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‘Don’t endanger lives of citizens’: Maharashtra CM Thackeray appeals to political, religious, social organisations
“I urge all political parties, religious and social organisations not to do anything that endangers lives of citizens. The COVID crisis is not over yet,” Uddhav Thackeray said.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said that the Covid-19 crisis was not over yet and also asked political, religious and social organisations to not do anything that would endanger the lives of citizens.
The CM made the remarks after inaugurating a Covid-19 hospital for children at IT Park in Mumbai’s Kalina campus. “CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray inaugurated a well-equipped Children’s COVID Center in Mumbai today,” the chief minister’s office (CMO) tweeted earlier in the day.
Following the inauguration, Thackeray while addressing the reporters said, “I urge all political parties, religious and social organisations not to do anything that endangers lives of citizens. The COVID crisis is not over yet,” news agency ANI reported.
Also read | Amid BJP’s yatra, CM Thackeray expresses concern over political events
The comments were in line with the previous remarks Thackeray had made. Earlier on August 18, Thackeray had asked the people to not violate the Covid-19 protocols in place in Maharashtra, in view of the upcoming festivals and celebrations in the state, several news reports showed. He also said that the second wave of infections had come under control in the state and appealed to all political parties to avoid public gatherings and crowds.
Meanwhile, the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra has also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their Jan Ashirwad Yatra, saying that it would further enable the spread of Covid-19 disease in the state. Maharashtra cabinet minister Aslam Shaikh on Wednesday said that the BJP is inviting Covid-19 infections by organizing such rallies. “By holding this kind of rallies they are doing nothing but inviting people to gather. They need to understand that people currently are badly affected, shopkeepers, small businessman is already struggling, some of the people have lost their jobs too because of the pandemic, and by holding such rallies BJP is inviting the COVID-19 infection. They should refrain from this,” ANI quoted Shaikh as saying, on Wednesday.
Another Sena MP, Sanjay Raut, has also said that the rallies by BJP will lead to the third wave of the pandemic. “Jan Ashirwad Yatra will invite the third wave. Jan Ashirwad Yatra is performed when there is no need. It will increase the corona crisis in the state,” Raut said.
The BJP, on Monday, flagged off the rallies across 22 states in the country to introduce its newly inducted cabinet ministers to the people. The decision was made after the opposition protests in the Parliament disrupted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s introduction of his new cabinet in both houses.
(With agency inputs)
