Tamil Nadu health minister Ma Subramanian on Wednesday blamed North Indian students for the rise in COVID-19 cases in the state. Minister inspected the Vellore Institute of Technology, Kilambakkam as a cluster because of the COVID cases reported recently.
“North Indian students are spreading COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu. Students from Kelambakkam VIT College and Sathyasai college have got affected by the coronavirus infection in hostels and classes,” the news agency ANI quoted Subramanian. This statement triggered a row on Twitter.
According to an official press release, 44 students have tested positive in the last 24 hours at the campus, taking the tally to 118. BJP leader Jitin Prasada called the remark “extremely irresponsible, derogatory and insulting to North Indians.”
The daily new Covid-19 cases nearing the 100 per day mark. Tamil Nadu on Tuesday logged 98 new Covid-19 infections, including two returnees from the United States and Kerala respectively, pushing the tally to 34,55,474, the Health department said.
“In some North Indian states, COVID-19 cases are still increasing,” he added.
The students are under isolation and are being monitored by a team of health officers, the release said. Those who came into contact with the students have also been identified.
