Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday said that it was the rich who “imported” COVID-19 by visiting foreign countries and other States.

Asked whether the government had been considering granting any solatium to families of those who died of COVID-19, Mr. Palaniswami said: “Only the rich have got this disease. Where did the poor get this [COVID-19]? It was them [the rich] who brought this.”

He said: “One could talk freely with the poor and there is fear only on seeing the rich. Because they visited foreign countries and imported the disease.”

“Also, many persons visited other States and there is a disease here because of that,” Mr. Palaniswami said.

“However, it did not originate from here,” the Chief Minister added.