News Analysis India

Tag: NCP

  • Remdesivir row: Shiv Sena alleges bid to disturb law and health order

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Monday slammed BJP leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar for objecting to Mumbai police’s grilling of a pharma firm’s top executive over alleged stocking of Remdesivir vials, and wondered if there was a conspiracy to disturb the law and health order.

    An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ accused the BJP of having a clear agenda that the Maharashtra government should fail in handling the COVID-19 situation, and charged it with making persistent efforts in that direction with the help of the Centre.

    It said the Maharashtra government and the opposition should be unanimous at least on the issue of saving lives of people and no one should seek political mileage out of pyres of people dying for want of the drug, which is in high demand for treating COVID-19 patients.

    Mumbai police questioned a pharma company director on Saturday following information that thousands of vials of Remdesivir were to be flown out of the country, despite a ban on its export.

    On learning that the company director was being questioned, former chief minister Fadnavis and another state BJP leader Darekar had rushed to the police station.

    ALSO READ: NSA to be invoked for illegal Remdesivir trade in Madhya Pradesh

    They said the BJP was reaching out to pharma companies due to the shortage of Remdesivir in the state.

    Fadnavis said it was their sincere attempt to get Remdesivar for Maharashtra.

    However, the editorial in ‘Saamana’ on Monday alleged that politics is being played on the issue of supply of oxygen and Remdesivir injections for treating COVID-19 patients.

    It said the Maharashtra government was not getting the Remdesivir injections, but BJP leaders were purchasing them unilaterally from pharma companies.

    It never happened in Maharashtra earlier that the Leader of Opposition advocated for a pharma company official instead of the state, the Sena said.

    “Isn’t there a conspiracy to trouble the law and health order?” it asked.

    The Sena claimed it is a “crime” on part of the companies to make available stock of the injections to the BJP unilaterally.

    It also questioned the BJP’s criticism of the government after the police exposed hoarding and black marketing by the companies.

    “What can the opposition leaders in the Assembly and Council rushing to a police station mid-night to seek release of a pharma company official be called?” the Shiv Sena asked.

    ALSO READ: Maha fight over ‘seizure’ of Remdesivir amidst COVID crisis

    The COVID-19 patients in Maharashtra and the country are feeling suffocated due to lack of oxygen and funeral pyres have been lit for the want of Remdesivir, it said.

    “Nobody should heat up (their) political pans on these pyres.

    The government and the opposition should behave unanimously at least on this issue,” the Marathi daily said.

    Union minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said Maharashtra has so far received the highest quantity of oxygen in India and the Centre is in regular touch with state governments to assess their needs.

    Referring to it, the Shiv Sena asked whether the Centre was doing any favour to Maharashtra by giving the highest quantity of oxygen.

    Maharashtra is making the highest contribution to the Centre’s coffers, the editorial said, adding that Delhi (the central government) will need oxygen support if this supply (of tax payment) is stopped (from the state).

    “When Maharashtra is facing a crisis, the Union minister is troubling Maharashtra by giving an account of how much has been given and taken (to the state). This is sort of staining the humanity,” it alleged.

  • BJP seeks FIR against Nawab Malik for ‘false’ charges on blocking Remdesivir supply to Maharashtra

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: A day after NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik alleged that the Centre was blocking the supply of Remdesivir medicine to the state, the BJP called for registration of an FIR against him for “spreading panic through false information”.

    The opposition party said the state government should file a case against Malik under the Disaster Management Act.

    Addressing a press conference, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar slammed the minister for claiming that the Centre was not allowing export companies to supply Remdesivir to Maharashtra.

    Remdesivir is considered a key anti-viral drug in the fight against COVID-19, especially in the patients with severe complications.

    Mungantiwar said Malik has made an unsuccessful attempt to create panic situation through his allegations.

    “Under section 54 of the Disaster Management Act-2005, this is punishable with one-year imprisonment. The state government should file an FIR against him,” the former state minister said. He said that Malik is minority affairs minister with skill development portfolio as well.

    “He has the skill of maligning the Central government and creating panic through false statements,” he added.

    “On the one hand, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray says that nobody should indulge in politics during the pandemic, while on the other, his ministers make baseless charges,” Mungantiwar said.

    He also demanded a white paper on the assistance provided by the Centre to the state government in the last one year in terms of medical equipment,food supplies, grants in aid, centrally-sponsored schemes and GST refund.

    He said the BJP will submit a memorandum of these demands tothe chief minister and will also urge Governor B S Koshyari to look into them.

    Mungantiwar said Malik was a guardian minister of Gondia district, where many coronavirus patients died due to lack of oxygen.

    “Instead of offering condolences to the bereaved families, he was maligning the central government.

    The allegations that the Centre was not allowing Remdesivir to Maharashtra were not made by the health minister or the FDA minister, but by Malik who does not know anything about it,” the BJP leader alleged.

