Will not postpone padayatra even if it costs my life: DK Shivakumar
BENGALURU: Taking an aggressive stance, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar on Thursday said the Congress’ pre-scheduled padayatra from Mekedatu to Bengaluru on Sunday will go as per the plan even if it “costs him his life”.
“Let him arrest me and send me to jail, but it may take another lifetime for Home Minister Araga Jnanendra to stop the padayatra, which we have planned in the interest of the people of the state,” he thundered.
Apparently to send out a clear message that the padayatra is unstoppable, the KPCC chief held talks on Thursday with party senior leaders, including opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge.
Later, speaking to reporters, he reiterated the Congress’ allegation that the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government was conspiring to thwart the padayatra by “inflating the spike of Covid cases in the state”.
“Unable to stomach the overwhelming response to the padayatra and digest the recent MLC poll results, which were in favour of the Congress, they are trying to stop the padayatra,” he said. He also questioned why the government instructed the Ramanagara district administration to not allow hotels to operate normally when no such restrictions have been imposed elsewhere in tourist spots of Karnataka.
“We have booked rooms to stay overnight on the eve of the padayatra in Mekedatu,” he said adding that it will be taken out while adhering to the Covid guidelines. “I represent the party as its president while Siddaramaiah represents 100 legislators. We two will walk throughout padayatra. There will be four to five members along with us, who could shoulder the coffin as well as the palanquin.”