Chandigarh, October 6: Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), his office said on Tuesday. Balbir Singh Sidhu was found to be infected with COVID-19 a day after he shared the stage with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Besides Rahul Gandhi, Sidhu had shared the stage with Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, state Congress president Sunil Jhakhar and former chief minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat. Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu Warns of Action Against Private Hospitals for Overcharging COVID-19 Patients.

According to Punjab’s nodal officer for Covid-19 Dr Rajesh Bhaskar, Sindhu was in isolation after he contracted coronavirus. "The health minister was feeling tired last night and in the morning, he had a mild fever and throat infection. His sample was taken last night itself and today afternoon the test came positive," Dr Rajesh Bhaskar was quoted by a leading daily. He added contact tracing was underway. Punjab Minister Balbir Singh Assures Strict Action Against Culprits for Manhandling COVID-19 Health Worker.

Sidhu attended three rallies organised by the Congress party to protest against the recently-enacted farm laws. At all the three rallies, he shared the stage with Rahul Gandhi. In one of the pictures, he is seen sitting right next to the Wayand MP who was in Punjab to participate in his party's 'Kheti Bachao Yatra' against the farm laws. Addressing one of the rallies, Sidhu said the state government can contain coronavirus, adding "masks hardly matter to us" in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s farm laws.

"Modi di mahamari de samne sanu mask da koi farak nahi painda…(before Modi’s pandemic farm laws, masks hardly matter to us)," Sidhu said. "Looking at the present situation, it seems that we can control Covid cases in another 20-22 days, par Modi di mahamari jiyada khatarnak hai jis karke lokan nu sadakan te aana piya (but Modi’s pandemic in the form of farm laws is more dangerous due to which people had to come on the roads)," he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 06, 2020 07:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).