Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, 22 March. In a tweet, Rawat said that he is stable and has isolated himself.
Rawat also asked those who came in contact with him to quarantine themselves.
The newly appointed chief minister was scheduled to land in Delhi later during the day for a four-day visit, to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Cabinet ministers.
Rawat has been in news for a series of controversial remarks. On Sunday, 21 March, he said families struggling to feed themselves amid the COVID-19 pandemic should have had 20 children if they wanted more food grains and pulses under the ration scheme of the Narendra Modi-led central government.
"Every household was given five kg rations. If 10 (people in a home) got 50 kg, then 20 got a quintal (100 kg). But some were jealous that two people got 10 kg and 20 got a quintal. Why? When there was time, you only gave birth to two... why not 20?" Rawat was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.
Earlier last week, the Uttarakhand CM was in the news for his misogynistic remarks about women wearing ‘ripped jeans.’
“Showing bare knees by wearing ripped jeans just to look like rich kids is the value given now, which is just a race towards westernisation when the western world is following us today. Ripped jeans pave the way for societal breakdown and are a bad example for children,” Rawat had remarked, drawing criticism from across the board.
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