Will give `10 lakh relief for dead worker: DKS

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said the party had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for a worker who died during the course of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state.

He added that a policewoman had also died during the march’s Karnataka leg. He did not specify whether the deceased was one of the four men who had suffered a shock while trying to tie flags to an electric pole near Moka in Ballari district.

“The incident that brought us sorrow during this march is the deaths of one of our workers and a woman cop. I am going to visit Shivamogga on November 28 and announce a relief of Rs10 lakh for the worker’s family,” Shivakumar said.

He also sought to quash the rumours that some leaders didn’t bring enough people from their constituencies, causing rifts within the party. “This march was made possible by everyone’s support. Everyone contributed according to their ability. Some people brought 10 vehicles (buses) full of people. Others brought 300 vehicles full of people,” he said.

‘Yatra successful’ Shivakumar said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra had been a success, adding that the party had been revitalized in the state because of it. He added that when he requested that the march start a little later, Rahul Gandhi had disagreed.

“He (Rahul) woke up at 5:30 am and started marching by 6:25 am. He did not even make a slight change to this schedule. When I requested that the march start a little late, he did not agree. This was not a walk for the two of us only. A distance of 3,500 kilometres had to be covered. Therefore no change can be made, he’d said,” Shivakumar said.