Taking exception to the case registered against him at Sulepet police station in Kalaburagi district on charges of violating the prohibitory orders imposed under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code for curbing the spread of COVID-19, Congress leader and former Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said that the case was filed at the behest of BJP leaders who were “attempting suppress his voice against the the government’s failure in containing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.”
Addressing a media conference at the local Congress office here on Saturday, Mr. Patil dismissed the charges of having organised a meeting at a wedding hall in Suletpet violating the restrictions in force, as alleged in the complaint lodged by a government officer.
“We, the Congress leaders, have, since the beginning, been demanding mass testing in the containment areas for early identification and isolation of infected persons as an important measure to curb the spread of COVID-19. The government has, however, ignored it. Its efforts in tackling the deadly disease are inadequate. Since we have been criticising the government’s failure in arresting the spread of the disease, it has now resorted to silence our voices by implicating us in false cases,” he said.
Asked about the incident that led to the registration of FIR against him and others Congress leaders, Mr. Patil clarified that people came to him with their grievances such as drinking water crisis in their villages when he went to the hall and he immediately asked the people to maintain physical distance.
“I am a leader who had represented them many times and they naturally come to me whenever they face some problems. I have been addressing their problems, of course, taking proper precautionary measures and it is my duty. The BJP MLAs and MPs are also moving in groups and addressing the crowds. I have never objected as I felt that they were doing their duty just as I was. However, the officers, under pressure from BJP leaders, are booking cases against us,” he said.
Tippannappa Kamakanur, a member of the Legislative Council; Allam Prabhu Patil, former legislator; Jand agadev Guttedar, president of District Congress Committee, asked the government to withdraw the case filed against Mr. Patil.
