NATH BOOKED FOR ‘MALIGNING IMAGE OF INDIA’ WITH VARIANT REMARK
BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Kamal Nath was booked on Sunday for allegedly maligning the image of India internationally by claiming that the “Indian variant” of the coronavirus was responsible for the second wave of the pandemic, police said.
The case was registered on the complaint of medical education department minister, Vishwas Sarang, and other BJP leaders. BJP leaders also lodged the complaint on a video in which Nath is seen addressing Congress MLAS on the issue of shortage of fertilizers and other issues and telling them it is the right opportunity to start a fire so that farmers would get justice.
The case has been registered under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC and section 54 (punishment for false warning) of the Disaster Management Act by crime branch, said Irshad Wali, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police.
According to the FIR, “Kamal Nath said corona started with Chinese variant but now it is Indian variant of Covid-19 which is responsible for the second wave and many countries have suspended flights due to the Indian variant... Nath tried to misguide people and to create disturbance in the country.”
After the FIR, Nath said, “People who lost family members due to shortage of oxygen, injections, beds and other facilities during the second wave should also register an FIR against the heartless chief minister and other ministers of MP.”