Bengaluru:As the Congres's 'padayatra' demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project across the Kaveri River entered its fourth day, Karnataka High Court pulled up the State government and issued a show-cause notice to the Congress over the Mekedatu padayatra.
Hearing the Public Interest Litigation by Nagendra Prasad AV, who was seeking directions from the court to stop the rally, the High Court asked how was this allowed amid the current COVID-19 situation.
The Court directed the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee to inform by day after tomorrow as to whether it has taken any due permission to hold the 10 days Padayatra demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project across the Cauvery river.
Further, the court has directed the state government to inform it on January 14 as to how and why the rallies, particularly the rally held by the Congress party is being permitted to continue and why no appropriate action has been taken by the state authorities to restrain the 6 respondents, from any such activities. The counsel for the Congress party sought a day's time for the appearance of senior advocate A S Ponnanna.
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The PIL filed through advocate Shridhar Prabhu has prayed for order or direction to the State authorities not to allow any political rallies, dharnas, and protest and to restrain Congress from holding and continuing the Padayatra amid the COVID-Omicron wave.
The government counsel informed the court that the state government order dated January 4 has already banned the holding of any such rallies/dharnas or demonstrations involving gatherings of people.
