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Sadanand Gowda flies to Bengaluru, gives quarantine a go-by. New SOP out
The minister for chemicals and fertilisers soon after arrival left in a private car even as other passengers were sent to compulsory one week of institutional quarantine mandated by the Karnataka government for any passengers coming from high risk states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi.
Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda flew in from Delhi to Bengaluru but did not proceed for the mandatory one week of institutional quarantine followed by another week of quarantine at home mandated by the state government.
The minister for chemicals and fertilisers soon after arrival left in a private car even as other passengers were sent to compulsory one week of institutional quarantine mandated by the Karnataka government for any passengers coming from high risk states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi.
Gowda, speaking to the media, claimed that being a minister he was exempt from the quarantine rules. He accused the media of unnecessarily blowing up the issue.
“I am also looking after Pharma. It is my duty to ensure that there is no shortage of medicine supply in the country. If I don’t do that then the number of cases will double,” he said, adding ,“If doctors are quarantined, if people who supply medicines are quarantined, how will we beat the virus?”
His assistant claimed that Gowda had come with a negative Covid-19 test report conducted by an ICMR approved lab but refused to elaborate further.
In an SOP released shortly after the controversy erupted, Pankaj Kumar Pandey, state commissioner of health and family welfare, said, “The ministers of union government or state governments or officers on their official duty who are travelling across states will be exempted from the requirements of quarantine as has been done for health professionals and others.”
The Karnataka Congress, however, questioned the union minister giving the quarantine a go-by.
“…(Sadananda Gowda) flouts all Covid norms, lands from Delhi and walks away without quarantine period. The Karnataka government rules have no exemption for anyone. How come he comes up with his own rules? Is he not putting all his primary contacts under health risk? Why no action?” tweeted the Karnataka Congress.
BJP spokesperson, Prakash, said the minister has already clarified his stand on the issue.
