BENGALURU: Amid the spike in Covid-19 cases, the Congress appears determined to push ahead with its Mekedatu padayatra. To prepare the grounds for the march, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah has convened a Congress Legislature Party meeting at KPCC president DK Shivakumar’s residence in Kanakapura on Saturday. The meeting is likely to evolve a strategy on how to tackle the government’s imposition of the Covid restrictions, especially on Sunday, when the padayatra will kick off, sources said.
“I had written to the CM to withdraw the weekend curfew, but he has responded through the Deputy Commissioner clarifying that the padayatra will not be allowed, presuming that we will be in the thousands. But certainly, we both will walk, seeking the implementation of the Mekedatu irrigation project,” said Shivakumar.
Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner Dr K Rakesh Kumar has asked the Congress leaders not to go ahead with the padayatra. “They have not intimated us about the padayatra, or the CLP meeting, seeking permission. Since I have got to know through the Superintendent of Police that they are holding a rally, with 4,000 to 5,000 people expected to take part, a notice has been issued to the KPCC president. The weekend curfew is in place and we will take all measures to maintain law and order,” he told TNIE.
The padayatra is likely to witness a high-voltage drama as Congress leaders have dared the administration to arrest them “on the pretext of the Covid restriction”. “There is a yardstick to clamp a curfew or lockdown and they cannot do it when the positivity rate is less than 2 per cent. Our former health minister had conducted his own probe and found that the cases were inflated by the government.
We demand a probe by a sitting judge over this,” urged Shivakumar reiterating that the padayatra will be taken out by adhering to all the norms. He also added that six ministers in the government have also opposed the curfew.