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Over 300 booked for Covid violations during Owaisi rally
The Market police in Belagavi city registered a case under the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act and the Disaster Management Act, apart from IPC sections based on a complaint by Sripad Kulkarni, who is a nodal officer for Covid-19.
Over 300 people who attended a political rally of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi in support of two candidates contesting the municipal corporation elections on Monday, were booked for violating Covid-19 protocols, police said on Tuesday.
The Market police in Belagavi city registered a case under the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act and the Disaster Management Act, apart from IPC sections based on a complaint by Sripad Kulkarni, who is a nodal officer for Covid-19.
Three urban local bodies (ULB’s)--Hubbali-Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi--are heading to the polls on September 3. The counting will be held on September 6.
All three major political parties--BJP, Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) and other local outfits are carrying out similar rallies across these districts.
Heightened political campaigning in earlier bypolls in three constituencies—Basava Kalyan, Maski and Belagavi (Lok Sabha)--on April 17 had resulted in a sharp spike in Covid cases in these districts and contributed to the severity of the second wave of infections that lasted between March and July this year, Hindustan Times had reported.
Then chief minister BS Yediyurappa had warned of strict action “after the election”, making it a convenient case for political parties to violate rules while continuing to hold citizens responsible for the rapid spread.
In a bid to stop the spread, the state government has made it mandatory for all persons coming from neighbouring Kerala to undergo seven-day institutional quarantine.
“Guidelines for Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Charamarajanagar are yet to be discussed. I will discuss this with CM regarding this. People entering border districts need be under surveillance to check the spread of infection,” Dr K Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister for health, family welfare and medical education said on Tuesday.
He also added that the government will initiate action against a college in Kolar which has become a Covid hotspot after nearly 32 students have tested positive.
“32 students are infected with Covid in a college in KGF. All of them are Kerala returnees. I will visit the college and take action against the college management. Covid has been brought under control to 700-800 cases per day from as high as 50,000 cases per day. (The) Government has worked hard to mitigate the pandemic,” Sudhakar said.
