BJP MLA asks CM not to impose COVID restrictions on Ganesha festival

Vijayapura: Senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Sunday urged Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai not to impose restrictions on the celebration of Ganesha chathurthi or any other Hindu festival citing COVID-19.

“I have told the Chief Minister that if he imposes restrictions (during Ganesha festival) then I am not going to heed to it.

I am telling the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police present here that if you impose restrictions on Hindu festivals in Vijayapura then I will not remain silent. You can shoot me to silence me,” Yatnal said jocularly at an event here.

He charged the government with allowing others to organise events comprising 10,000 people and said when it comes to Ganesha festival, the administration imposes several restrictions in the name of COVID-19 control.

Yatnal asked the district authorities to impose curbs on everyone if they really wish to check the spread of COVID-19 but not in a selective manner.

The MLA also claimed that the third wave of COVID-19 will not have any effect on the district bordering Maharashtra as the vaccination is highest there and cases have come down substantially.