Union Minister for MSME, road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, while talking about how coronavirus pandemic has impacted India, stated that the novel coronavirus is man-made and was prepared in a laboratory. He stated that he does not believe that Covid-19 is caused by a natural virus and that is why the scientific community world over is struggling to find a way to fight it.
While referring to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcements for small businesses that have borne the huge impact of the coronavirus crisis and what weeks of lockdown have done, he said that the real challenge now was how to keep the environment positive.
Gadkari was quoted as saying, "We have to understand the art of living with corona. This is not a natural virus. It is artificial virus. This is a virus from the laboratory. Countries are struggling to create a vaccine. With this vaccine we can alleviate fear and resolve problem."
He stated that there is no way out but to live with the virus till the human race finds a vaccine or a treatment.
Better to learn how to fight corona: Gadkari
These are uncertain times and no one knows the date by when the world will be free of coronavirus. Gadkari said that it is better that we learn how to fight corona and at the same time how to live with corona.
According to him the migrants left due to fear and expressed hope that they would return when businesses reopen. The country is not only fighting coronavirus pandemic but also an economic war. India is a poor country and the lockdown cannot be extended from month to month, he said.
The country will learn how to live with the virus and will have to follow wearing masks, maintaining more than the one-metre distance between two persons, handwashing and sanitising stringently, Gadkari said.
He added that the situation was a blessing in disguise for India as the entire world is wary of China and it is a golden opportunity for India. He said that India's MSMEs can now upgrade the technology and increase their export potential, and also attract foreign investment. The Govt was considering this issue and interaction with ambassadors of various countries was on as India contemplates how it can help other countries in setting-up industries in different parts of India.
