Amid coronavirus outbreak, a BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh told people in Deoria district not to purchase vegetables from Muslim vendors.
On Monday, a video of BJP MLA Suresh Tiwari went viral on social media in which he is heard telling people not to purchase vegetables from Muslim vendors. The BJP MLA who represents the Barhaj constituency is seen telling people, "Keep one thing in mind, I am telling everyone openly, no one should purchase vegetables from miyas (Muslims).”
For this advice, he cited "various complaints about people of the minority community contaminating vegetable with saliva". "After hearing complaints that people of a community were selling vegetables after contaminating them with saliva in an attempt to spread coronavirus disease, I advised them not to purchase vegetables from them… After the situation gets normal, then decide what they want,” Suresh Tiwari told Indian Express.
After the video went viral on social media, netizens took to Twitter and slammed the BJP MLA for his statement. One user said, "Arrest Suresh Tiwari, MLA Deoria @SURESHTTIWARIG1 for spreading communal hate." Another user said, "He should be booked for this @Uppolice @narendramodi ji this is what you leaders are doing."
Here’s what netizens had to say:
As many as 113 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state, taking the total number of positive cases to 1,986, the state government said on Monday. As per a media bulletin of the Directorate of Health Services, Uttar Pradesh, 399 patients have been discharged till now. So far, 31 deaths have been reported and there are 1,556 active COVID-19 cases in the state.
