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Essence of PM’s speech was that crisis is huge, but you find a way: Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana on Thursday criticised Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on Tuesday evening and stated that the essence of the speech was that the states should see how to tackle the crisis
Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana on Thursday criticised Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on Tuesday evening and stated that the essence of the speech was that the states should see how to tackle the crisis.
Sharply criticising Modi’s speech, the editorial published on Thursday said, “PM Modi says that the Covid-19 crisis is huge and is like a storm. But he did not give solutions to protect [the country] from this storm. People have lost their relatives. PM expressed his grief on it, but what is he doing to ensure that the toll does not increase further? The Covid-19 situation is critical across the nation and not just in Maharashtra. People expected to gain strength from PM’s address. But the essence of the speech was “the crisis is huge. You figure out your way, and take care”.”
The Sena has been critical of the Centre over its response to the assistance sought by the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government to tackle the Covid-19 situation in the state. The Sena leaders have slammed the Centre for providing inadequate supply of vaccination doses, controlling distribution of Remdesivir and the supply of medical use oxygen.
The editorial said that despite strict restrictions imposed by the Maharashtra government, the Covid-19 cases are not coming under control. In an apparent response to Modi’s statement that lockdown should be the last resort, the editorial added that a complete lockdown has become “essential”.
It further said that Modi cancelled his visit to Portugal in the view of Covid-19, but had he not conducted crowded election rallies in West Bengal in time, the virus could have been prevented. The editorial said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mobilised lakhs of people across the country to campaign in West Bengal, who returned to their respective states with the infection.
“Haridwar’s Kumbh Mela and West Bengal’s political mela have only given coronavirus to the country. Rulers have to impose restrictions on themselves first. This gives them the moral right to give advice to the public,” it said.
Highlighting the severe shortage of medical use oxygen, the editorial said the country expected that the PM would speak on the issue and provide solutions.
“PM and his colleagues should try to provide oxygen where there is a shortage. Today that is the most necessary thing. Instead of that, everybody is making speeches and releasing carbon dioxide and spreading poison. This is the time to act and not make speeches.”
Reacting to the criticism, Maharashtra BJP’s chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said that the Sena-led state government failed to tackle the crisis, but is blaming the Centre.
“What Sanjay Raut has said [about PM’s address] — the crisis is huge and you have to figure a way out — is actually Maharashtra chief minister’s (CM) policy from the past one year. While the pandemic is raging in Maharashtra, the Centre has provided assistance. But what steps did the CM take, how many times did he step out, what planning was done for hospital beds, oxygen and Remdesivir last year. Had the focus not been on transfers of [police] officers but on managing the pandemic, the situation wouldn’t have worsened so much,” Upadhye said in a series of tweets.
