Karnataka forest minister refuses to wear mask, gives bizarre reason citing PM Modi

New Delhi: In a bizarre remark, Forest Minister of Karnataka Umesh V Katti said that he does not wear a mask because Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that it is not mandatory to wear masks. He made the remark while talking to the media in the Belagavi district of the state on Tuesday. He went there to attend a function organised by the department.

Furthermore, he said,  ”It is an individual’s responsibility to wear a mask. In that way, it is left up to me too. I didn’t feel like wearing it.”

Video of Katti regarding the same was shared on Twitter:

#Karnataka Min @UMESH_V_KATTI
Says he doesn’t feel like wearing #Mask.#Karnataka
“Yest,PM himself said.I will not make it mandatory.Individuals have to take responsibility and wear mask. In that way, it is left upto me too. I didn’t feel like wearing it.Hence,I am not wearing it” pic.twitter.com/ElImdVB6VO

— Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) January 18, 2022

A user on Twitter said that Umesh V Katti and his contact need to be tested because he might be infected with the Coronavirus.

This person might be having #coronavirus . Hope he and his nearby people needs to be tested.

— Mario David Antony Alapatt (@davidalapatt) January 18, 2022

Besides, the Karnatka reported 27,156 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours compared to 34,047 cases of the previous day, according to the state Health Department’s data released on Tuesday. The cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 reached 766 with 287 new cases.

Earlier on Monday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai chaired a meeting of health department officials to take the stock of the COVID-19 situation. It is reported that the government has no plan to impose a lockdown. Notably, he will not review the decision on night curfew and weekend curfew in the state until Friday.