Days after doctors and healthcare professionals on their way to check for coronavirus infections were attacked in a predominantly minority neighbourhood in Moradabad, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former cabinet minister stressed on the need to nip rumour-mongering misleading the people in the bud.
"The fight against coronavirus is being taken up on two fronts. One, the coordination between the Centre and states. The CMs are closely coordinating with the central leadership," said Hussain, featuring in a panel discussion on India TV's Kurushetra on Friday. Aam Aadmi Party MLA Raghav Chadha and Congress spokesperson Rajeev Tyagi were the other panel members.
"The second aspect of this fight involves debunking rumours being spread in local communities. For instance, in Moradabad, the minority community is being told that their members will be taken away by authorities. The same rumours that were being spread at the time of unveiling of the polio vaccine are being propagated by certain vested individuals, who happen to be community leaders," highlighted Hussain.
"They used to say that your children will be born as impotent if you get vaccinated by polio drops. Now, the same rumours are being spread about coronavirus treatment," said the BJP leader.
Uttar Pradesh police have arrested at least 17 people involved in the brutal attack on health officials including doctors, police personnel in Moradabad who had gone for the check-up of coronavirus suspects in the district. An FIR under IPC sections 90/20,147, 148, 149, 188, 269, 270, 332, 336, 353, 307, 427, 504, 506 others has been registered and an investigation is underway.
The incident took on April 15, when a team of health officials and cops had visited Moradabad's Nawabpura area that falls under Nagfani police station to test family members of a person who died after getting infected with coronavirus on April 13 and take them under quarantine facility, so that virus doesn't spread further in that area.
However, when they reached, a group of around 200 people including men, women attacked health officials and the police team.
Taking note of the attack on doctors, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the invoking of the National Security Act against those found guilty.
Also read: Moradabad doctor, health workers on COVID-19 duty attacked, FIR reveals shocking details
