Maharashtra has reported the most number of COVID-19 cases in India. Opposition leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said it was the time to work together to mitigate the crisis. In an exclusive interview, he spoke to THE WEEK on a range of issues—from the state government’s handling of the pandemic to the allegation that an IPS officer had helped the promoters of DHFL violate the lockdown. Excerpts from the interview:
Q/Are you satisfied with the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in the state by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government?
A/I am not speaking as the leader of the opposition. We feel it is time to work together. I have spoken to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and have made suggestions. Maharashtra has the highest number of cases; approximately 50 per cent of deaths are in our state. It is an emergency situation in Mumbai, where community spread appears imminent. I feel a different strategy is needed to handle the situation.
Q/What changes would you suggest?
A/There is a need to decentralise supplies. We have received food stock from the Centre for public distribution, but the state government is taking conflicting decisions. Our demand is that those who have ration cards be given food grains through PDS. Around 15 states have decided that those who do not have ration cards should also get supplies through PDS. There are over one crore people in Maharashtra who do not have ration cards; they are mostly migrant labourers. It is our duty to supply them food grains. The state government says they will be provided food through community kitchens, but that is an impractical proposal.
Denne historien er fra April 26, 2020-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 26, 2020-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Trump And The Crisis Of Liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
