– R Guruprasad
Actor Nikhil Kumaraswamy, Son of former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Grandson of former PM of India tied the knot with Revathi, Grand niece of former Minister of Karnataka in a lavish wedding ceremony. Guests did not wear masks, ditched the social distance rule and hundreds of guests assembled despite a curfew.
When the whole country is under COVID-19 lockdown and passing through a grave situation, this political family in Karnataka indulged in a lavish wedding celebrations. The helpless common people are now asking a question, is Law only for common people?
Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former Chief Minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy and the grandson of HD Devegowda, former PM of India tied the knot with Revathi, the grand-niece of former Minister of Karnataka and a Congress Leader M. Krishnappa at the farmhouse of KD Kumaraswamy in Bidadi, Ramanagar District on April 17.
All the rules of Lockdown are floated in the VVIP marriage. None of them wore Masks and followed the social distance rule either. On top of that hundreds of guests assembled at the venue defying the curfew.
People who are voluntarily observing the lockdown got annoyed watching the photos and videos of a lavish wedding and took to social media to curse ‘irresponsible act’ of HDK family.
A software engineer who is working from home wrote, “When daily wage workers, employees working in unorganised sectors and poorest of poor people are crying for food for their survival, this display of ‘Wealth & Power’ by the family members of former PM and former CM is in bad taste. Police stopped many wedding ceremonies midway and food prepared was thrown on the streets.”
A housewife questioned the Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S, Yediyurappa as to why the permission was granted to the marriage event throwing all the rules to the wind. “People of Karnataka responded to your (B.S.Yediyurappa) request and canceled their wedding, house warming, and other functions. Even the temples were shut. Your permission for the marriage of Nikhil is a double standard political act.”
Sagar MK, a businessman in Bengaluru said, “People with medical emergencies was stopped by Government across the state, agriculture and horticulture producers were put to hardships but the Government happily give permission for the marriage of Nikhil Kumaraswamy proves the point that all political parties are united, ultimately it is the common people who suffer. The rich and VVIP’s are above the law.”
The main reason for people outburst for this lavish wedding is the apathy of Karnataka Government in giving permission for this event and denying permission for many other important events.
In Karnataka, people across the state arrange blood donation camps, distribute juice and food, organise special prayers by erecting pandals in public places on the occasion of the death anniversary of Matinee idol Dr. Rajkumar every year on April 12. Citing lockdown rule, Government did not give permission for this event and lakhs of ardent followers of evergreen Kannada star literally cried within the four walls of their home for not able to organise programs in the memory of Dr. Rajkumar. The government closed the samadhi site of Dr.Rajkumar and did not allow simple rituals to take place.
Another major event that the Government denied permission initially but gave a last-minute ‘Highly Restricted’ permission is the ‘Karaga festival’ an ancient tradition of worshipping of Shakti in the form of Draupadi. It is believed that the Draupadi will come down from heaven to earth and stay for three days with the community. Bengaluru Karaga is a unique celebration that brings people of different religions together and the entire event suffered from confusion and fear of police lathi charge.
There is a question on everybody’s mind; When the events like death anniversary of Dr.Rajkumar and Karaga festival was washed out due to coronavirus lockout, what was the necessity for showing off with this VVIP wedding?
