Health min flouts rules at wedding

Health min flouts rules at wedding

Basavaraj.Kattimani@timesgroup.com

16.06.2020

Hubballi: Social distancing and other norms were blatantly flouted during the wedding of the son of an MLA in Ballari district, with health minister B Sriramulu, a guest at the function, being a prime violator.

The government’s SOP on weddings states there can be a maximum 50 guests, who must adhere to norms such as maintaining physical distance and wearing masks besides others.

But rules were flouted at the wedding of Avinash, son of PT Parameshwar Naik, a sitting Congress MLA anf former minister from Ballari district, with Charani K, daughter of a businessman. Hundreds of people from surrounding villages besides VIPs and politicians attended the wedding at Laxmipur tanda, Harapanahalli.

Sriramulu, who harps on use of masks, was seen greeting the couple without one and standing shoulder-toshoulder with other guests, who included Siddaramaiah. The former CM did wear a mask, but flouted social distancing norms.

Naik said, “I apologised to my well-wishers, supporters and friends through a WhatsApp message for not inviting them to my son’s wedding. Still, many of them turned up to bless my son. We stuck to norms including thermal screening and keeping hand sanitisers at entrance and other points.”

When contacted, Sriramulu merely said people should maintain social distancing and wear a mask.

Based on a complaint filed by Harapanahalli tahsildar, police inspector Kumar K, Harapanahalli police station, said an FIR has been filed. One PT Bharat, is the first accused, while Naik is the second accused.

ONLY PREACHING: B Sriramulu showed up without a mask and flouted social distancing norms at a wedding in Ballari on Monday