As the death toll in the novel coronavirus outbreak increases, Swami Chakrapani of the All India Hindu Mahasabha on February 17 said that Chinese President Xi Jinping should "create an idol of corona and seek forgiveness" to overcome the health epidemic.
Chakrapani also said that the virus is an "avatar" to punish non-vegetarians.
"Coronavirus is not a virus, but an avatar for the protection of poor creatures. They have come to give the message of death and punishment to the one who eats them," Chakrapani, who is the national president of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha said, Times Now has reported.
Stating that non-vegetarians should turn vegetarian, Chakrapani said that the people from China are being "taught a lesson" for "torturing animals".
"Non-vegetarian Chinese populace should take this pledge that they will not harm any innocent creatures in future, then the anger of Corona will come down," Chakrapani said, according to the report. He added that only after doing this would the "avatar" return "to its world". Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.
Chakrapani also said that the "God-worshipping and Gau Raksha believer Indians" are immune to the virus.
China reported 105 new deaths due to the coronavirus on February 17, increasing the overall death toll to 1,770.
The National Health Commission in China said that the total number of infected cases were around 70,548.
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