Coronavirus India: Kanika Kapoor denied she hosted party; Vasundhara Raje, Dushyant Singh were present
Highlights
- Singer Kanika Kapoor partied in Lucknow with ministers, bureaucrats
- Soon after that she was tested positive for coronavirus
- It caused panic among MPs who also attended the party
After singer Kanika Kapoor shared on social media on Friday that she had tested positive for coronavirus, a dinner she attended in Lucknow has caused a scare among politicians all the way to Delhi, including for parliament and the President's House.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against Ms Kapoor for negligence, news agency Press Trust of India reported quoting the Lucknow police chief.
As President Ram Nath Kovind cancelled all his appointments as part of the government measures, it emerged that he had met with an MP who was possibly exposed to coronavirus at the dinner attended by Kanika Kapoor on Sunday.
The BJP's Vasundhara Raje and her son, MP Dushyant Singh, who attended the dinner, have gone into self-quarantine. So have MPs and other politicians who came in contact with them. Uttar Pradesh's Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh was also at the dinner. Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh is also under self-quarantine.
"While in Lucknow, I attended a dinner with my son Dushyant and his in-laws. Kanika, who has unfortunately tested positive for #Covid19 was also a guest. As a matter of abundant caution, my son and I have immediately self-quarantined and we're taking all necessary precautions," tweeted Vasundhara Raje, former Chief Minister of Rajasthan. The two have not been tested and won't be, unless they show symptoms.
Dushyant Singh met the President on Wednesday, as part of a delegation of MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Former union minister Anupriya Patel and Congress's Jitin Prasad and Deepinder Hooda, who met him yesterday, are in self-quarantine.
Dushyant Singh also attended parliament after the dinner, said a furious Trinamool Congress member Derek O'Brien, who has been calling for a parliament shutdown over COVID 19. Mr O'Brien has also quarantined himself.
"This Government is putting us all at risk. The PM says self-isolate yourself but the Parliament is on. I was sitting next to Dushyant the other day for 2.5 hours. There are two more MPs who are in self-isolation. The session should be deferred," said Mr O'Brien.
The government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked for a report within 24 hours on the parties that Ms Kapoor attended in the state.
Kanika Kapoor, 41, arrived in Mumbai from London on March 9 and two days later, went to Lucknow. She has denied hiding her illness and risking some 200 guests at the dinner.
The singer says she was screened at Mumbai airport and was allowed to go as she showed no symptoms of coronavirus or COVID 19. Many argue she could have self-isolated. Before coronavirus was confirmed, Kanika Kapoor left a trail of parties; she also visited Kanpur for a few hours for a family function, according to the district administration, which is "sanitizing" the area. A five-star hotel where another party was held has also shut down.
Coronavirus: Vasundhara Raje has tweeted she and her son are in self-quarantine
She felt a sore throat three days ago. According to her family sources, it took two days for the government health department to take a swab. She found out this morning that she had tested positive for the virus.
She then posted a message on Instagram. She has been placed in isolation at the King George's Medical University in Lucknow.
"For the past four days I have had signs of flu, I got myself tested and it came positive for Covid-19. My family and I are in complete quarantine now and following medical advice on how to move forward. Contact mapping of people I have been in touch with is underway as well. I was scanned at the airport as per normal procedure 10 days ago when I came back home. The symptoms have developed only four days ago," the singer posted.
India has 223 cases of coronavirus as of now. Four people have died.