With the palpable sense of fear sweeping across the country, Indians came down hard against the careless politicians and celebrities who were found violating the directives and defying the recommended practices amidst the coronavirus scare. The defiance of government advisories by prominent personalities belonging to different fields drew a sharp reaction from concerned Indians who castigated the public figures for setting a wrong example for their followers and taking a pandemic that has so far claimed more than 10000 lives lightly.
Bollywood Singer Kanika Kapoor is the latest object of public ire after it was revealed that she had attended a party and met over 100 people, and later tested positive for coronavirus. According to the reports, Kapoor returned from London this Sunday, stayed in a five-star hotel in Lucknow and threw a dinner party. Her dinner party was attended by at least a hundred people who are now being contacted to be quarantined, as per the statement of the singer. Some reports even claim that the singer allegedly tried to hide her travel history, defied self-isolation protocols and even evaded screening at the airport.
Soon after it was revealed that Kapoor was found to have tested positive for the virus and that she attended a party after defying self-isolation protocols, Netizens on Twitter slammed her exhibiting such a careless attitude amidst the threat from a surging pandemic. One Twitter wondered if Kapoor’s behaviour is reflective of the negligence associated with Bollywood.
Kanika kapoor is entirely a reflection of how our bollywood has always behaved. Why did she take the Corona Endamic lightly.
— अंकित जैन (@indiantweeter) March 20, 2020
Another Twitter user advocated arresting Kanika Kapoor and punishing her for criminal negligence for knowingly imperilling the lives of others.
Let me say this aloud – #KanikaKapoor needs to be arrested and given some punishment. Any person knowingly putting life of others in danger needs to be stringently dealt with as we battle #CoronavirusOutbreakindia
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) March 20, 2020
This woman should be charged with criminal negligence. Period.
The public fury has also been directed at the politicians who attended the party hosted by singer Kanika Kapoor. Former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje, her son and BJP MP Dushyant Singh, Uttar Pradesh’s health minister Jai Pratap Singh were also at the receiving end of the criticism for attending the party that was hosted by singer Kanika Kapoor, who is now tested positive for Covid-19.
My view. @myogiadityanath should sack the health minister who was present in Kanika's party.
— mukul 🇮🇳 (@MukulAgarwal66) March 20, 2020
And Dushyant kumar should publicly apologise for going to a party and may well have infected parliament and the president.
Parties more important for them, it seems.
Ye Lo, yahan to Health Minister ko parties ki soojh rahi hai… And Coronavirus cases were already starting to rise in India when this party happened so no excuse. Absolutely pathetic https://t.co/eOemWe7xQq
— Gappistan Radio (@GappistanRadio) March 20, 2020
When @narendramodi n entire country asking citizens to avoid gatherings, parties.
— SurgicalDigital🇮🇳 (@rupal2710) March 20, 2020
How come @BJP4India MP's n ministers go partying.
Strict action needed https://t.co/Jpv14pgS11
Explain it to your colleagues in the @BJP4India first.
— Karan Rajan Menon (@karanrajan) March 20, 2020
Your MP, ex CM go around partying.
See what is happening in MP.
Irresponsible @ChouhanShivraj and his mates are having huge gathering. https://t.co/2bHBZa4gHg
Besides, there has been utter chaos and panic in the area where singer Kanika was staying in an apartment in Mahanagar area, Lucknow. The authorities have taken preventive steps and ordered to close down bakeries and all other eateries in the vicinity.
Reportedly, #KanikaKapoor was staying in an apartment in Mahanagar area, Lucknow. Complete state of panic in the area; looks like a bakery & other places in the vicinity have been asked to lockdown immediately.
— Gunja Kapoor (@gunjakapoor) March 20, 2020
With such nuisance value, how does #CoronaStopKaroNa
There is also huge concern among MPs, officials and journalists as they had come into contact with Dushyant Singh after he attended the party. TMC MP Derek O’Brien has kept himself in self-isolation as he had sat next to Singh at a Parliament committee meeting for almost 2 hours.
Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also drew flak from the Netizens after pictures of him with a sea of a crowd at the BJP office in Bhopal went viral following the resignation by current CM Kamal Nath.
Twitter users expressed their disappointment with Chouhan for meeting and interacting with crowds even as the Prime Minister of the country pleaded his countrymen to observe social distancing in the face of novel coronavirus threat.
I expected better from @ChouhanShivraj ji.. This is not a time and place to meet and interact with so much crowds. He should have avoided this meet n greet celebrations esp after the efforts PM @narendramodi govt is putting in to fight #Covid19 https://t.co/FOUt4q4UbD
— Maya (@Sharanyashettyy) March 20, 2020
Celebrations in the times of Corona? This is bad. Could have been avoided. @ChouhanShivraj sir should have set an example by practising social distancing. https://t.co/Ujf3GRP8tz
— Shefali Vaidya. (@ShefVaidya) March 20, 2020
Scenes at the @BJP4India office in #MadhyaPradesh right now, with @ChouhanShivraj among this crowd.
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) March 20, 2020
Did these people not hear @narendramodi yesterday, or DO THEY NOT CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OTHERS? And this is when Sec 144 has been imposed throughout MP. Absolutely SHAMELESS. pic.twitter.com/zPTJDBzDKq
We need to put into practice what @PMOIndia @narendramodi told in his speech. Such cases will neutralise all serious efforts of govt.
— Pranav Mahajan (@pranavmahajan) March 20, 2020
Pls don’t underestimate #Covid_19. Precaution is 100% better than cure. We have to play our role in this war so that #India wins.@smitaprakash
Though I am all for @BJP4India @ChouhanShivraj in #MadhyaPradesh but this cheek by shoulder crushing celebrations were most irresponsible. We are at a very delicate stage re #coronavirusindia
— Ratan Sharda 🇮🇳 (@RatanSharda55) March 20, 2020
Aren't you supposed to listen to #Modi ji?😷 https://t.co/QkZoFkWimD
One Twitter user asked Shivraj Chauhan if he is practising social distancing that he was preaching, posting a video of future CM of MP where he had given advises on precautions to be taken for coronavirus.
Today Did You Practice Social Distancing That You Are Now Preaching Us ? #ShameOnYou @ChouhanShivraj https://t.co/52P5EzkpfR
— indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) March 20, 2020
Journalist Barkha Dutt said that even though Shivraj Chouhan is a fine man and this is his big day, this is not the social distancing that the PM urged.
Am really sorry even though @ChouhanShivraj is a fine man and this is his big day, and congrats, this is NOT social distancing that the PM urged. https://t.co/LXc1gq4Z0I
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) March 20, 2020
A large number of people who criticised the BJP leaders for their irresponsible behaviour are BJP supporters. They said that such acts neutralise the efforts taken by the government authorities to curb the spread of the virus so far. Social media users said that we should not underestimate the virus and follow the suggestions in letter and spirit as advocated by PM Modi in his speech yesterday.
The cases of coronavirus in India is steadily on the rise. According to the health ministry, 206 cases have been confirmed so far. The central government and the state government are on a war footing to tackle the contagion that has wreaked havoc in countries across the globe. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation yesterday impressed upon all Indians the need to follow the practice of social distancing and only step out of the house only if very necessary.
