Karnataka withdraws night curfew order after backlash

BENGALURU: In a U-turn, the Karnataka government on Thursday withdrew its night curfew order, hours before it was scheduled to be implemented.

The decision to impose night curfew for nine days from 11 pm to 5 am starting from Thursday was taken on Wednesday in line with the Centre’s advice, amid concerns over a new Covid-19 variant spreading in the UK.

In a statement, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said: “In view of the public opinion that there was no need for night curfew, the decision was reviewed and after consulting with cabinet colleagues and senior officials it has been decided to withdraw the night curfew.”

Yediyurappa had initially announced on Wednesday that the night curfew will be imposed from December 23 till January 2 between 10 pm and 6 am. Changes in night curfew dates and timing were announced later with Yediyurappa tweeting, it will be from December 24 till January 1, 2021, between 11 pm to 5 am (January 2, 5am).

The CM on Thursday appealed to the people to exercise self-restraint by wearing facemasks, hand hygiene and social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The decision to impose night curfew had drawn flak from the ruling as well as the opposition parties.

Terming the night curfew as a measure to ‘cover up’ wrongdoings of the BJP government by diverting public attention, Congress state chief D.K. Shivakumar said, “This is a government which is not accountable. It tries to divert public attention through various means. How does the night curfew help containing the coronavirus?” Shivakumar asked.

BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath, who is aspiring to become a minister, criticised the government’s decision to impose night curfew. “I request the government to reconsider its decision to impose night curfew. Some of the decisions should be taken after much deliberation because it’s a government for the people,” Vishwanath told the media in Mysuru. Another senior BJP leader and Vijayapura MLA, Basangouda Patil Yatnal too urged the government to reconsider its decision on the restrictions.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K. Sudhakar defended the government’s move to impose night curfew saying it was done on the advice of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for Covid-19. Speaking to reporters in the city, he said, “TAC had recommended imposing night curfews from 8 pm onwards as a precautionary measure. However, after much deliberation we decided to restrict movement of individuals from 11 pm to 5 am.”

Reacting to criticism of the government’s move, Sudhakar sought to know what important economic activities take place at night. “When all the essential services, healthcare facilities and transport are well in place, I would like to know whom the night curfew is going to affect?” he asked.

As the festival season started from 24 December, the minister opined that thousands of youth may step out in the night for celebrations.

Correspondent

Recent Posts

AI Robot Can Shoot Balloons with Lightning-Fast Speed | WATCH

An engineer created an AI-powered robot using ChatGPT to control a nail gun, enabling fast…

2 minutes ago

‘I Have Rudraksh…’: Sanjay Roy’s Defense in RG Kar Rape-Murder Case During Kolkata Court Trial

Sanjay Roy found guilty of rape and murder in RG Kar case, but claims innocence…

3 minutes ago

New Clinical Trial Shines Light on Treatment Options for Biliary Tract Cancer

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the bile ducts,…

9 minutes ago

RG Kar Case: Father of Trainee Doctor breaks down After Sanjay Roy’s Conviction in Kolkata Court

Father of RG Kar trainee doctor breaks down after Sanjay Roy's conviction for rape and…

14 minutes ago

‘Falsely Implicated, IPS…’: Sanjay Roy’s Statement After Conviction for RG Kar Rape-Murder

Sanjay Roy, convicted of the RG Kar rape-murder, insists he was falsely implicated and names…

20 minutes ago

Farooq Abdullah’s Convoy Collides with Nilgai on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

A Delhi Police head constable was injured when a vehicle in former Jammu and Kashmir…

21 minutes ago