Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Viijayan may have violated the COVID-19 protocols in the state as he was seen in public functions despite showing symptoms.
It was on April 8, two days after voting in the Assembly polls, that Pinarayi revealed he had tested positive for coronavirus. He turned negative on Wednesday and was discharged from the Kozhikode Medical College hospital.
According to the rules, anyone who has turned coronavirus positive should be tested after 10 days and then discharged.
Moreover, his wife, who was with him and had turned coronavirus positive too, was also discharged and went home with him, which is also seen as a violation of the protocols.
Adding to the confusion, the Kozhikode Medical College Principal said no violation has taken place as Pinarayi had turned coronavirus positive on April 4.
But on that day, the last day of campaigning, Pinarayi was seen taking part in road shows in his Dharmadom assembly constituency and on election day on April 6, came to cast his vote and interacted with the media.
The Principal then sought to clarify that Pinarayi's symptoms started on April 4, and it was only on April 8 that he was tested and found positive, adding that thus, the 10- day waiting period was completed on Wednesday. As the test came out negative, he was sent home with the instruction that he should be in quarantine at his home for a week.
Last year, Pinarayi had come down heavily on a Congress leader from Idukki who turned Covid positive and admonished him for not following the Covid protocols.
“Wouldn't the comrades have my house attacked if it was me who flouted the Covid protocol like the chief minister did,” Congress leader and UDF candidate from Vattiyoorkavu Veena S Nair said.
(With inputs from IANS)
