Bengaluru: Practice what you preach! Else, you end up becoming a laughing stock! 

There surely can’t be a greater example of the above aphorism than West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. 

As reports trickle in, she addressed a huge gathering of 12000 people at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata a few days ago, at a time when Coronavirus is rapidly spreading its tentacles. 

The CM was so insistent on the programme seeing the light of day, that, in spite of the scare and scourge of the virus, she decided to go ahead with it. 

And this is the reason she quoted. 

She said, “The program was planned months before the coronavirus outbreak and hence it could not be cancelled. But we will cut short its duration”.

At the same time, she even urged the 12000-strong audience to avoid crowded places. 

That is the irony! Many even pointed out to her gaffe, but she remained indifferent and went on with the programme.  

In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to state that the venue itself could have turned out to be a fertile ground for the spreading of the virus. Thank god, it didn’t! 

By the way, the TMC leader also urged her people to maintain safe distance of at least 5 metres and further exhorted them to meet a doctor in case of suffering from fever, cold, cough and other such symptoms. 

When reports last came in, the number of deaths on a global platform had increased to 6500 while the number of positive cases in India stands at 117.

In India, the number of Coronavirus deaths stands at 2.

Maharashtra tops the list of Coronavirus affected victims with 38 cases, the highest in the country.

The Prime Minister has urged his countrymen to avoid unnecessary overseas travels and follow guidelines to thwart the promulgation of the virus.