Lapse by Chandigarh over quarantine poster at RSS office in Sector 18

Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 9

In a major lapse, the UT authorities did not put up a home quarantine poster at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Sector 18 despite its senior functionary testing Covid-19 positive on June 4.

RSS functinonary tested +ve on June 4

According to sources, the senior RSS functinonary — who tested positive — is a native of Himachal Pradesh. He came back from Delhi to the Sector 18 office on June 1. He got himself tested on June 3 at a private lab in Sector 11 and his report came out on June 4.

The poster was put up today after second positive case surfaced from the RSS office, which is being run from a kothi.

According to sources, the senior RSS functinonary—who tested positive — is a native of Himachal Pradesh. He came back from Delhi to the Sector 18 office on June 1. He got himself tested on June 3 at a private lab in Sector 11 and his report came out on June 4.

“It is strange on their part. Did they want to hide the matter? If quarantine poster is not put up, how will people come to know that they do not have to go inside? This mistake can spread infection to more people,” said an official.

The second person who tested positive today is an attendant at the office and had accompanied the senior RSS functionary to get his test done.

Anil Kumar Garg, nodal officer, quarantine wing, said, “We did not get any information about the first positive case. It was not possible for us to put up the poster.” The first case was added to Himachal Pradesh’s tally.

Health Secretary Arun Gupta, said, “We did not put up the poster as we had tested all his primary contacts. Of them, one is positive and others negative.”

The news of a senior RSS functionary testing positive has created a flutter as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s leaders met him in the city. “Senior BJP’s leaders held meetings with him,” said a saffron outfit leader.

Didn’t meet anyone, says senior RSS functionary

He said, “After returning from Delhi, I had not met anyone. I met politicians on May 28 before going to Delhi, where I came in contact with two RSS workers, who tested positive after I reached Chandigarh. I

am doing fine.” He said he had undergone self-isolation at the RSS office and went to New Delhi to pick up his luggage.