Coronavirus: Kamal Nath booked for referring to B.1.617 as ‘Indian variant’

The police in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday lodged a first information report against state Congress chief Kamal Nath for spreading panic by referring to a coronavirus variant, B.1.617, as the “Indian variant”, the Hindustan Times reported.

The case has been registered under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 54 (punishment for false warning) of the Disaster Management Act, said Deputy Inspector General of Police Irshad Wali.

“Kamal Nath said corona started with Chinese variant but now it is [the] Indian variant of Covid-19 which is responsible for the second wave and many countries have suspended flights due to the Indian variant,” the FIR read. “Nath also said Indians who are working and studying in foreign countries are facing trouble due to it. But in real, foreign countries are trying to help India by sending important things to fight against the epidemic. Nath tried to misguide people and to create disturbance in the country.”

It said that the Congress leader had violated the norms of the World Health Organization, which had said that no variant of the virus should be named after a country, person, organisation or bird. The FIR also said that Nath tried to spread anarchy…

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