Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Mar 14: Former chief minister and leader of opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah took to Twitter and slammed chief minister B S Yediyurappa for allowing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to go ahead with their scheduled annual meeting in the city on Sunday, March 15, in spite of state-wide ban on gathering of people in large numbers due to coronovirus scare.

In his tweet, Siddaramaiah said, "The state government has applied ban on public functions to prevent gathering of people due to the coronovirus epidemic. But the annual meeting of RSS is going to be held in the city on March 15. Honourable CM Yediyurappa, does the government order not apply to RSS?"

Siddaramaiah (left) and B S Yediyurappa

"More than 1,500 representatives from different parts of the country are going to take part in the convention of RSS which is going to be held in the city on Sunday. At least postpone the convention for the sake of health of these representatives. Dear Yediyurappa, BJP, no ideology is more than the life of human beings," said Siddaramaiah in one more tweet.

Government has banned public events amidst Corona virus outbreak.

But a huge conference by RSS will be held on this 15th of March.

Mr @BSYBJP, Is the ban not applicable to RSS?
1/2 pic.twitter.com/j5PWB4b0Q0

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) March 14, 2020

An estimated 1500 participants from different parts of the country will attend RSS conference.

The event should be postponed at least for the sake of RSS leaders if not for common people.@BSYBJP, no ideology is greater than human life.
2/2 pic.twitter.com/EVidnaInAi

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) March 14, 2020

Soon after, the RSS on Saturday cancelled its three-day annual meeting of its highest decision-making body scheduled to begin in Bengaluru from Sunday due to coronavirus, said RSS general secretary Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi.

The annual meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) was to be held in Bengaluru from March 15-17. The meeting was to decide the organisation's future course of action.

"In view of the seriousness of the pandemic COVID-19 and in the light of instructions and advisories issues by the Union and the state governments, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) meeting scheduled in Bangaluru has been suspended," Joshi said in a statement.

Joshi appealed to all RSS workers to cooperate with administration to create awareness among public and to face this challenge successfully.

The RSS was supposed to discuss a host of issues including the roadmap for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The organisation was also supposed to review of last year's plan implementation and sharing of experiences and achievements.

BJP's national president J.P. Nadda was also scheduled to participate in the meeting which now stands cancelled due to coronavirus scare.