VIPs and religious groups have made a mockery of lockdown measures in Karnataka. A day after thousands of devotees took part in the Siddalungeshwara Jatra in Kalburgi district, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil tied the knot on Friday with Revathi, niece of former Minister M Krishnappa, in full fanfare.
According to reports put out by news agencies, scores of people reportedly thronged a farmhouse in Ramanagara district near Bengaluru to get a glimpse of the wedding of former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda’s grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy. The visitors at the ceremony were seen without facial masks or observing the one metre distance between two individuals as part of the social distancing advised by the Government.
The marriage was solemnised at Kumaraswamy’s Kethaganahalli farmhouse at Bidadi in Ramanagara district, considered a JD(S) stronghold.
“The information we have is that at least 150 to 200 vehicles were given permission to attend the event. This happened when the social workers who want to serve the badly affected poor people are not getting permission to run their vehicles,” Ramanagar BJP district president M Rudresh was reported to have alleged.
“Till now Ramanagara is safe from coronavirus. If at all the disease spreads in Ramanagara, the entire blame will be on Deve Gowda’s family,” Rudresh alleged.
The local leader said he will meet the Deputy Commissioner and the SP of Ramanagara district and ask them how permission was granted for such a “large gathering”.
However, JD(S) MLC TA Sharavana denied allegations that the lockdown norms were flouted, claiming, “There were only eight people on the stage to perform rituals as against the claim that people crowded the venue.”
“Social distancing was maintained throughout the marriage,” Sharavana told an agency.
JD(S) leader NH Konaraddi also denied the accusations saying that all the norms were followed.
“Whatever Central guidelines are there, we have them followed in toto. The social distancing norm has also been adhered to,” he claimed.
In Kalaburagi, the Siddalingeshwara Jatra was organised in Ravoor village of Chittapur taluk with a large number of devotees seen violating the lockdown norms of social distancing and wearing face masks.
The event entailed the chariot pulling ritual in the temple where scores of devotees had participated.
The chariot pulling ceremony was scheduled to take place on Thursday evening but the Siddalingeshwara Trust agreed to cancel the event in keeping with the lockdown norms. However, the chariot was pulled on Thursday morning at 5 am in the presence of many devotees without the local administration being kept in the loop.
An FIR in the matter was filed on Friday.
Last week, BJP MLA from Teruvekere, Masale Jayaram celebrated his birthday in a grand style with participation of hundreds of villagers, including children.
Jayaram had hosted his birthday party at a Government school in Tumkuru, videos of which are available in the open domain.
People gathered in large numbers at the venue Idagaru Government School to wish their legislator amid the lockdown.
The MLA is heard addressing his well-wishers who gathered around the table at the venue as Jayaram cut a cake.
A number of visitors were seen wearing masks in the video but the social distancing norms were not followed.
The MLA was garlanded with a shawl by his supporters and is seen wearing gloves and a face mask.