India / I can't even kiss my wife because of pandemic: Farooq Abdullah

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah elicited huge laughter from his audience at a book release programme on Sunday in Jammu when he said he had not even kissed his wife since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I can't even kiss my wife. Who knows (what will happen). There is no question of a hug, though the heart wants it. I am sincere in my words," the octogenarian leader said, leaving the audience in splits.

Adding that one is even afraid of a handshake or a hug in the ongoing scenario, Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said that his own daughter takes him to task on seeing photos of him not wearing a mask.

Speaking over the rollout of the pan-India vaccination programme on Saturday, Abdullah said that only time will tell about their efficacy, "but I am praying for their success so that the situation gets normal".

Abdullah was speaking at an event organised by Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust to release the biography of its patron-in-chief Masud Ahmad Choudhary, who is a retired Additional Director General of Police and ex-vice chancellor of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (Rajouri).

The book is based on the life of Chaudhary, often referred to as 'Sir Syed' of Gujjar Community for his untiring efforts in areas of social and educational awakening, his contributions in the police department, in service of the Gujjar community and as an institution builder.

Covid-19 situation in Jammu and Kashmir

As many as 126 new COVID-19 cases were reported from Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, taking the infection tally to 1,23,343, officials said. No COVID-19 death took place in the last 24 hours, they said.

Of these new cases, 61 were from Jammu division and 65 from Kashmir division. "Jammu district recorded the highest 48 cases followed by 34 in Srinagar district. While four districts -- Bandipora, Doda, Reasi and Kishtwar -- did not report any new cases, 14 other districts had fresh cases in single digits," news agency PTI quoted the officials as saying.