New Delhi, March 6 (IANS): The Congress on Friday claimed that party leader Rahul Gandhi was screened like others at the airport on his way back from his foreign tour, reportedly to Italy, and he was clean of any coronavirus symptoms.

The party said he was screened on February 29.

This comes in the wake of the BJP's sharp digs at the former Congress President that he may be carrying the deadly virus as he had travelled to Italy, which has emerged to be one of the global coronavirus hotspots.

BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri referred to the Congress leader, saying, "Many people from Italy had tested positive for the virus and hence Rahul Gandhi should be checked for coronavirus. Rahul Gandhi returned from Italy just six days ago, so he should be checked for coronavirus."

Earlier independent MP Hanuman Beniwal too raised the topic in Parliament creating a massive row.

Some members even demanded that Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi too should get herself checked, a subtle reference to her Italian origins. But on Friday, the party deemed it necessary to clear the air.

The number of coronavirus affected people in India has jumped to 31 on Friday.

The first coronavirus case in Delhi was detected on Monday. Six suspected cases were also detected in Agra, after these persons came in contact with the person from Delhi found to be infected.

Amid the coronavirus scare, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also cancelled his upcoming Brussels trip.