Sumitra Mahajan reacts to fake reports of her death, says `what was urgency in announcing without confirmation`

Congress leader Sashi Tharoor had tweeted condolences but later deleted his tweet after Mahajan`s niece and BJP leaders revealed that she was still alive and healthy.

New Delhi: Former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday (April 23), in an official statement asked what the hurry was to report her death without confirmation. 

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had tweeted condolences but later deleted his tweet after Mahajan’s niece and BJP leaders revealed that she was still alive and healthy.

While speaking to the media, she said, “How could news channels run a report on my so called demise without even cross checking with the Indore administration? My niece refuted Mr. Tharoor on Twitter but what was the urgency in announcing without confirmation?”

The former Lok Sabha speaker's son Mandar put out a video clip, saying his mother is perfectly fine and urging people not to reply on false news being spread about her.

"My mother is perfectly fine. Please do not rely on false news being spread about her. Her COVID report is negative. I met her only in the evening and she is healthy," he said in the video.

BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya tweeted back to Tharoor, informing him that Mahajan is perfectly healthy.

"Thanks @kailashOnline. I have deleted my tweet. I wonder what motivates people to invent and spread such evil news that takes in people. My best wishes for Sumitra ji's health and long life," the Congress leader said in another tweet.

"Mahajan was admitted to the Bombay hospital in Indore on Wednesday after she had mild fever. She is fine now and does not have fever. She was also tested for COVID and her RT-PCR report has come negative," Rajesh Aggarwal, a close aide of the former Lok Sabha speaker, told PTI.

Mahajan (78) was the Lok Sabha speaker from 2014 to 2019. She had earlier represented the Indore Lok Sabha constituency in Parliament for eight terms.

(With agency inputs)