Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Saturday, 23 May urged residents not to panic over Ebola, stating that the state government has already put preventive measures in place and that no Ebola case has been detected in India so far. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the Minister confirmed that the Health Department is in continuous contact with central authorities and is closely monitoring the evolving situation.

Precautionary Measures in Place

'There is no need for the public to panic about Ebola, but people should remain aware and cautious. No Ebola case has been detected in India so far, and no neighbouring countries have reported any cases either. However, we have taken all necessary precautionary measures,' Gundu Rao said.

Travellers arriving from African countries such as Uganda and Congo will be placed under observation for 21 days and have been instructed to report any symptoms associated with the disease. The Minister also appealed to the public to disregard rumours, assuring that both the state and central governments have issued guidelines and initiated preventive protocols.

Petrol Price Rise: Minister Targets Centre

Shifting to the issue of rising fuel costs, Gundu Rao criticised the Centre's economic policies, alleging that the country could face serious economic difficulties in the coming days. He cited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as having warned about the situation nearly six months ago and attributed the current crisis to what he described as unnecessary wars and the Union government's handling of the matter.

'The central government has failed to state India's position clearly from the beginning. Instead of finding solutions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making statements asking people not to travel or buy gold. During former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure, crude oil prices had touched 120 dollars per barrel, yet measures were taken to ensure that people were not burdened,' he alleged.

The Minister further alleged that even when international crude oil prices were low, the Centre did not reduce petrol prices and instead earned significant revenue through taxes. 'Now, when global fuel prices are rising because of war, the Centre is continuing to increase fuel prices rather than reducing taxes to help people,' he added.

Karnataka Ready to Conduct NEET at State Level

On the contentious NEET examination issue, Gundu Rao said Karnataka is prepared to conduct the exam at the state level if the Centre grants permission. He alleged that the central government commits errors in NEET administration every year, causing hardship to students, and pointed to cases of student suicides linked to the exam's conduct.

'Every year, the central government commits one mistake or another in conducting NEET examinations, causing hardship to students. Several students have died by suicide, and parents are suffering. The Centre is not conducting the exam responsibly,' he alleged.

He noted that Karnataka's Common Entrance Test (CET) system has been functioning successfully and expressed confidence that the state is capable of administering NEET effectively if given the opportunity. The remarks signal a continuing push by state governments for greater autonomy over medical entrance examinations.