BJP cites Kerala’s COVID performance, slams Maha for ‘failure’

PTI, May 20, 2020, 4:26 PM IST

Mumbai: Claiming the Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra has “failed” to check the spread of coronavirus and the rising fatalities unlike Kerala, the BJP on Wednesday appealed to people to register a protest on May 22.

The BJP’s attack came a day after the COVID-19 case count in Maharashtra reached to 37,136 with 1,325 deaths.

Alleging that health infrastructure in Mumbai has collapsed completely, state BJP unit president Chandrakant Patil on Wednesday said the state government had failed to announce any package for the poor and the needy.

Worst-hit by the pandemic, Mumbai has so far reported 22,563 coronavirus positive cases and 800 deaths.

Patil said the BJP and the people of the state had initially decided to support the government in view of the magnitude of the COVID-19 crisis.

“Maharashtra reported its first coronavairus patient on March 9, the tally is now nearing the 40,000-mark,” he said in a statement.

Patil said while Kerala also reported its first coronairus case on March 9, the count in the southern state remained under 1,000 in a period of 70 days and the number of fatalities remained under 12.

“In contrast, the number of the COVID-19 deaths in Maharashtra has crossed 1,300. This (data) underlines the failure of the Thackeray government,” Patil said.

In such scenario, the people cannot stop themselves now from expressing their anger against the government, he said, adding that the BJP is also obliged to take a stand.

On Tuesday, BJP leaders and workers had handed over memorandums against the government to all tehsildars and district collectors as a mark of “Maharashtra Bachao” protest.

“I appeal to people to protest outside their homes by holding black placards, black ribbons and wearing black masks between 11 am and 12 noon on Friday. They should maintain social distancing during the protest,” Patil said.

The Congress, which is one of the constituents in the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, meanwhile said that the BJP was “anti-Maharashtra”.

“It wasexpected that the BJP would standup against the Centre for the injustice meted out to Maharashtra and its people in terms of financial aid. It is now clear that the BJP’s loyalties do not lie with Maharashtra,” state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said.