Celebratory Firing At BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Rally In Karnataka, 4 Arrested
Junior minister for Chemical and Fertiliser Bhagwant Khuba was leading the yatra,
Bengaluru:
Four persons have been arrested for celebratory firing during the BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yaatra in Karnataka. A few rounds were fired during at Yadgir on Tuesday, the police said.
“Two of the four seized guns are licensed. Verification for other two weapons are underway,” a senior police officer said.
Video footage from the rally showed former minister Babarao Chinchansur posing with a gun as BJP supporters boogied to the beats of drums.
Union Minister Bhagwant Khuba — junior minister for Chemical and Fertiliser — was leading the yatra, which is meant to introduce the new Central ministers to the people.
The Jan Ashirwad Yatra is being held across 22 states in which 39 central ministers are participating.
In Karnataka, the BJP hopes to introduce four central ministers from the state: Union Minister of State for Social Justice Anekal Narayanaswamy, junior minister for Animal Husbandry L Murugan, junior agriculture minister Shohba Karandlaje and Bhagwanth Khuba, the junior minister for New and Renewable Energy.
Shobha Karandlaje started the rally in Mandya, Rajeev Chandrashekhar has been leading the Yatra in Hubbali. A Narayanswami started his Yatra from the State BJP Headquarters in Bengaluru.
Union Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilisers Bhagwant Khuba was leading the yatra at Bidar and Yadgir.
The rallies — scheduled from several parts of the country — are being held amid the Covid pandemic. but safety protocol is being disregarded in most places.
Covid numbers have been on way down in the state, with 1,298 new COVID-19 cases and 32 deaths being reported on Tuesday. The total number of infections have gone up to to 29,31,827 and 37,039 people have died.
The current positivity rate in Bengaluru is 0.57 whereas it was 1.27 on July 28. The positivity rate in the state stands at 0.76, down from 1.20 of August 1. Experts, though, have cautioned against violation of safety protocol, especially in view of a possible third wave of the virus.
