1. A day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the restrictions on wearing hijab (head scarf) in educational institutions will be done away with, all eyes are on when the government will withdraw the order in this regard that was issued during the previous BJP regime. Speaking at Nanjangud in Mysuru district yesterday, he emphasised that choices on dress and food are personal and no external interference and politicisation should be allowed. He said that the Prime Minister’s refrain “Sabka saath, sabka vikas” rings hollow with the BJP pursuing the agenda of interfering in such choices. The BJP has already taken strong exception to this proposed move.
2. A two-day Veerashaiva-Lingayat convention will be inaugurated at Davanagere in central Karnataka at 12.30 p.m. today. Political leaders, including Ministers, are expected to participate in this convention which gains importance in light of the community’s strong resistance to caste census report.
3. Amidst fears of surge in COVID cases with the new variant JN.1, Karnataka has stepped up testing and is getting its medical facilities updated to tackle any possible surge. With 78 new cases, the total number of active cases touched 175 in Karnataka on Friday. Of these, 13 are under treatment in hospitals and the remaining under home isolation. Of the 13, six are admitted in intensive care units.
