E-Paper
Nath booked for ‘maligning image of India’ with variant remark
Bhopal: 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 coronavirus was responsible for the second wave of the pandemic, police said
Bhopal: 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 coronavirus was responsible for the second wave of the pandemic, police said.
The case was registered on the complaint of medical education department minister, Vishwas Sarang, and other BJP leaders. BJP leaders alleged that Nath held a virtual press conference and blamed the “Indian variant” for the second wave. BJP leaders also lodged the complaint on a video in which Nath is 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 the IPC and section 54 (punishment for false warning) of the Disaster Management Act by crime branch, said Irshad Wali, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police.
According to the FIR, “Kamal Nath said corona started with Chinese variant but now it is 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 real, foreign countries are trying to help India by sending important things to fight against the epidemic. Nath tried to misguide people and to create disturbance in the country.”
“Nath also violated the norms of WHO in which the organisation clearly said no variant of virus should be named after a country, person, organisation or bird’s name,” the FIR said.
The FIR also mentioned that Nath tried to spread anarchy by telling the Congress MLAs to start a fire to ensure justice for farmers.
Minister Vishwas Sarang said, “Nath and other Congressmen are trying to create unrest in India and Madhya Pradesh by doing dirty politics as they had done during the 1984 riots. Nath insulted our country internationally and he should have been booked under sedition charges.”
After the FIR, 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-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 this lie of the state and the central government.”
