Union minister of state Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday went into self quarantine with “immediate effect” after he got to know that the Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief whom he met on July 12 has tested positive for coronavirus.
“Have gone into Self-Quarantine with immediate effect from 4 PM today, after receiving the news about Corona positive test of J&K BJP President Sh Ravinder Raina who had accompanied us from Srinagar to Bandipora on 12th July,” Dr Jitendra Singh said in a Twitter post.
Sources confided to HT that Ravinder Raina, the “vociferous” BJP leader, has been hospitalised in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty hospital in Kakryal in Reasi district.
“For five days I was in Bandipora where our party leader Sheikh Waseem Bari, his brother and their father were martyred. Covid infection rate is more in Kashmir and this morning I had a mild fever. My first report tested me positive, though I am asymptomatic. I am going for a second test and will follow all the guidelines of the health ministry and the J&K administration,” he told HT.
It may be stated here that Raina had been staying back in Bandipora following the killing of Sheikh Waseem Bari, his brother and their father.
Raina had met several people during the funeral of the deceased party leader and other members.
The administration has now started contact tracing.
“All the top BJP leaders, including party general secretary Ram Madhav, union minister Dr Jitendra Singh and vice president Avinash Rai Khanna and workers, will be quarantined and tested as per contact tracing protocol due to contact with party president Ravinder Raina who has tested positive,” said a party leader.
On July 12, accompanied by Raina, BJP’s national general secretary Ram Madhav, union minister Dr Jitendra Singh and BJP’s national vice president Avinash Rai Khanna had visited the residence of Bari to express their condolences to the family.
The virus has started witnessing a sudden spike in Jammu and Kashmir where the wife and son of an adviser to lieutenant governor and two senior IAS officers have tested positive.
Ram Madhav’s personal secretary, who picked up his cellphone, informed that he was busy in a meeting and will get back about his status and whether he will undergo a Covid-19 test.
BJP vice president Avinash Rai Khanna said that he has been tested negative.
