'Jesus eradicated Covid': Telangana health director clarifies controversial statement

Telangana health director G Srinivasa Rao clarified that he credited all religious prayers in the fight against Covid apart from the work of the government of the doctors but his statement was being misrepresented that he said Covid was eradicated by the blessings of Jesus.

Telangana's director of public health and family welfare Dr G Srinivasa Rao who was at the centre of a controversy for touching chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's feet is in the news again for apparently saying that Jesus eradicated Covid-19 at a pre-Christmas-event held in Bhadradri Kothagudem. As his statement drew flak, he posted the entire video of the event and said his statement was distorted to give a religious colour. He said he will never insult any religion and he actually credited all religious prayers apart from the efforts put by the government in his statement, but only a portion where he named Jesus went viral.

Telangana health director said he will never hurt any religion and that his Jesus statement was misrepresented.

"We could defeat Covid-19 not because of our work but due to the blessings and kindness of Lord Jesus Christ," he said at the event.

"It is unfortunate that some have distorted and falsely propagated my comments where I said we defeated Covid-19 due to the unique initiative of K Chandrasekhar Rao, the performance of the government, full cooperation of all the employees of the health department and because of all religious prayers," he said to news agency ANI

The statement comes at a time India is on a high alert owing to a resurgence of Covid cases in China spurred by the BF.7 variant of Omicron which was reported in India as early as July this year.

(With ANI inputs)