"No Corona Here": Karnataka Congress Holds Protest Despite Restrictions
NDTV
"... there is no coronavirus, no disease (in Ramnagara district). They imposed Section 144 (to ban large gatherings) and said no one can enter," Mr Shivakumar told NDTV
A day after Karnataka reported 8,906 Covid cases - the most in a day since mid-June - the Congress launched a 10-day protest march - over a drinking water project - that drew a crowd of thousands in defiance of pandemic protocols, including the use of face masks and maintain social distance.
The march - titled 'namma neeru, namma hakku, or 'our water, our right' - was led by Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar, who told NDTV "there is no corona... no disease (in Ramnagara district, where the padyatra was flagged off)".
"We are walking for water. The BJP government wants to stop us... but there is no coronavirus, no disease here. They simply imposed Section 144 (to ban large gatherings) and said no one can enter this area," Mr Shivakumar told NDTV.
The march - which is scheduled to cover 100 km over its 10 days - began today despite the Karnataka government having ordered a weekend curfew that is in effect till 5 am Monday.
