Siddaramaiah Says Congress Will Continue Mekedatu Padayatra Despite Rapid COVID Surge

Chief Secretary P Ravikumar issued the order and directed the Congress leaders and the authorities concerned to stop the padayatra with immediate effect.

In the order, Ravikumar stated, "In the exercise of the powers conferred under the Disaster Management Act, I here by direct that all inter-district and intra-district , movement of vehicles and persons for participating in the namma neeru namma hakku padayatra or whichever name it is called with a similar purpose from Mekedatu to Bengaluru is prohibited with immediate effect," the order said.

Despite being rebuked by the Karnataka High Court for breaching COVID-19 protocols by conducting the padayatra in the state amid soaring daily COVID-19 figures, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that they will continue their campaign and he will be leading the Mekedatu Padyatra on Thursday, January 13.