Ex-Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Rawat claims 'COVID has right to live'; Congress mocks him

Taking a bizarrely 'humane' approach to COVID-19, ex-Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat on Thursday, stirred a controversy by claiming that the virus had a 'right to live'. Rawat further added that the virus kept changing its form to survive. Uttarakhand has 77,082 active COVID cases and 1,83,478 recovered cases with 4123 fatalities.

Rawat: "Virus has a right to live'

"The Coronavirus is a living thing like us. We think we are the most intelligent. It (Coronavirus) wants to live and it has a right to live. We are behind it (to kill it). So it changes its form to save itself and become a behroopiya (mimick)," said Rawat while talking to a local news channel in Dehradun.

Taking a dig at the ex-CM, Congress leader Srinivas BV wondered, "Then (the virus) must have an Aadhaar card and ration car also?". Similarly, Congress leader Gaurav Pandhi lamented 'With such people at the helm of affairs it should not be a surprise that our country is facing worst human tragedy'. Several netizens mocked the ex-CM saying 'may be the virus would attend school and college too next year'.

Such statements are not new from the BJP-ruled Uttarakhand government. Rawat's successor, Tirath Singh Rawat had dismissed COVID fears amid Maha Kumbh in April saying, “faith will overcome the fear of the virus”. Rawat had also refuted comparisons between the Markaz event and the Maha Kumbh - denying that the event was a super spreader.

He said, "The Markaz was held in a closed space, in a kothi like structure whereas the Kumbh is being held in the open on the sprawling ghats of the Ganga. Most importantly, Kumbh is at the bank of the River Ganga. Maa Ganga’s blessings are there in the flow. So, there should be no corona. The devotees attending Kumbh are not from outside but our own people."

Currently, Uttarakhand is under lockdown till May 18 amid a surge in cases after the completion of the month-long Maha Kumbh Mela which was attended by over 30 lakh people.  Uttarakhand recorded a 1,800% increase in COVID-19 cases between 31 March to 24 April, as per reports. As per the new rules, shops selling fruits, vegetables and dairy items will remain open from 7 am to 10 am. COVID-19 vaccination shall continue and people can travel to the inoculation centre by using their private vehicles, taxis, etc. after showing proof of the same. All shopping malls, market complexes, gyms, theatres, assembly halls, bars, liquor shops will remain closed until further orders.