‘They can arrest us but padayatra will go on’

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar has accused the state government of giving a ‘bogus’ figure on Corona cases with the sole intention of preventing the Congress party from taking out the padayatra from Mekedatu to Bengaluru from January 9 to 19.

Addressing a news conference here on Friday, Shivakumar said the previous BJP government headed by B.S.Yediyurappa did not impose night curfew or week-end curfew despite the Case Positivity Rate (CPR) reaching almost 39 per cent. Now the CPR is hardly 3.95 per cent and the number of people getting admitted to hospitals is very negligible. This has given rise to a feeling that the Corona figure released by the government is ‘bogus,’ he said.

Shivakumar said all arrangements have been made for the padayatra which is apolitical adding that people from all walks of life could join it. Instead of backing it, the government has directed the Ramanagar district administration to impose prohibitory orders at tourism spots including Mekedatu. The district police are even forcing owners of hotels, restaurants, lodges and r e s o r t s not to give rooms on rent citing the week-end curfew.

“We are not afraid of such cheap tactics. If it comes to the worst, I and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah will walk for water. Let them arrest or dump us in jail but there is no question of dropping the padayatra at any cost”, he said adding that the agitators will strictly follow Covid Appropriate Behavior (CAB) such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance.