Covid-19 made in God’s computer, it decides who will get infected: Assam minister
Chandra Mohan Patowary also blamed the World Health Organization for failing to find a cure for a ‘small virus’ like Covid-19 despite spending billions of dollars and after so much of research done about it.
Amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, a senior Assam minister claimed on Wednesday that the disease was created in God’s super-computer and it decides who will get infected, who won’t and who would die.
Chandra Mohan Patowary, who handles the transport, industries and commerce and three other departments, made the comments on Wednesday at an event to distribute financial assistance to beneficiaries under a state government scheme for widows of Covid-19 victims in Kamrup district.
He made the remark while talking about a nearly 90-year-old woman who he saw on a Guwahati footpath on Tuesday midnight without wearing a mask or taking any safety measures against the virus. Patowary, a BJP MLA, added that some people like that woman don’t get infected.
“Nature has decided who would get infected, who won’t and who would be taken away from Earth. A list on it is prepared in God’s computer. It’s not any normal man-made computer, but God’s own super computer. The computer decided on sending the Covid-19 virus to Earth with 2% mortality,” he said.
Patowary also blamed the World Health Organization for failing to find a cure for a “small virus” like Covid-19 despite spending billions of dollars and so much of research done about it.
When journalists present at the event questioned the minister about his statements later, he tried to downplay them. “Let’s not raise that issue which is controversial. What I wanted to say was that till date there is no medicine to cure Covid-19,” said Patowary.
The minister’s remarks at a time when Assam is still witnessing hundreds of new Covid-19 cases daily have evoked sharp reactions.
“It is beyond comprehension that an educated person, that too, a responsible minister can make such a comment. When a person cannot manage a bad situation he will obviously put the blame on God,” said Bobbeeta Sharma, media in-charge of opposition Congress.
“Because of the Centre’s lack of foresight in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic when there were early warning signs and the Modi Government’s organisation of the Namaste Trump event, disastrous consequences followed. Then they gave directions for ‘ thali bajao’ all over India to chase away Coronavirus! What can you expect from such people who lack scientific temper?” she added.
Till date, Assam has recorded 586,940 Covid-19 cases with 5618 deaths. On Thursday, the state recorded 562 new cases of the viral infection, 11 deaths and a test positivity rate of 0.69%. There are nearly 7,000 active cases in the state at present.
