Lockdown 4.0 delays D K Shivakumar’s coronation plan

The total lockdown on Sundays has forced Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar to put off his formal coronation that was scheduled on May 31, a Sunday.

Under Lockdown 4.0, the state government will enforce a complete lockdown on May 24 and May 31, the two Sundays, with suspension of all public transportation, closure of shops and imposition of a day-long curfew.

Shivakumar had plans to take charge as the KPCC president on May 31 by organizing a “simple” programme. The event is now likely to be held on June 7, also a Sunday.

“The chief minister has said that Sundays will have a curfew, whereas all other days will be open. I don’t get it. What’s the difference between Sundays and other days? Anyway, I can’t go ahead with May 31 as planned. I respect the law; I don’t want to break it,” Shivakumar told reporters.

Shivakumar, a 7-time legislator and former minister, was appointed by the Congress high command as the state party chief on March 11, which was immediately followed by the COVID-19 lockdown that delayed the formal transfer of power from his predecessor Dinesh Gundu Rao.

“We will fix another day depending on the lockdown. And it won’t be Shivakumar’s programme. We’ve decided to make it a unique programme,” he said.

Shivakumar’s plan is to involve all party workers across the state take an oath along with him. “In every gram panchayat, in every ward, this event will be held. In Bengaluru, I will exchange the baton, light a lamp and sing Vande Mataram. Simultaneously, at some 7,200 locations, party workers will join me. We will also recite the preamble of the Constitution and an oath will be administered,” Shivakumar said.

The Congress leader also hit out at the BS Yediyurappa government on the way it handled the humanitarian crisis that the COVID-19 situation has brought about. “This government, from the get go, did nothing to help farmers and migrants,” he said. “Money from the Rs 1,610 crore package announced by the state government hasn’t reached a single person even after 50 days.”

Addressing Yediyurappa, Shivakumar said that people would not have left Bengaluru or Karnataka if the government had taken care of them. “This is a big insult to the nation-builders (migrant workers) who have given their blood and sweat to the country,” he said.

After formally taking charge, Shivakumar said he will travel across the state. “I will reach out to all classes of people, of all religions and try to be their voice,” he said.