The parliament monsoon session witnessed Seventeen members of the Lok Sabha and eight from the Rajya Sabha have tested positive for coronavirus in the mandatory tests carried. Among the infected Lok Sabha MPs, the BJP has a maximum number — 12. The YSR Congress has two MPs, the Shiv Sena, DMK and RLP one each.
Till now 56 people tested positive during the RT-PCR Tests conducted in the parliament building complex . This figure includes officials, media persons and MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Meenakshi Lekhi tweeted: “After the routine Parliament test for COVID & genome test it’s confirmed that I have tested positive for the virus. I am currently in good health & spirits. I request everyone who has been recently in contact with me to get tested. Together We will fight & defeat Corona.”
The BJP’s Sukanta Majumdar ws the first to tweet his positive status yesterday. “Requesting all those who have come in close contact with me in the last few days to monitor their health and get tested in case of any symptoms,” his tweet read.
The first day saw a brief protest by opposition parties when the government sought the approval of the House to scrap Question Hour, but it lacked any intensity — perhaps because everyone was taking time to adjust to the overwhelmingly new normal and to restrictions such as sitting .
The parliament complex wore a semi-deserted look: Hardly a few TV cameras, no aides of MPs or visitors hanging around and just a few cars. Security officials did their duty donning face shields and tricolour masks — they were keen to prevent any crowding of lawmakers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the media and hoped that parliamentarians would stand behind soldiers guarding India’s borders. Also, JDU MP Harivansh Narayana Singh was elected to the post of deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha
