MUMBAI, Sept 13: Facing flak from detractors on both political and coronavirus fronts, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said a conspiracy is afoot to malign Maharashtra.
“Whatever political storms come, I will face… I will fight coronavirus too,” Thackeray said in a televised public address.
A day after COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra crossed the 10-lakh mark, Thackeray said his government has done effective work to tackle the pandemic.
Speaking in the backdrop of political criticism over demolition of actress Kangana Ranaut’s bungalow in Mumbai and the way his government handled the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, Thackeray assured people that he would fight the political crisis too.
“I will have to remove the mask of Chief Minister to respond topolitics. I don’t speak doesn’t mean I don’t have answers,” Thackeray said.
Speaking on the state government’s “Mission Begin Again” campaign during the pandemic, Thackeray said his administration effectively tackled the COVID-19 situation, cyclones and floods andwill also deal withthe political stormwith people’s support.
Thackeray said the pandemic is showing no sign of a respite and the virus is spreading in rural Maharashtra as well. “But the number of patients recovering is also more. Facts and figures show that if detected early, all patients recover fast,” he said.
Asking people not to take the pandemic lightly, he said wearing masks, observing physical distancing, avoiding crowding and face-to-face contact with people is the only option as of now.
“We have slowly started to open up under Mission Begin Again. Some people think they can indulge in politics as part of Mission Begin Again. There is a conspiracy to defame and malign Maharashtra,” he said.
He said the state government also reached out to the affected people during Nisarga cyclone and the floods in east Vidarbha and provided relief.
“Over 29 lakh farmers have benefited through the farm loan waiver scheme and Rs 700 crore have been disbursed towards relief and rehabilitation of those affected by the Nisarga cyclone,” he said, adding Rs 18 crore have been given as immediate relief for floods in Vidarbha.
Thackeray said his government was doing its best to deal with all challenges.
“We should share our responsibilities to make the “my family, my responsibility” campaign (against coronavirus) which begins on September 15 a success. This war can be won only with people’s wholehearted support,” he said. (PTI)
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