Anupam Hazra, who threatened Mamata Banerjee with “Covid-hug”, now tests positive for the virus

BJP leader Anupam Hazra who had said he would hug West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee if he gets COVID-19, has now tested positive for the virus. “Covid Positive,” Hazra wrote on his Facebook page. He has been admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata.

A police complaint was filed against the new National Secretary of the BJP from West Bengal last week for the comment. It was filed on Monday by Trinamool Congress’ refugee cell for making derogatory comments against a woman and head of the state.

It was filed in Siliguri police station of Darjeeling district. The complaint sought action against the BJP leader for maligning a public figure who is a woman. Banerjee was in Siliguri on Monday for three days to hold administrative meetings with districts of north Bengal.

Hazra was elected Trinamool Congress MP from Bolpur in 2014 but was suspended by the party in January 2019. He joined the BJP after that and was fielded by the party from Jadavpur where he lost against Trinamool Congress’ Mimi Chakraborty in the Lok Sabha polls. Last Sunday, Hazra was quoted saying that if “some day I test positive for COVID, I will go to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and hug her. She will then understand the pain of those who have suffered from the disease and lost those who who are close to them to the pandemic”.