Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Kamal Nath was booked on Sunday for allegedly maligning the image of India internationally by claiming that the ‘Indian variant’ of the Covid-19 virus was responsible for the second wave in the country, police said.
The case was registered on the complaint of medical education department minister, Vishwas Sarang and other BJP leaders. BJP leaders alleged that the Congress leader held a virtual press conference and blamed the ‘Indian strain’ for the deadly second wave. BJP leaders also lodged the complaint on a video that went viral on social media in which Nath can be seen addressing Congress MLAs on the issue of shortage of fertilizers and other issues and telling them it is the right opportunity to start a fire so that farmers would get justice.
The case has been registered under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC and Section 54 (punishment for false warning) of Disaster Management Act by the Crime Branch, Irshad Wali, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police said.
According to the FIR, “Kamal Nath said Covid-19 started with the Chinese variant but now it is the Indian variant of Covid-19 which is responsible for the second wave and many countries have suspended flights due to the Indian variant. Nath also said Indians who are working and studying in foreign countries are facing trouble due to it. But in reality foreign countries are trying to help India by sending important items to fight against the epidemic. Nath tried to misguide people and to create disturbance in the country.”
{{/usCountry}}According to the FIR, “Kamal Nath said Covid-19 started with the Chinese variant but now it is the Indian variant of Covid-19 which is responsible for the second wave and many countries have suspended flights due to the Indian variant. Nath also said Indians who are working and studying in foreign countries are facing trouble due to it. But in reality foreign countries are trying to help India by sending important items to fight against the epidemic. Nath tried to misguide people and to create disturbance in the country.”
{{/usCountry}}“Nath also violated the norms of WHO, in which the organisation clearly said no variant of the virus should be named after a country, person, organisations and birds’ names,” reads the FIR.
The FIR also mentions that Kamal Nath tried to spread anarchy by telling Congress MLAs to start a fire to ensure justice for agitating farmers.
“Nath and other Congressmen are trying to create unrest in India and MP by doing dirty politics as they had done during the 1984 riots. Nath insulted our country internationally and he should be booked under sedition charges,” Vishwas Sarang said.
After the FIR against him Kamal Nath said, “People who lost family members due to shortage of oxygen, injections, beds and other facilities during the second wave should also register an FIR against the heartless chief minister and other ministers of MP. People, who lost their family members due to Covid-19 and their deaths have not been included as Covid deaths, should also register an FIR against the CM and his cabinet ministers.”
Former minister and Congress MLA Jitu Patwari said, “The BJP-led state government is misusing power to hide the data and the real pain of Covid-19 infected people. They are not concerned about India’s image but they are more concerned about the Prime Minister and BJP’s image. They should book all the Congress leaders because we will not keep mum on lies of the state and central government.”