Over the last few months, several union Ministers and Parliamentarians have tested positive for COVID-19. As the Monsoon Session of the Parliament began, this number has risen alarmingly. On the first day of the session, around 30 MPs and more than 50 employees of Parliament had reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The numbers have continued to grow.
The 4th Session of the 17th Lok Sabha had commenced on 14th September 2020 at 9 am. Official sources now say that the ongoing session is likely to be curtailed and may end by the middle of next week in view of the threat of the COVID-19 spread among parliamentarians.
But who are the parliamentarians who have been affected since the session began earlier this week? Well, read on to find out.
On Wednesday, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and requested people who had come in contact with him recently to follow protocol. His office had said the minister was in Nagpur and had a slight fever. A day later, another Union Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel who leads the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, tested positive for COVID-19.
New Delhi MP and BJP leader, Meenakshi Lekhi, tested positive for the virus on September 14. She was not alone. 17 MPs from the Lok Sabha tested positive on Monday. This includes:
BJP
1. Anant Kumar Hegde
2. Dr. Sukanata Majumdar
3. Janardan Singh Sigriwal
4. Bidyut Baran Mahato
5. Pradan Baruah
6. Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria
7. Pratap Rao Patil
8. Dr. Ram Shankar Katheria
9. Parvesh Sahib Singh
10. Satya Pal Singh
11. Rodmal Nagar
YRSCP
12. Goddeti Madhavi
13. N Reddeppa
RLP
14. Hanuman Beniwal
Shiv Sena
15. Pratap Rao Jadav
DMK
16. Selvam. G
Perhaps more alarming is the case of Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe who, after testing negative about a week ago, has once again tested positive on Thursday.
While all the names are not known as some had requested anonymity and were thus not named in news reports, what we do know is that around eight members of the Rajya Sabha have tested positive recently, as well as others who continue to suffer the ill-effects of the virus.
This includes:
1. Deepender Singh Hooda
2. Naranbhai J. Rathwa
3. A Navneethakrishnan
4. Ashok Gasti
5. Abhay Bhardwaj
6. Sushil Kumar Gupta
7. V. Lakshmikantha Rao
8. Shanta Chhetri
(With inputs from agencies)
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