Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and BJP legislator Trivendra Singh Rawat made a shocking statement on Thursday saying that coronavirus is a living organism and has the right to live.
The comment comes amid a devastating second wave of COVID-19 which has gripped the nation with many losing their lives.
"Seen from a philosophical angle, coronavirus is also a living organism. It has the right to live like the rest of us. But we (humans) think ourselves to be the most intelligent and are out to eliminate it. So it is constantly mutating itself," he told a news channel.
Rawat said in order to stay safe, humans need to outpsace the virus.
"Hence, we now have to keep our distance from it. It is also moving and we are also moving, but we have to move faster than it so that it gets left behind," he further said.
The video of his comment has now gone viral on social and many have criticized and trolled him.
"This virus organism should be given shelter in the Central Vista," said one Twitter user.
Meanwhile, Congress moved quick to take digs at the former CM.
"What Rawat, who was the state's CM, has said, is nothing but foolish and nonsense. He has lost his mind and has no vision because of which he was replaced abruptly by his party," Uttarakhand Congress vice president Suryakant Dhasmana said.
"The virus is a living organism, so was Ravana, Kansa and Mahishasura. But they all were killed by different gods because they were destroying the world just like this virus which has killed lakhs… Rawat is just uttering sheer nonsense," he added.
On Friday, India registered 3,43,144 new cases of coronavirus and 4,000 deaths. Maharasthra has reported the highest fatality with 850 deaths, following by Karnataka with 344 daily deaths.
The top five states which registered maximum cases are Maharashtra with 42,582 cases, followed by Kerala with 39,955 cases, Karnataka with 35,297 cases, Tamil Nadu with 30,621 cases and Andhra Pradesh with 22,399 cases.
