Karnataka Cong padayatra continues FIR against Siddaramaiah D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru Feb 28 PTI Karnataka Congress padayatra foot march demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project across the Cauvery river continued on Monday even as an FIR was registered against 38 party members including state president D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah for violation of COVID-19 rules Meanwhile Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called the padayatra as politically motivated and questioned the opposition partys contribution to the project An FIR that has been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code and the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act for violation of COVID-19 rules which names Congress leaders like Shivakumar Siddaramaiah D K Suresh Ravi S Dhruva Narayan Priyank Kharge Eshwar Khandre Saleem Ahmed among others The FIR has been registered at Ijoor police station in Ramanagara district for the padayatra held on Sunday by gathering a large number of people not wearing face masks or maintaining social distance and violating COVID-19 guidelines The prevailing COVID norms carry a ban on rallies dharnas and protests The FIR also cites a letter by the Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner to Shivakumar on February 24 denying permission for the padayatra Reacting to the FIR Shivakumar speaking to reporters said even 100 cases could be booked but the padayatra will continue let them BJP govt give whatever trouble they want we will continue he said as he questioned as to why cases were not booked against BJP leaders and other right-wing organisations when they held gatherings or protests He further said Congress had informed the CM DG district administration and authorities about the padayatra As they BJP govt didnt want us to hold the padayatra they extended COVID rules he alleged After temporarily halting it in January due to COVID-19 concerns the Congress had resumed the padayatra on Sunday and had covered a distance of 15 km from Ramanagara to Bidadi On Monday the foot march covered a distance of 205 km to reach Kengeri from Bidadi The padayatra 20 with the theme Namma Neeru Namma Hakku Our water Our right will culminate at the National College Ground in Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on March 3 after covering a total distance of 798 kilometres This is the second leg of the march that ended abruptly in Ramanagara on January 13 when the third wave of the COVID-19 had peaked The march that had initially begun at Sangama the confluence of Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers at Kanakapura in Ramanagara district on January 9 was scheduled to conclude at Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on January 19 after spanning a total distance of nearly 139 km It was however temporarily halted on January 13 with limited options before the party amid surging COVID-19 cases government prohibiting movement of people and the Karnataka High Courts strong observations regarding violation of curbs Several Congress leaders who had attended the march were also infected by coronavirus Reacting to Congress march Chief Minister Bommai said There is no need to give much importance to it padayatra Despite knowing all the facts they are doing padayatra for political gains People are aware that during the Congress regime they werent even able to prepare a DPR What is their contribution to Mekedatu he asked while addressing reporters in Hubballi Earlier in the day during the march Siddaramaiah told the media that the padayatra will continue and enter Bengaluru city tomorrow despite Shivaratri festival Noting that a large number of people are participating in the padayatra despite the scorching sun Shivakumar said the response for the march has been really good The Mekedatu multi-purpose drinking and power project involves building a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district to which neighbouring Tamil Nadu is opposed The estimated Rs 9000 crore project once completed is aimed at ensuring drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas 475 TMC and it can also generate 400 MW power PTI KSU KSU HDA HDA
Bengaluru Feb 28 PTI Karnataka Congress padayatra foot march demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project across the Cauvery river continued on Monday even as an FIR was registered against 38 party members including state president D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah for violation of COVID-19 rules Meanwhile Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called the padayatra as politically motivated and questioned the opposition partys contribution to the project An FIR that has been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code and the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act for violation of COVID-19 rules which names Congress leaders like Shivakumar Siddaramaiah D K Suresh Ravi S Dhruva Narayan Priyank Kharge Eshwar Khandre Saleem Ahmed among others The FIR has been registered at Ijoor police station in Ramanagara district for the padayatra held on Sunday by gathering a large number of people not wearing face masks or maintaining social distance and violating COVID-19 guidelines The prevailing COVID norms carry a ban on rallies dharnas and protests The FIR also cites a letter by the Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner to Shivakumar on February 24 denying permission for the padayatra Reacting to the FIR Shivakumar speaking to reporters said even 100 cases could be booked but the padayatra will continue let them BJP govt give whatever trouble they want we will continue he said as he questioned as to why cases were not booked against BJP leaders and other right-wing organisations when they held gatherings or protests He further said Congress had informed the CM DG district administration and authorities about the padayatra As they BJP govt didnt want us to hold the padayatra they extended COVID rules he alleged After temporarily halting it in January due to COVID-19 concerns the Congress had resumed the padayatra on Sunday and had covered a distance of 15 km from Ramanagara to Bidadi On Monday the foot march covered a distance of 205 km to reach Kengeri from Bidadi The padayatra 20 with the theme Namma Neeru Namma Hakku Our water Our right will culminate at the National College Ground in Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on March 3 after covering a total distance of 798 kilometres This is the second leg of the march that ended abruptly in Ramanagara on January 13 when the third wave of the COVID-19 had peaked The march that had initially begun at Sangama the confluence of Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers at Kanakapura in Ramanagara district on January 9 was scheduled to conclude at Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on January 19 after spanning a total distance of nearly 139 km It was however temporarily halted on January 13 with limited options before the party amid surging COVID-19 cases government prohibiting movement of people and the Karnataka High Courts strong observations regarding violation of curbs Several Congress leaders who had attended the march were also infected by coronavirus Reacting to Congress march Chief Minister Bommai said There is no need to give much importance to it padayatra Despite knowing all the facts they are doing padayatra for political gains People are aware that during the Congress regime they werent even able to prepare a DPR What is their contribution to Mekedatu he asked while addressing reporters in Hubballi Earlier in the day during the march Siddaramaiah told the media that the padayatra will continue and enter Bengaluru city tomorrow despite Shivaratri festival Noting that a large number of people are participating in the padayatra despite the scorching sun Shivakumar said the response for the march has been really good The Mekedatu multi-purpose drinking and power project involves building a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district to which neighbouring Tamil Nadu is opposed The estimated Rs 9000 crore project once completed is aimed at ensuring drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas 475 TMC and it can also generate 400 MW power PTI KSU KSU HDA HDA
