Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai attended a meeting chaired by Chief Minister on Saturday covering face but he did not covered his face while giving his interview to a TV journalist.
Officials yet to trace journalist’s contacts
… Bommai has worn mask at later briefings of CM, minimising risk to Yediyurappa
BENGALURU:
In a shocking revelation, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai was interviewed by an infected TV journalist who is currently being treated at a government hospital in Bengaluru.
The journalist, who works for reputed English news channel Republic TV, had admitted himself to the hospital on June 26 evening.
Even 3 days later, BBMP and state health officials have yet to trace his primary and secondary contacts, even as some journalists have self-quarantined to be on the safe side.
Sources told theBengalurulive that the Home Minister interacted with the journalist on June 25 in the conference hall at Vidhan Soudha.
“Many other national TV journalists were part of the interview with the Home Minister and the infected journalist was one among them,” said one of the journalists.
Journalists panic as Home Minister to address media today
Meanwhile, journalists from the mainstream electronic media are worried after a Karnataka Information Department representative posted a Whatsapp message on Sunday evening stating that the Home Minister would be participating in a media briefing on June 29 at 11:30 am at the conference hall in Vidhana Soudha.
The media briefing is scheduled to be addressed by Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who is also currently Covid-19 minister, and Health Minister B Sriramulu.
Many senior journalists are in two minds whether they should attend the media briefing as the Home Minister was a direct contact of the infected journalist.
A source said that during the earlier media interview, the Home Minister was not wearing a mask and he was at high risk of infection from the infected journalist.
However, journalists who regularly attend the pressers of the Chief Minister at the Vidhana Soudha witnessed the Home Minister attending the CM’s meeting on Saturday and Sunday. He was wearing a mask, thus reducing the risk to the Chief Minister.
Journalist yet to be contacted
Meanwhile, sources said BBMP officials are yet to trace the contacts of the infected journalist who got himself admitted at the CV Raman Hospital.
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