Covid-19 clouds Karnataka Assembly session; members share virus travails

Shiny face shields, blue gloves, and a small bottle of hand sanitizer welcomed legislators at the Legislative Assembly on Monday when the monsoon session started amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The welcome kit comprising these three items was mandatory for legislators to use. More than 60 MLAs have been infected with Covid-19, because of which there was spare attendance in the Assembly hall. Glass shields attached to the seats separated the members, who were made to keep one seat vacant in between them.

As per convention, obituary references were made to personalities from various walks of life who passed away in recent months. Invariably, this provided a platform for members to narrate their Covid-19 experiences.

“Covid-19 is a dangerous disease,” said Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, who recovered from the infection recently. “Those who haven’t been infected should keep it that way. Those who get it face social boycott,” he said, citing how he could not meet his wife and son when he was infected.

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Underlining the importance of wearing a mask, maintaining distance, and using hand sanitizer, Siddaramaiah pointed at his party colleague D K Shivakumar, who was infected with Covid-19 recently.

“Look at Shivakumar. He’s become careful only after getting infected. Before that, he’d not care when we’d tell him to wear a mask,” Siddaramaiah said.

Obituary references were made to 16 people, including former president Pranab Mukherjee, Sira MLA B Sathyanarayana, former union minister M V Rajashekharan, Rajya Sabha member Ashok Gasti, former MLA M J Appaji Gowda among others.

“Every day, I pray to God that nobody should die of Covid-19,” BJP’s Araga Jnanendra said, remembering former Bhadravathi MLA Appaji Gowda. “I was infected with Covid-19 around the same time Gowda was. I knew him well. Those who knew him couldn’t even attend his funeral,” he said.

The obituary motion also included a reference to the 20 Indian soldiers martyred at Gulwan valley, Covid-19 warriors and victims, and those who lost their life during the recent floods.

Proceedings of the Assembly were adjourned post noon to mark the demise of Sira legislator B Sathyanarayana, who passed away in August. It will convene at 10 am on Tuesday.

In the Legislative Council, leader of the House Kota Sreenivasa Poojary and Opposition leader SR Patil condoled the demise of BJP MP Ashok Gasti. Reflecting on the general sentiment on his unfortunate demise before Gasti could attend a single session as Rajya Sabha MP, Poojary recalled his days in BJP’s BC Morcha, working with Gasti.

“It was indeed motivating to see a grassroots party worker elevated to the position of the MP,” both Patil and Poojary remarked.