'Bharat Jodo Yatra is Covid Spread Yatra’: Swami Chakrapani says ‘Rahul Gandhi's march should be STOPPED’

New Delhi: Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in China and some other countries, a prominent Hindu seer - Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, National President of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, has urged the authorities to stop Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra as it is likely to play a role in spreading the deadly virus. The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha president also requested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra from entering the national capital in the wake of the latest Covid scare.

"I request the Delhi Chief Minister to not allow Rahul Gandhi`s yatra to enter the national capital. Rahul Gandhi is an irresponsible and careless leader. Covid is spreading throughout the world, including China, the US, and other countries and he continues to hold the foot march throughout the country,” Chakrapani was quoted as saying by IANS.

"Covid cases have been reported in India as well. Rahul Gandhi`s Yatra is not a Bharat Jodo Yatra, but a ‘Covid spread yatra.’ This needs to be stopped," the seer said. Expressing his fears, the seer said that "last time the Tablighi Jamaat had spread Covid in the country, this time, Rahul Gandhi is doing the same."

Amid a Covid resurgence in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, China and the US, the Central government had on Tuesday urged all states and union territories to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of emerging variants.

In a letter, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate undertaking of requisite public health measures.

Amid a spurt in Covid cases in some parts of the world, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday asked states to remain alert and create awareness about wearing face masks and using hand sanitisers, especially in view of upcoming festivals and new year celebrations.

Making a statement in Lok Sabha, Mandaviya said the continuously evolving nature of the virus poses threat to global health in a way that impacts virtually every country. The Health Minister said India has been reporting 153 new cases on an average every day as against 5.87 lakh on a daily basis across the world.

"In view of upcoming festivals and new year celebrations, states also need to focus on ensuring effective awareness within the community on adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour which includes use of masks, hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene practices, besides following physical distancing," he said.

Mandaviya said states have been advised to focus on heightened surveillance within the community and to undertake requisite control and containment measures. He said states have also been advised to increase the whole genome sequencing of all positive cases for the timely detection of newer variants if any.