Wedding of Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil sparks row over ‘violation’ of lockdown

Nikhil Gowda (L), son of former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy (C), ties the knot with Revathi (R) in a low-key event, during the nationwide lockdown in Bengaluru on Friday. (PTI)

BENGALURU :

THE wedding of former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Gowda with Revathi at a farmhouse near Bidadi in Karnataka’s Ramangara district on Friday sparked a row over alleged violation of lockdown norms. Taking objection to non-observance of social distancing by the attendees who didn’t wear face masks, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan told reporters here that he had asked the district’s Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police to inquire into the charge that lockdown guidelines were violated. “Permission was given for the wedding but with guidelines to maintain social distancing and wearing of face masks by all those attending the ceremony.

If there is a violation, action will be taken,” Narayan said. The farmhouse is 45km southwest of Bengaluru in the southern State. Kumaraswamy’s spokesman K.C. Sadananda, however, told IANS that the guidelines were not violated, as the ceremony was held within the house and only family members and close relatives were present on the occasion.

“As the main ceremony -- tying the nuptial knots -- was held in the marriage pandal, only family members were present, while relatives were seated in the farmhouse at a distance,” the spokesman said. The spokesman also clarified that the district (Ramanagara) was a green spot with not a single coronavirus case reported till date.