MP Pragya Thakur now tells crowd 'Cow urine wards off COVID; I don't take anything else'

Making a bizarre statement as India fights off the second COVID-19 wave, BJP MP Pragya Thakur insisted that extracts of cow urine offer protection against lung infections caused by the Coronavirus. The Madhya Pradesh MP has claimed that she consumes cow urine every day to wade off the threat of COVID-19. Citing the same, Thakur added that God has 'kept her safe' from COVID-19 as she uses the medicine of 'cow urine'. 

Incidentally, Thakur made the blatantly false and medically-unsound statements while addressing an event in Bhopal to dedicate oxygen concentrators amid the acute scarcity of medical oxygen witnessed across the country. 

At the event in Bhopal's Bairagarh, Pragya Thakur who was allegedly maskless, said, "Gau-mutra ark' (cow urine extract) of a desi cow keeps us away from lung infection. I am in a lot of trouble (health issues) but take the 'gaumutra ark' every day. After this, I am not supposed to take any other medicine for coronavirus. I am not affected by coronavirus infection." She added that cow urine is like a "life-saving" medicine. 

In April, a Madhya Pradesh Congress leader had announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for anybody who spots Thakur in public alleging that she was "missing" from the scene when the people need her help as an MP. During her speech, Thakur said she has been helping people "without publicity" in the second wave of coronavirus pandemic. 

In July last year, West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh had also advocated the use of cow-urine to boost immunity against the Coronavirus. A video had surfaced on social media, in which, the state BJP president could be heard emphasising on the significance of home remedies and suggested that people need to consume cow urine to stay healthy. The BJP leader had allegedly made the remarks during a meeting in Durgapur. 

Earlier this month, experts of several top bodies advised against the use of cow dung which had been advocated by some sections to treat the prevailing black fungus due to COVID-19. Such statements have been made in the past as well and have often been junked by top medical bodies as there has been no conclusive evidence to substantiate the claims. They have also led to wide criticism and mockery. 

India witnessing a declining trend in COVID cases

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan addressed the 26th Group of Ministers Meeting on Monday where he gave an update on the COVID-19 situation and the declining trend of new infections in the country. The nation which was recording over 4 lakh new cases a day recorded a spike of 2.8 lakh on Monday with the daily new cases declining by over 1 lakh in the past 24 hours. Not only was there a dip in new cases, but the 24-hour recoveries outnumbered the daily spike for the 6th time in a week as total discharges crossed the 2 crore mark.

"In the last 24 hours, the difference between new cases of Coronavirus and the cases recovered is about 1 lakh. After the gap of 26 days, less than three lakh new cases have been reported in the country within 24 hours," said Harsh Vardhan.