Karnataka's new CM talks tough: Border checking, mandatory testing

As COVID cases rise again in Karnataka, new chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday (July 30) hinted at tightening control at borders and making compulsory testing a norm to check the spread of coronavirus.

Speaking with media persons in Delhi Bommai, who is on his first visit to the national capital after becoming the chief minister, also said that he will make every possible effort to further strengthen the state’s health infrastructure.

The new Karnataka chief minister met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament. Bommai said he was asked by the BJP’s Central leadership to deliver good administration and good governance. He thanked the party leadership for reposing faith in him and promised that his government will be pro-people. He is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day.

Bommai said he is aware of the COVID situation in the state and is in touch with the administration. He said he has spoken to district collectors of Dakshin Kannada, Chamarajanagar, Mysuru and Kodagu in this regard. “We have to tighten our borders. We have to make compulsory COVID testing and vaccination the norm,” he said.

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The new CM said people travelling by roadways are being checked while highlighting the need to keep a tab on train passengers as well.

District collectors and Superintendent of Police (SPs) have been given the task of ensuring people are checked properly at inter-state borders.

Karnataka reported 2,052 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 35 deaths on Thursday, taking the total number of infections to 29,01,247 and the death toll to 36,491.

Bommai said that further strengthening the state’s health infrastructure is his priority. “We need to take measures to further strengthen our health infrastructure. The priority is to stop the spread of the disease,” he said.

Chief Minister Bommai said he will visit flood-hit districts in the state after the Delhi visit.

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Bommai was elected as the new leader of the BJP legislature party a few days back, following B S Yediyurappa’s resignation. Bommai took oath as the chief minister on Wednesday (July 28).

(With inputs from agencies)