The leader further alleged that health officials were acting on the instructions of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who had earlier warned of action for violating Covid norms by conducting the march.

The Karnataka BJP had slammed the Congress on Sunday for its Mekedatu padayatra and shared a purported video of state Congress chief DK Shivakumar coughing, branding the Congress a “superspreader.” “Watch Congress president DK Shivakumar cough in public during his phoney protest against the Mekedatu dam. He appears to be suffering from Covid-19 symptoms, but he is still interacting with Congress employees without a mask. Is he hell-bent on increasing the number of Corona cases? “Karnataka BJP’s official Twitter account had tweeted.

Led by Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Siddaramaiah, the padayatra with the theme ‘Namma Neeru Namma Hakku’ (Our water, Our right) began at Sangama, the confluence of Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers at Kanakapura in Ramanagara district, and will be spanning a distance of nearly 139 kms.

However, Siddaramaiah who took part in the march earlier on Sunday, returned to Bengaluru post lunch, due to fever, and is likely to go back once he is fine, party sources had told PTI.

With participation from hundreds of workers, leaders and cultural groups, the principal opposition party in the state remained unfazed by the government’s warning of action in case of violation of COVID restrictions and rules. The government has imposed curfew on weekends and restricted public gatherings to fight the surge in COVID-19 cases, till January 19. It has also imposed night curfew, and prohibited all rallies, dharnas and protests, among others.

Meanwhile, after the Karnataka High Court asked the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) to submit report on whether it has the permission to hold the ‘Walk for Water’ padyatra, sources in the Congress said that the party is likely to abruptly end its rally on January 14.