India / Ramdas Athawale tests positive for COVID-19, hospitalised in Mumbai

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and has been admitted to the Bombay Hospital in south Mumbai. This comes a day after he inducted actress Payal Ghosh into his party, Republican Party of India (Athawale), in a public ceremony which was attended by several party leaders.

Vikrant Shekhawat : Oct 27, 2020, 02:52 PM
New Delhi: Union minister Ramdas Athawale, whose ‘go corona, go’ chant became a national sensation, on Tuesday tested coronavirus positive, an official said.

The Republican Party of India (A) leader has been admitted to a private hospital in south Mumbai, he said.

In February, a video of Athawale, along with a Chinese diplomat and Buddhist monks chanting “Go corona, go corona” at a prayer meeting went viral on social media.

The video was reportedly shot at the Gateway of India here on February 20 during a prayer session to stop the spread of coronavirus in China.

Athawale (60) is a member of the Rajya Sabha and minister of state for social justice in the Narendra Modi-led ministry.

The minister is also a diabetic, an aide said.

Athawale on Monday attended an event in Mumbai to induct actress Payal Ghosh into the Republican Party of India (A).