The Karnataka High Court on Monday asked the State government why it is allowing elected representatives and actors to Chamundi temple in Mysuru while placing restrictions on the general public.
Also, the court directed the government to submit reports of the investigation officers who probed alleged violations of COVID-19 norms of maintaining social distancing and wearing of masks in various events, both public and private, attended by ministers and other elected representatives.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum issued the directions while hearing a PIL petition filed by city-based Letzkit Foundation.
The bench posed the questions after noticing from the government’s statement that Member of Parliament Shobha Karandlaje and Kannada film actor Darshan were allowed to participate in the temple’s Friday rituals in the auspicious Aashaada month on a request made by the temple, which is administered by the Muzrai Department.
The government has stated that, apart from these celebrities, only a few others were allowed to the temple on Fridays and no COVID-19 norms were violated.
While admitting that dignitaries, who participated in the government-organised ceremony to lay the foundation stone of Nada Prabhu Kempegowda statue near the international airport, had gathered together for a short period of time, the government said that it was difficult for the dignitaries to maintain social distancing while performing traditional rituals during the ground-breaking ceremony.
On alleged violation of norms during the engagement ceremony of former minister D.K. Shivakumar’s daughter, the government said that ceremony was held in a private house and no complaint of violation was received.
Meanwhile, the government said that complaints were lodged in the jurisdictional courts on violation of norms on the occasion of marriage of former minister P.T. Parameshwara Naik’s son in Ballari, visit of Health Minister B. Sriramulu to Parashurampura in Chitradurga district to offer ‘Bagina’ to river Vedavathi, and a protest rally by the office-bearers and members of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee in June.
