“No Corona Right here”: Karnataka Congress Holds Protest In spite of Restrictions
Karnataka has reported over 22,000 COVID-19 circumstances up to now 72 hours
Bengaluru:
An afternoon after Karnataka reported 8,906 Covid circumstances – probably the most in an afternoon since mid-June – the Congress introduced a 10-day protest march – over a ingesting water undertaking – that drew a crowd of hundreds in defiance of pandemic protocols, together with the usage of face mask and care for social distance.
The march – titled ‘namma neeru, namma hakku, or ‘our water, our proper’ – used to be led via Chief of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and state Congress leader DK Shivakumar, who instructed TTN NEWS “there is not any corona… no illness (in Ramnagara district, the place the padyatra used to be flagged off)”.
“We’re strolling for water. The BJP executive needs to forestall us… however there is not any coronavirus, no illness right here. They just imposed Phase 144 (to prohibit huge gatherings) and mentioned no person can input this space,” Mr Shivakumar instructed TTN NEWS.
The march – which is scheduled to hide 100 km over its 10 days – started as of late in spite of the Karnataka executive having ordered a weekend curfew this is in impact until Five am Monday.
Visuals confirmed masses, in all probability hundreds, status shoulder-to-shoulder underneath the recent solar, taking note of political leaders make speeches. All over the march itself many brushed aside social distancing norms or even fewer wore face mask.
As he marched alongside (dressed in black footwear for convenience) Mr Shivakumar used to be no longer dressed in a face masks both, in spite of being surrounded via other folks.
DK Shivakumar mentioned the BJP used to be the usage of the specter of Covid to stifle the opposition’s voice
Karnataka has reported over 22,000 COVID-19 circumstances up to now 72 hours.
Ramnagara district recorded 28 new circumstances on Saturday.
The district management had previous served realize to Mr Shivakumar asking him to not violate the curfew, however the Congress chief disregarded the request and vowed to press on with the programme.
Mr Shivakumar declared as of late that over 100 MLAs and 200 ex-MLAs and ministers, in addition to actors and non secular leaders, have been both taking part within the march or had introduced their toughen, and that the ruling BJP used to be the usage of the specter of COVID-19 to stifle the opposition and other folks’s issues.
“It’s going to no longer occur. They (the BJP executive) are most effective seeking to create (concern). There is not any unfold of any illness right here… when the Leader Minister performed an oath within the dinner party corridor there have been greater than 5,000 other folks. It did not unfold there… why will have to it unfold right here?” he instructed TTN NEWS.
Leader Minister Basavaraj Bommai has puzzled the timing of the Congress’ grand protest and warned of felony motion if the foundations are violated.
“All over the coalition executive (when the Congress and JDS have been in energy), DK Shivakumar used to be Water Assets Minister… there used to be no initiation from his facet then. There have been no discussions delivered to the desk…” he identified.
The 10-day march is scheduled to finish in Bengaluru, the place the Covid positivity price is over 10 in line with cent already; the town reported a being worried 7,113 new circumstances on Saturday.
The rustic is scrambling to comprise a daunting surge in Covid circumstances over the last few weeks, fuelled, partially, via the extra infectious Omicron pressure. Karnataka – which reported India’s first two Omicron Covid circumstances again in December – has 441 circumstances, at the back of most effective Delhi and Maharashtra.
