Jalandhar North MLA Bawa Henry, his father among Congress party men on 14-day self-quarantine

Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, April 9

Jalandhar North MLA Bawa Henry and his father, senior Congress leader Avtar Henry, on Thursday placed themselves under a 14-day self-quarantine after a 59-year-old Ayurvedic chemist tested positive last night and died on Thursday.

While the son of the chemist, Deepak Kumar, is a block president of the Congress party – he had been active in ration disbursal in the bazaar areas of the city.

Both Henry and his son – including their family – as well as almost half a dozen other Congress functionaries placed themselves under precautionary quarantine after they received the news.

Bawa said the step was taken to set an example of social responsibility in view of the recent escalated spread – he asked others to do the same.

Deepak had met MLA Bawa Henry on March 30 concerning a ration disbursal issue. The Henrys put up a sign outside their Jalandhar home reading – “As per WHO guidelines, came in contact with indirect COVID-19 patient!! I have put myself in public interest “Self Quarantine” (sic).

Speaking to The Tribune, Bawa Henry said, “I had met the son of the person who came out positive on March 30. Though there is no direct contact with his father who died today, the seven members of our family – including me and my father – have placed ourselves in self-quarantine for the sake of public interest. At least four to five other Congress councilors as well as party workers have also placed themselves under quarantine as a safety measure.”

Henry said he had not met the deceased for the past two months – but did meet his son recently.

Bawa Henry further said, “Deepak had been very active in the interest of ration disbursal for Covid affected or the needy. He was doing that in a personal capacity for which he had our support. Rations disbursal is still being carried out by many since its vital. Community transmission seems inevitable in the country also—with the positive cases today, it is evident that community transmission has begun here too. We are doing our part to help flatten the curve. We also request all those who have doubts of social contact with those testing positive to self-quarantine themselves.”

Congress councilors and their kin who have placed themselves under quarantine include Deepak Sharda, Om Parkash, Mike Khosla among others.