After getting bail in COVID violation case D K Shivakumar attacks BJP

Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar on Friday said he has got bail in connection with a case filed against him and five other party leaders for a pro-farmers protest they had staged in January 2021, in violation of COVID-19 curbs. He accused the ruling BJP of indulging in “politics of hate”.

“The protest was at Freedom Park (in Bengaluru) where over 10,000 people had gathered, while a case was registered against six people including me intentionally under the Disaster Management Act…it is a different matter that we have to respect the law. We had gone to the civil court for elected representatives and got the bail,” Shivakumar told reporters here.

Pointing out that no cases were booked against BJP leaders who violated COVID curbs, he alleged that “politics of hate” is being practiced, aimed at creating legal trouble for him and Congress leaders.

While Shivakumar was accused number one in the case, the others include state working presidents Saleem Ahmed, Eshwar Khandre, former NSUI president H S Manjunath, former Youth Congress president Basanagouda Badarli and party leader Shafiulla.