MP, minister among West Bengal netas advised home quarantine

MALDA/KOLKATA: A host of senior politicians in Bengal have been forced to go into home quarantine after they came in contact with Covid suspects who later tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Among those confined to their homes are Trinamool’s Malda district president and MP Mousam Noor, minister of state Bachhu Hansda, BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu, and CPM leaders of Darjeeling district committee.
In fact, the Trinamool leadership in Malda is in quarantine, days after a meeting with 150 panchayat representatives in which former sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad Sarala Murmu, now a karmadhyaksha, was present.
Murmu and her husband tested positive on Sunday. Murmu had attended the meeting, presided over by Noor on Saturday, despite being a Covid suspect. “All of us have been advised home quarantine by the health department,” Noor said. Malda zilla parishad sabhadhipati Gour Mandal and MLA Sabina Yeasmin are among those advised home quarantine.
BJP state general secretary Basu has confined himself to his Salt Lake house after a party worker tested positive. “He went with me to a party programme a few days ago. I have stopped going out of my house. My mother and wife have tested negative. My report is awaited,” Basu said.
CPM had to shut its Darjeeling office in Siliguri a week ago after Siliguri Corporation administrator Asok Bhattacharya contracted Covid. CPM leaders strictly followed quarantine norms.South Dinajpur Trinamool Youth Congress’ Animesh Sarkar tested positive on June 25, a day after he attended a meeting with Trinamool district president and MP Arpita Ghosh, MoS Hansda and MLA Goutam Das.