New Delhi (NVI): At least 25 MPs, including 17 from Lok Sabha and eight from Rajya Sabha have been tested positive for coronavirus during the mandatory tests carried out before the monsoon session of parliament began this morning.
Among the infected Lok Sabha MPs, the maximum are from BJP – 12. The YSR Congress has two MPs, the Shiv Sena, DMK and RLP one each.
The infected Lok Sabha MPs include BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi, Anant Kumar Hegde, Parvesh Sahib Singh, Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Kaushal Kishore.
According to reports, altogether 56 people tested positive during the RT-PCR Tests conducted in the parliament building complex by September 12. The figure includes officials, media persons and MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
In Rajya Sabha Congress party’s Deepender Singh Hooda and Naranbhai J Rathwa, BJP’s Ashok Gasti and Abhay Bhardwaj, AIADMK’s A Navneethakrishnan, AAP’s Sushil Kumar Gupta, TRS’s V Lakshmikantha Rao and AITC’s Shanta Chhetri were found positive.
Meenakshi Lekhi, who also tested for the virus tweeted: “After the routine Parliament test for COVID & genome test it’s confirmed that I have tested positive for the virus. I am currently in good health & spirits. I request everyone who has been recently in contact with me to get tested. Together We will fight & defeat Corona.”
After the routine Parliament test for COVID & genome test it’s confirmed that I have tested positive for the virus. I am currently in good health & spirits. I request everyone who has been recently in contact with me to get tested. Together We will fight & defeat Corona??
— Meenakashi Lekhi (@M_Lekhi) September 14, 2020
Sukanta Majumdar from BJP was the first to tweet about is positive result yesterday. “Requesting all those who have come in close contact with me in the last few days to monitor their health and get tested in case of any symptoms,” he tweeted.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said it has carried out testing of more than 2,500 samples of members of Parliament and other officials “on a war footing” over the weekend.
Even before the parliament session began, at least seven Union ministers and around 25 MPs and MLAs had contracted the disease, since the outbreak of the disease.
Home Minister Amit Shah, who was also treated for the virus recently, underwent a thorough medical check-up before the parliament session started.
Since the parliament session is being held amid the pandemic period, huge safety measures have been taken to prevent the infection from spreading.
The truncated 18-day monsoon session will be marked by staggered sittings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, distancing between MPs in the house, working weekends and limited visitors. Proper seating arrangements have been made as per Covid-19 protocols, apart from other safety measures.
-ARK
