"I request the UK returnees to cooperate with us as responsible citizens. You have to get yourself tested. If you don't get tested and switch off your phone, then it's a crime in the true sense," he added.

Replying to queries, he said he would hold a meeting with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai because the UK returnees could not be traced, many have switched off their phones and were not responding to requests through the media and social media.

Regarding a question as to whether police cases will be registered against these people, Dr Sudhakar said, "I am compelled to say that I will discuss this with the Home Minister and decide on the future course of action."

According to him, till now 1,614 people have been tested. Of them, 26 people have tested positive till Sunday evening. Their samples have been sent to the designated lab in NIMHANS. Later, the report will be sent to the ICMR.
He stressed that there was no need to panic with regards the emergence of a new strain of the coronavirus.

Cases are reducing and the fatalities have come down substantially. There are many districts which have not seen a single death for the past many days," he added.

According to him, there were cases coming up in certain localities of Bengaluru. "Even the UK returnees are located in Bengaluru only. So, it will not affect the schools," the minister explained.

Regarding vaccines, Sudhakar said he was expecting it at the earliest. He said the Prime Minister was going to offer the best gift to the people of the country.

Speaking about the trial results of Covaccine, he said encouraging results were emerging from the third trial as well. There are no adverse effects on 95 to 96 per cent people. Their immunity of these people had also gone up," he added.

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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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