Shadow Boxing or Fight Against Covid-19? Amid Crisis, K'taka-Kerala Border Closure Sparks Debate

Bengaluru: The dreaded coronavirus seems to have had an unexpected side effect on the relationship between two neighbouring states — Karnataka and Kerala. Immediately after the nationwide lockdown was declared two weeks ago, Karnataka closed its border with Kerala halting any kind of movement of people between two southern states.

The reason given was, Kasaragode, the northern most district of Kerala, is a hotbed of coronavirus and allowing traffic even in emergency cases might lead to spread of Covid-19 in border districts of Mangalore, Kodagu and Mysore.

The Karnataka government blocked all 23 roads which connect the state with Kerala. Even the ambulances were not allowed to enter Karnataka. It led to a huge furore in Kerala, which termed it as an 'inhuman act' by its northern neighbour, in the time of an unprecedented global health crisis. But, Karnataka did not budge even after the Kerala High Court ordered it to allow ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

Citing the central government order, Karnataka declared that it would approach the Supreme Court requesting it to uphold closure of border. The ruling BJP leaders and members took to social media defending the decision and ridiculing Kerala’s lack of medical care facilities.

According to many insiders and political observers, the real issue is not the fear of corona travelling from Kerala to Karnataka. They argue that the BJP is actually using it to "expose" the much publicized virus fight being taken up the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Communist government in Kerala.

As everyone knows, Kerala’s systematic fight against covid-19 has earned a lot of praise for the Left government and the Keralites are mocking the lack of medical care in BJP-ruled states in the north India, particularly Yogi Adityanath's UP.

Many BJP leaders, including Karnataka ministers, MPs, MLAs and even some important RSS functionaries, are defending the closure of border, claiming that Kerala’s medical care is just a hype and their desperate pleas to Karnataka to open border for medical care exposes it.

They even questioned Communists ridicule of Yogi Adityanath, saying medical facilities in Kerala are abysmal and that’s why they want to come to Karnataka for treatment.

Karnataka’s Tourism, Kannada and Culture minister CT Ravi, who has a strong RSS background, took to Twitter to question Kerala.

These comments and Karnataka’s adamant stand have not gone down well with a lot of Kannadigas and the opposition parties in the state.

Interestingly, Kasaragode is a Kannada speaking majority district which was lost to Kerala during the linguistic state reorganization in 1956. Karnataka government still maintains that Kasaragode is a part of the state and Kerala got it through manipulations.

Karnataka government’s stand has angered the Kannada activists who fear that it will put an end to state’s claims over Kasaragode. Ganesh Chethan, a leading activist alleges RSS hand behind this.

“Just to please Yogi Adityanath and spite Communists, the state BJP is making our own fellow Kannadigas from across the state border collateral damages in an ideological battle. Kasaragode, Kannadigas will never forget this. The closure of border even for the emergency medical treatments is a shame. We are not with the state government in this,” he said.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has also condemned the move, saying that roads should be open for ambulances and emergency needs.

Speaking to News18, he said, “historically, people from Kasaragode come to neighbouring Mangalore for medical care because it is closer to them. Going to Kochi or Kozhikode takes time. This crisis should not be used to settle political scores.”

Former chief minister and leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah has also endorsed Gowda’s views. However, chief minister BS Yediyurappa refused to budge claiming that border closure is a must to flatten the corona curve. He dismissed “RSS versus Left” shadow boxing theories as baseless.

Admirably, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has decided to play it down by not getting into a verbal spat on ideology or medical care by saying that he will do his best to provide medical facilities to people of Kasaragode.

He has also refused to close border with Tamil Nadu. Taking a potshot at BJP government in Karnataka, he said, “we don’t close border with Tamil Nadu. We are brothers. We must help each other’s in the time of an international health crisis like this.”

Experts argue that the political fallout of closure of border would be felt only after the end of lockdown.