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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Bypoll results will decide the future of Congress in Karnataka: BJP leader Ashoka
Bengaluru (PTI): Leader of Opposition BJP in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka said the results of the bypolls in Davanagere South and Bagalkote assembly constituencies will decide the future of the ruling Congress in the state.
The bypolls were necessitated following the demise of sitting Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, who represented Davanagere South and Bagalkote constituencies respectively.
The ruling Congress has fielded Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson and Karnataka Minister S S Mallikarjun’s son Samarth Shamanur in Davanagere South and Umesh Meti in Bagalkote, who are locked in a direct contest with BJP candidates T Dasakariyappa and Veerabhadrayya Charantimath.
According to Ashoka, there is a contest between the poor and the rich in the upcoming bypolls, scheduled on April 9.
"The Congress will lose this election, and the future of the state will be decided. Since Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said ‘Make the poor win’, the BJP has fielded poor candidates,” the BJP leader said in a press conference.
In Davanagere, the BJP has given a ticket to an ordinary person, whereas Congress has given tickets to powerful and influential people. In Bagalkote, there is a very good opinion about the BJP candidate, he claimed.
According to him, the Congress has given space to dynastic politics in both places. Therefore, the BJP has a strong chance of winning in both constituencies.
The LoP said if the Congress candidate wins in Davanagere, it is understood that Muslims will not get opportunities in the future, and therefore, Muslims are opposing the Congress party.
He also charged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who talks about uniting backward classes, has not given a ticket to backward class candidates.
