Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu has raked up a storm after saying that only divine intervention could help the state of Karnataka from the COVID-19 pandemic. With the COVID-19 situation slowly spiralling out of control in Karnataka, the Health Minister has now sought divine intervention to fight the pandemic. Absolutely disturbed by the spike in the cases, the Health Minister on Wednesday said that “only God would save us”.

Sriramulu addressed the media after his visit to his assembly constituency of Molkalmuru in Chitradurga District of Karnataka. Pointing out that the virus doesn’t discriminate between rich and poor, police, doctors, politicians or legislators, Sriramulu said that cases of COVID-19 were rising at an alarming level globally.

On being asked about the opposition’s allegations of differences in the BJP and on questions about the government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, he responded by saying that the allegations are false and that only god can help us.

“The cases are doubling indiscriminately all over the world. The virus does not choose or discriminate between poor and rich or on the basis of community, religion, class and caste. The cases are going to increase without a doubt. Call it the government’s apathy, the ministers’ irresponsibility or even blame the lack of coordination between the ministers for the spike in the cases. All these allegations are untrue. In whose hands does this (spread of virus) rest? It is only God who can save us,” the minister said.

This statement by the minister has drawn him severe criticism as it comes at a time when COVID-19 cases in Karnataka are at an all-time high. A whopping 3,176 cases were reported from across the southern state during the day, taking the total to 47,253, including 27,853 active cases after 18,466 were discharged. 87 people have succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the total deaths in the state to 928.