A complaint has been filed against Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya for reportedly breaking lockdown rules and dining in a restaurant in Bengaluru. The complaint filed by RTI activist Vijay Dennis cites a news broadcast by News First Kannada on June 15, which showed Tejasvi Surya and singer Vijay Prakash eating a meal at Hotel Nisarga Grand, Nrupatunga Road in Bengaluru. The complaint says that Tejasvi and Vijay broke the lockdown guidelines in Karnataka, which state that hotels and restaurants are permitted to stay open only for take away and are not allowed to open dine-in services.
This is a violation of lockdown and therefore the MP should be booked and an FIR should be lodged under the NDMA Act and the IPC, the complaint says. However, if the news is found to be fake, the complaint has asked that a case be filed against the news channel for “fake publicity or propaganda.”
“MPs and MLAs are a mirror of the society and a mirror to the public, if the face of the country or state will violate the lockdown or any law, it will motivate the common public to follow their footprint,” the complaint by Vijay Dennis, who is the founder and director of Karnataka RTI Workers Seva Samithi, said.
The news report by News First Kannada had shown pictures of Tejasvi seated at a table at the hotel’s restaurant area eating a meal.
17/06/21. Complaint Against @Tejasvi_Surya & Hotel Owner, Hotel Nisarga Grand, located in Nruptanga Road, Bangalore Violation of lockdown imposed in the state, the wake of #COVID19 second wave, a global pandemic declared.@CourtKarnataka@NewsFirstKan@halasoorps @DCPCentralBCP pic.twitter.com/gcTi4aw8Nl
— ᴋᴀʀɴᴀᴛᴀᴋᴀ ʀᴛɪ ᴡᴏʀᴋᴇʀꜱ ꜱᴇᴠᴀ ꜱᴀᴍɪᴛʜɪ (ʀ) (@RTI_KARNATAKA) June 17, 2021
The News Minute has tried to reach out to Tejasvi Surya as well as the hotel, and a response is awaited from both.
Karnataka is currently under a lockdown and relaxations are being announced in some districts in phases. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said that the state is likely to further relax the COVID-19 induced lockdown restrictions after June 21. There is a full lockdown in Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Davangere, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Bengaluru Rural, Mandya, Belagavi and Kodagu. In the remaining 19 districts, Karnataka has allowed the opening of parks and industrial units with riders, extended the duration of shops selling essential goods till 2 pm, and has given permission for autos and taxis to ply with maximum of two passengers.