D K Shivakumar accuses Karnataka govt of giving false COVID positive reports, seeks judicial probe
Ramanagara, Jan 10: Accusing the BJP government in Karnataka of giving false COVID-19 positive reports, aimed at creating trouble for his party's ongoing padayatra (march), by citing rise in cases, Congress Karnataka president D K Shivakumar on Monday demanded a judicial probe into it.
He also alleged there is a conspiracy to somehow declare him COVID positive to scuttle the march.
The Congress had commenced its 10-day padayatra on Sunday demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project across the Cauvery river, despite the COVID-19 restrictions.
"The Karnataka government is conspiring against me and my party to somehow stop this padayatra, it is their main programme....last night Assistant Deputy Commissioner (ADC) was sent to me to get me tested and get my positive report," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines on the second day of the padayatra, he said, "They (govt) are giving false positive reports, so there should be an inquiry...they are trying to end the life of the people by imposing restrictions for the sake of politics. I demand a judicial probe on the numbers being reported."
"The rising positivity rate is BJP's. It is BJP's positive, BJP's COVID, BJP's Omicron, BJP's lockdown and curfew. Despite people not having the disease, they are creating one," he claimed, even as the state on Sunday registered a spike in numbers, by reporting 12,000 new cases.
Further alleging a conspiracy to get him COVID infected or positive certificate, the KPCC chief said, according to his information the ADC who came and met him last night is now corona infected.
"He is the primary contact or something. Then why did they (BJP govt) send that officer to me? Where did they learn this trick? They somehow want to create trouble. Why do they want to do such petty politics?" he asked.
Asked why he suspected, even before the test, that officials will give his positive report, he said, "Don't we get information? I have all the information of the bureaucracy, the Ministers and officials share information with me."
Meanwhile, a viral video of Shivakumar purportedly reprimanding officials who wanted to test him for COVID-19, last evening, has gone viral.
".....I'm fit and fine. You can't compel me. I know the law of this land, Shivakumar can be heard telling officials including the ADC, in a high tone.
Hitting back at Shivakumar for his behaviour with officials, Chief Minister Bommai said it shows his culture.
"We (govt) are concerned about his health, not only him but all others who walked along with him for a long distance yesterday. Checking their health is the duty and generosity of the Health Department, without understanding it, he has behaved, can't do much about it, it's his culture," he said.
Meanwhile, police have registered FIR against nearly 30 Congress leaders and others including Shivakumar, leader of opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah and Bengaluru Rural MP D K Suresh for taking part in the padayatra, defying COVID-19 curbs.
Reacting to this, Shivakumar claimed that curfew wasn't followed in many parts of the state and no cases have been booked against BJP leaders who violated COVID rules, while FIRs have been registered against 30 people who participated in the Congress' padayatra.
Further stating that he has advised the Congress' Legal cell to look into the government not taking action against BJP leaders who violated the rules, he said, "this is a political fight, fight against injustice....if cases are not registered, we will fight against it."
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
