Anil Vij sparks controversy, again: Haryana minister compares Rahul Gandhi to Nipah virus

Haryana health minister Anil Vij, who is known for his controversial statements, on Sunday compared Congress president Rahul Gandhi with the deadly Nipah virus, that has claimed many lives across the country. “Rahul Gandhi is similar to Nipah Virus. Any political party that comes in contact with him will be destroyed,” Vij tweeted. This is not the first time that Vij has targeted Gandhi. Last year, he had said that the decision to make Gandhi Congress president would help Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieve his dream of a Congress-mukt Bharat (Congress-free India). [caption id=“attachment_3309428” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Haryana minister Anil Vij. News18[/caption] He had also said previously that it was good to know that Gandhi uses the same plate to feed his dog and those who visit his home, for he doesn’t discriminate between his dog and Congress workers. Vij had also made the news for his other barbs. He had earlier said that Bhagat Singh and Lala Lajpat Rai had made the ‘supreme sacrifice’ for India, unlike Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, who did not bear even a single stick. Last year, he had also said that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee should jump into the sea if she is ‘ashamed of being born an Indian’. The Nipah virus claimed one more life in Kozhikode district of Kerala on Sunday, taking the overall death toll to 14. It has now been close to a week since the  dreaded Nipah virus  outbreak hit Kozhikode in north Kerala. Nipah virus (NiV) infection in humans has a range of clinical presentations, from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The Kozhikode health department is maintaining vigilance in the wake of three deaths there reportedly due to the virus. Two more persons, who were allegedly in contact with the deceased, are believed to be in a serious condition. With inputs from agencies.