Only God can save us: Sriramulu clarifies, Cong bays for his scalp

Health Minister B Sriramulu found himself at the centre of attacks from the Opposition Congress for seeking divine intervention during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar on Thursday demanded Sriramulu’s resignation.

“By saying only God can help without taking any measures to control Covid-19, Sriramulu has lost the moral right to continue as a minister,” Siddaramaiah said in a statement. “It’s okay to go to God if all your efforts have failed to yield results. But the government, despite having money and power, is not even trying.”

Shivakumar said Sriramulu’s statement had shocked the entire state. “It wasn’t Sriramulu speaking, but it was the entire government. So, they should all resign and there should be Governor’s rule,” he said. “I’m not saying one shouldn’t believe in God, but if you can’t do what you are supposed to, then you should leave.”

Sriramulu clarified that his words had been “misinterpreted and misunderstood”. In a series of tweets, the minister said: “While responding to claims of the opposition that the government’s negligence, irresponsibility and the lack of coordination among ministers are responsible for the rise in cases in the state, I stated that these accusations are far from the truth. People need to be aware and cautious to avoid the spread of the virus. This plays a vital role in controlling the pandemic. If we fail at this crucial step the situation can get complicated. And if things go worse, then only God can save us. These were the words used out of caution. There’s no need to create panic in the
public.”

He added that the B S Yediyurappa-led government was working round-the-clock and “we all are doing our best for the people of our state to win the battle against this pandemic.”