Who is responsible for 1.5 lakh Covid-19 deaths? asks Siddaramaiah

Hitting back at Union Minister Sadananda Gowda for blaming him and KPCC president DK Shivakumar for the death of senior CPM leader Maruti Manpade, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah questioned who was responsible "for the death of more than 1.5 lakh Indians due to Covid."

Speaking at various campaign rallies held at Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency, he dismissed Gowda's remarks as 'childish'.

Gowda on Tuesday accused the Congress of bringing farmers to agitate against Centre's farm reforms, ignoring Covid-19.

"Manpade, a farmers' leader, died of Covid and I hold Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar directly responsible for this,” he said, adding they were responsible for spreading Covid because of these protests.

"Sadananda Gowda has made a childish remark by saying that Shivakumar and I are responsible for the death of Maruti Manpade. Then who is responsible for the death of more than 1.5 lakh Indians due to Covid19?" he said.

He attacked the Prime Ministers Office of taking advantage of Covid-19 to force anti-farmer and anti-labour laws.

"Government could have controlled (the) pandemic effectively but instead they chose to use it for their gains. This is the reason for the death of many activists like Maruti Manpade," he added.