By Shankar Raj*
Appearing without a mask at a function, Karnataka minister drags PM into the picture
Bengaluru: Karnataka is caught between a Musk and mask! On one hand the state woos Tesla’s Elon Musk, on the other hand, its minister breaks Covid protocol and appears without a mask in a public function in Belgavi!
Let’s start with Musk. Better late than never. Karnataka has become the latest state to roll out a red carpet to Tesla’s billionaire founder and CEO Elon Musk to start a manufacturing unit in the state. Unlike other states, Karnataka reminds Musk that the state is the “Electric Vehicle (EV) hub” of India and is an ideal destination to set up a plant.
“With over 400 R&D centres, 45 EV startups & an EV cluster near Bengaluru, Karnataka has emerged as EV hub of India. Mr @elonmusk, Karnataka would be an ideal destination to set up @Tesla plant. Bengaluru is already Tesla’s maiden address in India,” Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium-scale Industries Murugesh R Nirani tweeted.
Musk had recently tweeted that he is working through a lot of challenges with the government to launch its products in India.
“Still working through a lot of challenges with the government,” Musk tweeted in reply to a Twitter user, who asked: “Yo @elonmusk any further update as to when Tesla’s will launch in India? They’re pretty awesome and deserve to be in every corner of the world!”
In January 2021, Tesla registered its Indian arm amid indications that the company is set to enter the country’s automobile market.
Meanwhile, in the midst of a massive third wave of the Coronavirus sweeping across Karnataka, Forest Minister Umesh Katti stirred a controversy by not wearing a mask at a function held by the Forest Department in Belagavi and dragged Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the picture.
In a video that has become viral in Karnataka, the minister was heard saying “Yesterday, the PM himself said that he will not make anything mandatory. It is the individual’s responsibility to wear a mask. In that way, it is left up to me too. I didn’t feel like wearing it (a mask), so I didn’t wear it.”
His remarks created an outrage even as the Covid cases showed no signs of easing. On Monday, Karnataka reported 27,156 fresh Covid infections and 14 deaths, taking the total caseload and fatalities in the state to 32,47,243 and 38,445 respectively.
Bengaluru Urban district led the spike in cases in Karnataka, with 15,947 infections and five deaths.
*Shankar Raj is former Editor of The New Indian Express, Karnataka and Kerala, and writes regularly on current affairs.
