Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said that Bengaluru-specific guidelines will be issued to regulate New Year celebrations amid anxiety over the new strain of the virus, which resulted in the night curfew fiasco.
Speaking to reporters, Bommai said Police Commissioner Kamal Pant would issue the guidelines on Saturday or Sunday.
In an earlier order dated December 17, the government had banned special DJ events, dance parties and other celebrations between December 30 and January 2.
Under attack for the U-turns on night curfew, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Friday said the initial decision was made with great discretion.
“As high as 97.5% of those infected with Covid-19 have recovered today because of state government actions,” Sudhakar, who was in a combative mood, said.
“The death rate has decreased to 1.22%. There is a lockdown in the UK and a night curfew in Germany. This does not mean that there is no thinking behind their decisions. Our government has not taken any political decision.”
He said the night curfew decision was made in the interest of people’s health. “Many have forgotten precautions to be taken for Covid,” he said.
The minister said that if Dasara, Diwali and Ganesha Chaturthi can be celebrated in a simple manner, so can New Year’s Eve.
“Opposition leaders have questioned why can’t youth have fun on New Year’s Eve. If people get into trouble, will they take responsibility?” he asked.
(Published 25 December 2020, 19:22 IST)
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