Protestors flout Kerala’s inter-state travel rule, enter Karnataka without pass

MANGALURU: Kasaragod district BJP workers held a 'civil disobedience' protest by flouting Kerala government’s inter-state travel restrictions at Talapady on Tuesday.
Party workers entered Karnataka holding a protest rally and returned to Kerala to violate the rule. BJP in Kasaragod has been demanding the Kerala government to implement the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order that allows free interstate movement of people across the country.
“The Kerala government is reluctant to implement the central government’s order. We have crossed the inter-state border (at Talapady), entered Karnataka and returned to Kerala as part of our protest. We will also violate the rule if police and health department directs us to undergo quarantine for crossing the border without passes. We will continue our fight against the Kerala government’s restrictions until they withdraw it completely,” said advocate K Shreekanth, president, BJP Kasaragod district committee.
In his address, he said Kerala government is bound to implement the directions of MHA regarding abolition of all types of restrictions at borders. “Since the Kerala government’s decision is against the MHA order, we are not bound to follow it” he added.
MHA order dated August 22 mandates states not to restrict inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods. In Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod, there are people employed in the district across the border, and they have been complaining of difficulties in getting past the Talapady border owing to the stipulation of the Kerala government, which mandated that all those travelling between the two districts undergo a rapid antigen test (RAT) once every 21 days – initially, the Kerala government had mandated an RT-PCR test, which was subsequently revised.
In pursuance of this order, officials of the Kasaragod district administration set up a RAT centre to subject commuters to the medical examination. The silence of the Kerala government on the MHA order has only heightened the frustration of those who are yearning for a return to times when crossing the Talapady border was seamless.
Meanwhile, Dakshina Kannada district administration has opened all its borders for passengers from Kerala on Tuesday.
Deputy commissioner Dr Rajendra KV said the restrictions imposed in the wake of Covid-19 have been revised and passengers entering Karnataka from other states need not undergo quarantine. Further, he said, there will be no medical screening at border points of the district.