Covid ‘advisory’ asking people to prefer vegetarian food is fake, clarifies ICMR

Bengaluru, Oct 16: The House Committee of Karnataka Assembly, chaired by BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekhar, has decided to conduct a survey to identify unauthorised people connected to Christian missionaries, carrying out conversion activities in the state.

On October 13, the House Committee convened a meeting and took the decision after the issue came up for discussion in the state assembly on September 21.

Shekhar had raised the issue and had alleged that as many as 20,000 people including his 72-year-old mother had converted to Christianity in Chitradurga district.

The House Committee wants to decipher the number of authorised and unauthorised people engaged in the activities of Christian missionaries in the state, Shekhar said.

Directions also have been given to authorities in three Yadgir, Chitradurga and Vijayapura districts to check conversion activities, he said.

These districts are the most backward regions of the state and the poor people fall prey to Christian missionaries' allurement tactics, Shekhar said.

The authorities have also been directed to initiate stringent action soon after receiving reports of conversion activity, he said.

The House Committee is finding ways within the parameters of the law to stop converted Dalits availing reservation benefits, Shekhar said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai government is serious about introducing an anti-conversion bill after studying similar laws implemented in other states including Uttar Pradesh.

The pro-Hindu outfits have been very active in raiding the places of conversions across the state with the help of police.

Bengaluru, Oct 23: Prices of petrol and diesel across the nation were hiked by 35 paise for the fourth consecutive day, a notification by oil marketing companies (OMCs) showed.

A litre of petrol in Delhi now costs Rs 107.24, while diesel costs Rs 95.97 per litre. In Mumbai, the rate of petrol currently stands at Rs 113.12 per litre and a litre of diesel at Rs 104.00.

Similarly, in Bengaluru, a litre of petrol costs Rs 110.98 per litre and diesel Rs 101.86 per litre.

Prices differ from state to state, depending on the incidence of local taxes.

Petrol price has been hiked on 19 occasions since September 28, when a three-week-long hiatus in rate revision ended. In all, prices have gone up by Rs 5.7 a litre.

Diesel rates have been increased by Rs 7 per litre in 22 hikes since September 24.

Prior to that, the petrol price was increased by Rs 11.44 a litre between May 4 and July 17. The diesel rate had gone up by Rs 9.14 per litre during this period.

New Delhi, Oct 22: As India breached the landmark of administering one billion Covid vaccine doses, the experts around the globe are positive about the country’s economic growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

“Experts in India and abroad are very positive about India’s economy. Today, not only record investment is coming to Indian companies but new employment opportunities are also being created for the youth...Positive activities are accelerating in every field with increasing coverage of the vaccine,” Modi said during his address to the nation.

Modi noted that the agriculture sector kept India’s economy “firmly in place” during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Today, food grains are being procured at a record level. The money is going directly into the bank account of the farmers,” he said.

Talking about other sectors of the economy, the Modi said that today, Indian companies aren’t just getting record investments, but employment generation is also taking place.

“Along with record investment in start-ups, record start-up unicorns are also being developed,” he said.

He reiterated his clarion call of 'Vocal For Local' and appealed to people to buy ‘Made in India’ products during the festival season.

“Emphasis should be given to buying made in India products. This will be possible only with the efforts of everyone. We have to put buying things made by Indians, being Vocal For Local, into practice,” he stated.

Modi also urged people to celebrate the upcoming festivals with utmost caution.

“I appeal to all those who have not taken the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine yet should be given utmost priority to getting vaccinated. Those who are vaccinated should encourage others,” he said.

Urging people to keep following Covid protocols, Modi added: “No matter how good the armour is, no matter how modern the armour is, even if armour guarantees complete protection, weapons are not thrown while the battle is on. I request that we have to celebrate our festivals with the utmost care.”

Meanwhile, more than one billion vaccine doses have been administered so far to eligible beneficiaries, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.