The callousness of many citizens including celebrities may act as a deterrent to India’s efforts to grapple the threat of entering stage-3 (community transmission) of Wuhan Coronavirus. According to reports, ace boxer and Rajya Sabha MP Mary Kom has broken the 14 days mandatory quarantine protocol put in place by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the governments across the world and attended the breakfast hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Mary Kom had competed in the Asia-Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Amman, Jordan and had returned home on March 13. She was supposed to be in self-isolation for a minimum of 14 days. But flouting the rule put in place by the government amidst the coronavirus threat, Mary Kom attended the breakfast on March 18.
In one of the four pictures tweeted by the official Twitter of President of India, Mary Kom can be seen with other Members of Parliament. The caption of the post read: “President Kovind hosted Members of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan for breakfast at Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning.”
President Kovind hosted Members of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan for breakfast at Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning. pic.twitter.com/Rou6GLrSHH
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 18, 2020
Speaking to IANS, boxing coach Santiago Nieva had informed that the members of the Indian boxing contingent, who participated in Jordan, are all under the mandatory 14-day quarantine. “10 days we had planned but now it becomes 14 days. So after 10 days, I am working on a training programme which I will send them. After this period they can start on that. If this is not solved within two weeks then we will have to continue like this as best as we can,” Nieva had said.
Mary Kom has, also admitted that she attended the President’s event. In a statement, she said: “I am home since I came back from Jordan. I only attended the President’s event and did not meet Dushyant or shake hands with. My quarantine after Jordan ends but I’m going to be at home only for the next 3-4 days.”
Incidentally, that breakfast party was also attended by BJP leader Dushyant Singh, who came in contact with infected Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor. Dushyant Singh is now in self-quarantine, and according to reports he has tested negative.
After the news of Singh going into self-quarantine broke, the President took to twitter to quote an article: “The coronavirus outbreak has forced us to keep a respectful distance from others. This isolation, self-imposed or medically mandated, can be taken as an ideal opportunity to ponder our journey so far and the future path.”
According to reports, President Kovind is likely to undergo a coronavirus test as he also met Singh when he attended the party.
