New Delhi: The coronavirus pandemic caught up with Donald Trump as the US President and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the virus Friday. After the news broke, Twitter erupted with reactions.
Trump announces that he was Covid-positive in an unusually calm manner.
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
Melania also reassures everyone that they were “feeling good”.
As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) October 2, 2020
And Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes his ‘friend’ a speedy recovery.
Wishing my friend @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS a quick recovery and good health. https://t.co/f3AOOHLpaQ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2020
Closer home, horrific instances of rape in Uttar Pradesh continue to spark outrage across the country and on the microblogging site.
Under attack from all sides because of multiple rape-murders in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tries to boost confidence with this pledge. Perhaps, more actions, less words, sir?
उत्तर प्रदेश में माताओं-बहनों के सम्मान-स्वाभिमान को क्षति पहुंचाने का विचार मात्र रखने वालों का समूल नाश सुनिश्चित है।
इन्हें ऐसा दंड मिलेगा जो भविष्य में उदाहरण प्रस्तुत करेगा।
आपकी @UPGovt प्रत्येक माता-बहन की सुरक्षा व विकास हेतु संकल्पबद्ध है।
यह हमारा संकल्प है-वचन है।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) October 2, 2020
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi now stands up against Dalit oppression—he seems to have forgotten his pet peeves: the economy and coronavirus.
ग़रीब-दलित-आदिवासी की आवाज़ दबाओगे,
सच कब तक छुपाओगे,
और कितनी बेटियाँ चुपके-से जलाओगे?
अब देश की आवाज़ रोक ना पाओगे!#JusticeForIndiasDaughters #HathrasHorror
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 1, 2020
And Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has some poetic lines for Gandhi, who was manhandled by the UP Police while on his way to meet the family of the Hathras gang rape victim.
“अब मुझे रंज नही गिरने का
मेरे गिरने से कई लोग संभल जाएंगे!” pic.twitter.com/dfKWgWbbo1
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 1, 2020
BJP’s Amit Malviya talks about ‘selective outrage’ by outraging selectively.
When your sympathy for the victim depends on the social and religious identity of the violator or the state in which the crime happens, then YOU are part of the problem.
Those obsessing about the identity of the accused in Hathras are silent on Balrampur and Bulandshahr…
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 1, 2020
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi takes a swipe at Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani’s address regarding women’s empowerment at the UN.
I am sorry, but is this some kind of a joke? As a minister she has no time to speak on heinous crimes against women but talks about empowerment ! If this isn’t double speak and hypocrisy then what is? https://t.co/kHBqpulrVR
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) October 2, 2020
And Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad calls out PM Modi’s hypocrisy.
बनारस में सफाई कर्मचारियों के पैर धोकर दलित प्रेम का ढोंग करने वाले देश के प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी हमारी बहन के साथ हुई दरिंदगी पर अब तक चुप्पी साधे बैठे है। कल 5 बजे इंडिया गेट दिल्ली से हम सब उनसे जवाब मांगेंगे,उनको जवाब देना पड़ेगा। सभी लोग पहुंचे।
— Chandra Shekhar Aazad (@BhimArmyChief) October 1, 2020
Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava is at her sarcastic best on the troubling situation in Uttar Pradesh.
Excellent. Encourage rapists. And assault opposition leaders. Perfect democracy. Fabulous governance. So proud of the way we are being ruled.
— Alankrita Shrivastava (@alankrita601) October 1, 2020
Retired IPS officer Dr. N.C. Asthana pulls no punches while criticising the UP Police.
Hathras case
जहां पर पुलिस अफसरों को क्रिमिनल लाॅ एमेंडमेंट ऐक्ट 2013 के द्वारा सेक्शन 375 रेप की परिभाषा ही पता न हो, वे इन्वेस्टिगेशन क्या ख़ाक करेंगे?
किससे न्याय की उम्मीद करियेगा?https://t.co/4fo74k7qcp
— Dr. N. C. Asthana, IPS (Retd) (1986-2019) (@NcAsthana) October 1, 2020
And IAS officer and economist Ashok Khemka calls for a posthumous honour for the Hathras victim.
. @PMOIndia Sir, injuries sustained by the deceased Hathras girl testify her resistance against her attackers. Her brave resistance deserves to be nationally recognized as an act of valour for which she should be honoured posthumously. The same will also destigmatize victimhood.
— Ashok Khemka (@AshokKhemka_IAS) October 1, 2020
Today also marks the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi but for filmmaker Ashoke Pandit it is a reminder of the “genocide” of Kashmiri Hindus.
We believed in Non Violence
We believed in brother hood .
We believed in secularism.
We became #Refugees in our own country.
We suffered the worst ever genocide. #HappyGandhiJayanti #KashmiriHinduslivesmatter.
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) October 2, 2020
And finally, actor Farhan Akhtar calls out Republic TV’s fake news.
For the record: I have no person named Keshav working at mine. Unsurprisingly, another lie by a fake news channel famous for peddling lies.
Please stop being so gullible. Just because a guy screams it out on TV doesn’t make it true. https://t.co/Fkex3iUHug
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) October 1, 2020