COVID-19: Cong MPs, legislators in K’taka to contribute min of Rs 1lk to KPCC fund

Team Udayavani, Mar 27, 2020, 8:30 PM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress on Friday said all its legislators and Members of Parliament will be contributing a minimum of Rs 1 lakh to the KPCC fund set up towards fighting COVID-19, and has also constituted a task force to monitor and make suggestions aimed at containing the spread of the virus.

The principal opposition party in the state also demanded that the government immediately call for an all-party meeting and take the Opposition into confidence, in its fight against coronavirus spread.

“There are many party legislators, leaders and workers who are doctors. We have leaders who have worked as Health Ministers in the past. So with all of them we have decided to form a task force,” KPCC President D K Shivakumar said.

Addressing a joint press conference along with Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, he said, “the task force will look into the initiatives of the central and state government, whether the administration is working efficiently in addressing the needs of people, and what role party workers have to play in the current situation, and will inform the party regarding it.”

The taskforce will be headed by former Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar and party working president Saleem Ahmed will be its convenor, he said adding that the KPCC will also open a helpline for COVID-19.

Senior KPCC leaders had met on Thursday evening to take stock of the situation due to COVID-19 spread and lockdown in the state.

Alleging that RSS and BJP was “forcefully” collecting donations and food materials claiming to support poor affected by lockdown, Shivakumar said the Congress will not involve in such things and will rather give suggestions to the government on what needs to be done more.

He said the party has decided that all legislators (both MLAs and MLCs) and MPs will contribute at least Rs one lakh each towards relief fund of KPCC.

Also if anyone from block, taluk or district level want to contribute voluntarily can send in their contribution to KPCC, he said, adding that “Once the amount is collected the taskforce and KPCC leadership will discuss and decide on whats needs to be done and how to utilise it.”