Congress leader DK Shivakumar claims 'rousing' response for padayatra, while cops book 63 leaders for violating norms

As many as 63 Congress leaders including DK Shivakumar have their names registered in another FIR that has been lodged against them for flouting the covid restrictions for their Mekedatu Padayatra amid the rising cases of Omicron in the state.

Ramanagara: The Congres's 'padayatra' demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project across the Kaveri River, entered its fourth day on Wednesday, another FIR has been registered against 63 party leaders including its state President D K Shivakumar and others for taking out the march defying COVID-19 curbs. This is the third FIR against the Congress leader in this matter.

Police in Karnataka's Ramanagara has filed a second case against state Congress chief DK Shivakumar and 40 others on Tuesday, including his brother and Lok Sabha MP DK Suresh, for allegedly violating Covid-19 norms during the Shivakumar-led ‘padayatra’ demanding early implementation of the Mekedatu drinking water project across the Kaveri in the southern state.

Around 41 persons, including Shivakumar and Member of Parliament, DK Suresh, have been named in an FIR that has been filed at the Sathanur police station for violation of Covid-19 norms on Tuesday, informed a police officer.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar, on Tuesday, continuing with this protest march, sharing pictures on his Twitter handle is like giving people a ‘rousing’ welcome. The rousing welcome given by the people of Kanakpura to Day 3 of Mekedatu Padyatra speaks of their commitment towards Karnataka's future. These pictures speak for themselves, he posted.

The first FIR filed at the same Satanooru police station for defying restrictions on Sunday had named 31 people including Shivakumar, Suresh, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Siddaramaiah, former Union Minister Veerappa Moily, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, former Deputy CM G Parameshwara, among others. The padayatra spanning a distance of nearly 139 km which started on Sunday from Ramanagara is scheduled to conclude at Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on January 19.

What is Mekedatu Padayatra?

Congress leaders of Karnataka launched Mekedatu Padayatra that is the 'Walk for Water Rally' held in Ramanagara demanding the construction of a balancing reservoir across the Kaveri river for the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and neighbouring districts. The Padayatra begins on January 9 and it will end on January 19 for their demands of construction of a balancing reservoir to fulfill the needs of drinking water.