K'taka govt prohibits inter, intra district movement for Mekedatu Padayatra
Bengaluru, Jan 12: Aimed at curtailing mobilisation of people from various districts for Congress' ongoing padayatra, the Karnataka government on Wednesday prohibited inter district and intra district (within Ramanagara), movement of vehicles and persons for participating in it, with immediate effect.
Directing, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, all Police Commissioners of the State, for the strict implementation of the order, Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar said the Transport Commissioner has also been asked to take adequate measures to implement it and aid the District administrations.
"...all, inter district (within Karnataka) and intra district (within Ramanagara), movement of vehicles and persons for participating in 'Nama Neeru Namma Hakku' padayatra or whichever name it is called with similar purpose from Mekedatu to Bengaluru is prohibited with immediate effect and will be in force until further orders," the government's order said.
It said, despite the explicit order of banning dharnas and protests vide orders on January 4 and 11 which is in force until January 31, it is observed that certain groups of people have organized and mobilized people from various districts to Ramanagara district to participate in the padayatra, defying government orders.
The act of defiance is endangering the lives of a large number of people, it further said, adding that the padayatra is likely to aggravate the already worsening COVID-19 situation in the State.
Any person violating these measures will be liable under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, besides legal action under Sections of the IPC, and other legal provisions as applicable.
The order has come on a day, when the Karnataka High Court questioned the state government as to why it allowed the Congress' padayatra, which is being held in violation of its COVID curbs, and why no appropriate action was taken by the authorities to restrain the march.
It has also asked the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) whether it had obtained permission for the padayatra and whether measures have been taken in compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed by the government to prevent the COVID-19 spread.
The court has asked both the state government as well as the Congress to respond by Friday.
The Congress' 10-day long padayatra demanding implementation of Mekedatu project, to which neighbouring Tamil Nadu is opposed, continued for the fourth day on Wednesday for a distance of about 15 km from Chikkenahalli to Ramanagara, with participation of hundreds of party workers and supporters.
The padayatra that began on January 9, spanning a distance of nearly 139 km, is scheduled to conclude at Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on January 19.
Police have already filed three FIRs against Congress leaders including its state president D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah, for taking out the march defying COVID-19 curbs.
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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.
