It is understandable when trolls attack Sonu Sood’s relentless efforts to help the Covid distressed. We all know where these trolls are coming from.And Sonu rightly ignores most of those questioning his noble work.

But when you have a district magistrate refuting Sonu’ philanthropy then it is time for a response.

This is what happened when Sonu’s team helped a needy man get a hospital bed in Odhisha . The district magistrate Ganjam district in Odhisha challenged Sonu’s endeavour tweeting, “We don’t received (sic.) any communication from @SoodFoundation or @SonuSood . Requested patient is in Home isolation and stable. No bed issues @BrahmapurCorp is monitoring it. @CMO_Odish.”

Sonu responded tweeting, “Sir, We never claimed that we approached you, it’s the needy who approached us and we arranged the bed for him, attached are the chats for your reference. Ur office is doing a great job & u can double check that we had helped him too. Have DM you his contact details. Jai hind.”

I spoke to Sonu Sood on why he thought it necessary to respond to this particular tweet.

Sonu explained, “The denial (of the effort made to get a hospital bed for the Ganjam citizen) came from a responsible government officer. It was therefore something I had to take seriously. I did not want any miscommunication or any misunderstanding with the Adminstration.I am sure they are doing their utmost to help the people of their district. However this person did approach us with an SOS for a hospital bed. And we did arrange it, but not to be one-up on the Adminstration.”

Sonu feels the human ego should be the last consideration in this battle to defeat Covid. “We are all this together. Whether the helping hand comes from the Adminstration or an individual an Indian citizen like me, it is all part of the same endeavour to help the distressed during these critical times. This is no occasion for one-upmanship, Maine kiya, nahin maine kiya…all this is meaningless right now.”

However Sonu has no intentions of explaining his behavior in future. “Those who think I am a fraud or a fake are welcome to think so. I am not doing what I am to make a name for myself. I am doing what every Indian should be doing right now.”