Harsha Bhohle hits out at ‘few silly people’ for ‘partying’ as coronavirus pandemic spreads in India

Renowned cricket commentator and author Harsha Bhogle on Sunday took to twitter to slam people for continuing to party amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. According to the health ministry’s latest figures, 222 people have been infected with the virus in India with a sudden spike in the numbers over the last couple of days. In a tweet, Bhogle slammed literate people for continuing to engage in social gatherings. A major case of irresponsible behaviour has surfaced with singer Kanika Kapoor testing positive for

“It is so disappointing when so many people are trying so hard and stupid, literate people coming from infected areas go around partying,” he said.

“A million people can do right but it requires a few silly people to lose the fight. Let us stay vigilant. We are in this together,” he added. 

It is so disappointing when so many people are trying so hard and stupid, literate people coming from infected areas go around partying. A million people can do right but it requires a few silly people to lose the fight. Let us stay vigilant. We are in this together.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 20, 2020

Bhogle’s remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of the country to observe Janta curfew on Sunday in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. In the 30-minutes television address on Friday, which began at 8 pm, PM Modi started by highlighting the gravity of the situation - that coronavirus disease Covid-19 has affected more people than the two World Wars.

“The whole world is going through a very serious phase. Generally, whenever a natural crisis occurs, it is limited to a few countries or states. But the coronavirus outbreak has put the entire human race in crisis,” he said.

He also urged the countrymen to avoid stepping out of home unless necessary, and made a promise that there won’t be a shortage of essential supplies.

This comes at a time when Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor tested coronavirus positive on Friday. She has said that she did not try to skip any screening, adding that she had to be after the authorities to get the test done. Kanika is being blamed for negligence, not practising social distancing and even attending parties despite having returned from London earlier this month.

Asked if she hid in the bathroom to escape screening when she arrived in India from London on March 9, Kanika told Times of India in an interview, “There are these silly rumours that I hid in the washroom to skip screening. Tell me, how is it possible for a person to skip screening at immigration while coming on an international flight? I was properly screened at the Mumbai airport and I stayed in the city for a day. But since everything was closed and no work was happening (because of the industry lockdown due to the coronavirus spread), my parents suggested I come home. So I reached Lucknow on March 11 by the morning flight. And one can check, at that time there was no advisory issued by the government on anyone travelling from abroad to be under self-quarantine. So how can one expect me to do it, especially when I had been screened and had no health issues till I left Mumbai? In fact, I developed the symptoms only four days ago.”