After five Padarayanapura rioters test positive for the novel coronavirus, a political battle erupted with the Congress and JD(S) against BJP on the transferring of alleged Covid-19 positive prisoners to Ramanagara prison.
Ramanagara, a green zone is just a few kilometres away from Bengaluru that has the highest number of Covid cases in the state. But, the transferring of the prisoners has vulnerably affected the zone along with the political feud between the Vokkaliga leaders on the issue.
The prisoners were arrested for the alleged attack on healthcare warriors and the associated rioting in Padarayanapura on April 19. The two who were initially tested Covid positive had been shifted to the state-run Victoria hospital in Bengaluru.
The entire prison staff at the jail will be quarantined.
Kumaraswamy against BJP state govt
The shifting of the other Padayaranapura rioters to Ramanagara district has kindled turf war with former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, KPCC president DK Shivakumar and Bengaluru rural Lok Sabha member DK Suresh accusing Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan for nodding on the transfer of these prisoners to the green zone of Ramangara.
Kumaraswamy had earlier expressed his distress in moving hundreds of miscreants to the green zone as it was a major threat to the residents who were free of the stress and chaos of the pandemic that has widely taken a toll across rest of the state.
The place is likely to be turned into a red zone and chances of quarantining the entire prison and prisoners are high. The Ramanagara residents, now panic-stricken are ensured all safety by the government. Kumaraswamy has warned the state government that he has requested the people to prevent from launching any protest.
I had tried to draw the attention of government related to the transfer of Padarayanapura miscreants to Ramanagaram prison. But due to government ignorance, Covid-19 has now entered the district. Two accused have tested positive and about 7-8 people shifted to quarantine centres," said Kumaraswamy in his series of tweets attacking BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government.
Ramanagara to be a 'red zone'
"The whole district is now facing grave danger because of the senseless decision of the government," he added. HD Kumaraswamy and his wife Anitha are MLAs from the Ramanagara district. Anitha represents Ramanagara in the state Assembly.
As the number of prison inmates increased, measures of social distancing seemed impractical. As a solution, a few were then sent to the Central Prison in Bengaluru, thus creating new controversy.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, a fellow Vokkaliga and the district in-charge minister of Ramanagara commended that the officials have taken a decision to move the rioters to where facilities were available and that Kumaraswamy should stop finding fault in everything.
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had also defended the decision of shifting the rioters to Ramanagara jail.
