‘We eat chicken, eggs everyday’: Minister KTR busts misinformation on coronavirus

Hyderabad: Even ministers are busting fake news these days. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, several fake news articles had gone viral, which said that coronavirus was found in broiler chicken. The messages, which were primarily spread through social media, also advised people to refrain from eating chicken or eggs.

It was in this context that KTR, minister for IT, Industries and Municipal Administration, took it upon himself to bust this fake news on a public platform. Attending the ‘Chicken and Egg mela’ on February 28, the minister said that there is no connection between coronavirus and chicken. “Coronavirus and chicken are nowhere connected. Me and my members are eating chicken and eggs everyday,” he said.

The minister was attending the event organised by the National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC) at Peoples Plaza, Hyderabad.

Earlier, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) as well as the NECC had released the statement saying that the message about coronavirus in broiler chicken was fake. Dr. P. Venkateshwar Reddy, the chief veterinary officer (retd) of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, in his statement released on February 5 had said, “In India, there is not a single case of any bird being found positive with Corona virus. The photos circulated are of birds which are affected by Ranikhet disease. Rumours surrounding Corona virus is heavily affecting the poultry and meat industry.”

National Egg Co-ordination Committee had also released a statement, “For the past few days we have seen fake posters/messages claiming that broiler chickens are spreading Corona virus. Dr. Ajit S. Ranade, dean of Bombay Veterinary College and University, has ensured that there is no scientific evidence to back this claim,” the organisation said.