25 MPs test positive for coronavirus as Monsoon Session begins in Parliament

At least 25 MPs, 16 from Lok Sabha and nine from Rajya Sabha, have tested positive for COvid-19 during mandatory testing before the Monsoon session of Parliament began on Monday.

Twenty-five members of Parliament, including Meenakashi Lekhi, Anant Kumar Hegde and Satya Pal Singh, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. At least 17 MPs of Lok Sabha and nine MPs of Rajya Sabha tested positive for the virus during a mandatory screening before the Monsoon session of Parliament commenced on Monday.

However, BJP leader Hanuman Beniwal, who was one of the 17 Lok Sabha MPs to test positive for the coronavirus, said that he was not infected as he has been screened thrice after giving a sample at Parliament and his all three reports have been negative.

Among the infected in Lok Sabha, the BJP has the maximum number of MPs - 11. The YSR Congress has two MPs, the Shiv Sena, DMK and RLP one each. In Rajya Sabha, two infected MPs belong to the BJP and Congress each. One MP each from the TMC, RJD, Akali Dal and TRS has also tested positive for Covid-19. The lone Rajya Sabha MP of AAP has also tested positive for the virus. Hence, AAP will not be able to participate in Rajya Sabha proceedings.

The infected include Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria, Meenakashi Lekhi, Sukanata Majumdar, Anant Kumar Hegde, Goddeti Madhavi, Pratap Rao Jadav, Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Bidyut Baran Mahato.

Pradan Baruah, N Reddeppa, Selvam G, Pratap Rao Patil, Ram Shankar Katheria, Parvesh Sahib Singh, Satya Pal Singh and Rodmal Nagar have also tested positive for Covid-19.

The list of infected Rajya Sabha MPs includes Abhay Bharadwaj, Ahmad Ashfaque Karim, Ashok Gasti, Deepender Singh Hooda, Naranbhai J Rathwa, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Shanta Chhetri, Sushil Kumar Gupta and V Lakshmikantha Rao.

Apart from the 25 MPs who tested positive for Covid-19, at least seven Union ministers and around 25 MPs have contracted the disease. Union home minister Amit Shah was also earlier admitted to a hospital for Post-Covid treatment. He also underwent a thorough medical check-up before the Parliament session started.

Parliament session has started on Monday amid a series of restrictions and safety measures, like staggered seating, chambers for MPs and a mobile app to mark the attendance.

Ironically, on such an important topic of concern and national interest, Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan was given only 12 minutes to address Parliament on the coronavirus pandemic and India’s fight against it as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked the minister to sum up his speech and only talk about brief points, the rest would be tabled and given to all to read.