A Madhya Pradesh Congress leader on Tuesday said BJP MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur is "missing" at a time when her Lok Sabha constituency is recording a high number of COVID-19 cases, and offered a Rs 10,000 reward to trace her.
In a statement, state Congress general secretary and spokesman Ravi Saxena said COVID-19 patients in Bhopal are facing a shortage of medicines and other critical medical equipment.
The state BJP termed Saxena''s announcement of reward as an insensitive act and cited the ill-health of the 51-year- old Member of Parliament.
Saxena said Thakur is missing during the pandemic and at a time when people need her most.
"This is misfortune of Bhopals citizens who are running from pillar to post for injections, ventilators, oxygen, medicines, and dying due to COVID-19," he said.
"I announce a reward of Rs 10,000 for anyone who traces her," the Congress general secretary said in the statement.
Saxena said Thakur, who won the Lok Sabha elections from Bhopal with a huge margin, was also missing during the first wave of the coronavirus last year.
The ruling BJP hit out at the opposition party.
"This is a known fact that Thakur was air-lifted to Mumbai for treatment when she fell seriously ill. The statements of the Congress leader are shameful and show insensitivity of his party, state BJP secretary Rajneesh Agrawal told PTI.
Thakurs health issues were caused by "torture" under the Congress regime when she faced false charges, Agrawal said, apparently referring to the Malegaon blast case of 2008 in which she is an accused.
Madhya Pradesh is reeling under a severe second wave of COVID-19, and Indore and Bhopal are among the worst- affected districts.
