Row over pool photo Of Karnataka Minister, part of COVID-19 response team

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Apr 13, 2020: A Karnataka minister who posted a photo of his time in the pool with his children and joking about social distancing has been targeted by the Congress. K Sudhakar, who is part of the team in charge of Karnataka’s coronavirus response, "behaved irresponsibly," Congress leader DK Shivakumar tweeted on Monday as to NDTV reported.

 

"When the whole world is going through a health crisis, the Corona in-charge Minister Dr. Sudhakar is behaving irresponsibly by spending time in a swimming pool. It’s a matter of moral and ethical standards. He must resign out of his own accord and the Chief Minister should sack him from the cabinet," Mr Shivakumar tweeted.

In the now deleted tweet, Dr Sudhakar had posted a photo with his children in the pool and commented: "After a long time joined my children for swimming hope maintaining social distancing here also..haha (sic)"

When the whole world is going through a health crisis, the Corona in-charge Minister Dr. Sudhakar is behaving irresponsibly by spending time in a swimming pool.

It’s a matter of moral & ethical standards. He must resign out of his own accord & CM should sack him from the cabinet pic.twitter.com/ZQlRzMoqrb

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) April 13, 2020

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The state Medical education minister, Dr Sudhakar was the face of the state government’s efforts to fight COVID-19 and was in charge of the virus war room. He was picked over B Sriramulu, who is state health minister, which surprised many.

Currently, S Suresh Kumar, the state education minister, is in charge of briefings.

Mr Sudhakar was among the rebels who quit the Congress last year, plunging the HD Kumarawamy-led government into a minority and enabling a takeover by the BJP.

After the BJP came to power, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa rewarded him and many other rebels like him with a place in his cabinet.

Karnataka has 232 coronavirus cases, including six deaths.

Across India, the number of coronavirus cases has climbed to 9,152; more than 300 have died.

Mr Sudhakar had joined the Chief Minister in a video conference on Saturday of all states with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to decide on whether to extend the lockdown. The PM is expected to announce an extension of the lockdown till April 30, with some economic measures this time.