    Taking to Twitter, Malik had on Saturday said, “It is sad and shocking that when Government of Maharashtra asked 16 export companies for Remdesivir, we were told that the Central government has asked them not to supply the medicine to Maharashtra. These companies were warned, if they did, their license will be cancelled.”

    “This was a dangerous precedent and under these circumstances, the state government will have no choice but to seize the stock of Remdesivir from these exporters and supply it to the needy,” he had said in another tweet.

  • Shiv Sena, NCP slam Devendra Fadnavis for ‘campaigning against Marathi candidate’ in Belgaum

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Two constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – Shiv Sena and NCP – on Friday criticised BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis for “campaigning against a Marathi-speaking candidate” for the Lok Sabha bypoll in Karnataka’s Belgaum, which continues to remain at the centre-stage of the decades-old border dispute between the two neighbouring states.

    The parliamentary bypoll, which was necessitated following the death of Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi due to COVID-19 last year, will be held on Saturday.

    While Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that political leaders from Maharashtra should not campaign against a Marathi-speaking candidate in Belgaum, Maharashtra NCP president and state Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil accused the BJP of betraying the Marathi people of that city in Karnataka.

    The bypoll will witness a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress, while the Shiv Sena is supporting the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) candidate Shubham Shelke.

    Talking to reporters here on Friday, Raut who campaigned for Shelke, said that for 65 years, the MES has symbolised the struggle of the Marathi-speaking people in Belgaum.

    “At least Marathi politicians from Maharashtra should not campaign against a Marathi candidate in Belgaum,” he said.

    Raut was referring to Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis, who campaigned against Shelke.

    “Fadnavis has been a former chief minister of Maharashtra. During his tenure, the MES leaders had met him and he had assured them that the Maharashtra government and the BJP were firmly with the MES on the merger of the Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka into Maharashtra.

    But he is taking a different stand now.

    The NCP campaigned for Shelke and even Congress leaders from Maharashtra, although their party candidate is also in the fray there, campaigned for Shelke,” he claimed.

    Under Fadnavis’s tenure as CM, a resolution seeking the merger of Belgaum and other areas into Maharashtra was passed, the Sena leader said, adding, “He had also assured support to the MES. But now he has taken a different stand.”

    When asked about the COVID-19 restrictions imposed in Maharashtra by the MVA government, Raut said, “Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has been very mild. He is very disturbed about loss of livelihood to several people because of the curbs. But people shouldn’t force him to impose harsher curbs. The chief minister has shown his humane side by the current restrictions. The coronavirus situation in the state is not good.”

    Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Belgaum, NCP’s Jayant Patil pledged his party’s support to MES candidate Shelke.

    “When the BJP was in power for five years in Maharashtra, Fadnavis neglected the demands of the MES and now he has campaigned against their candidate. Fadnavis has proved that he is against the Marathi people, and he has hurt their sentiments,” he said.

    Patil said his party has always stood for the unity of Marathi people in Belgaum and the state of Maharashtra.

    “Fadnavis is always busy pleasing his party bosses in Delhi. We experience this in Maharashtra as well. For coronavirus management or any other issue of Maharashtra, he should support the state government, but that doesn’t happen,” the minister said.

    The MES had earlier contested the Lok Sabha polls to highlight the issues of Marathi people in Belgaum.

    “We are confident that Shelke, a young Marathi candidate, will highlight in the Parliament the issues of Marathi-speaking people there,” he said.

  • NCP chief Sharad Pawar to undergo gall bladder surgery on April 12

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar was on Sunday admitted to a hospital here for the gall bladder surgery scheduled on Monday, party leader Nawab Malik said.

    “Sharad Pawar was advised to rest for seven days after he underwent a medical procedure (last month). It was then decided that the surgery for the removal of his gall bladder will be performed after 15 days. Accordingly, Pawar was admitted to Breach Candy hospital on Sunday,” he said.

    Pawar, 80, had undergone an emergency endoscopy for the removal of a stone from his bile duct at the Breach Candy hospital on March 30, a doctor had said.

    Under the medical procedure, an endoscope is used to examine the interior of a hollow organ or body cavity.

  • NCP worker booked for violating COVID-19 norms during poll meet in Maharashtra

    By PTI
    PUNE: A case has been registered against an NCP functionary for allegedly violating COVID-19 norms during an election campaign meet in Pandharpur of Maharashtra’s Solapur district, an official said on Friday.

    The gathering on Thursday was addressed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ahead of an Assembly bypoll in the district.

    The opposition BJP has alleged that the COVID-19 norms were flouted during the meet.

    Pawar had addressed the indoor gathering, while campaigning for Bhagirath Bhalke, who has been fielded by the NCP in the bypolls to the Pandharpur-Mangalvedha Assembly constituency, which is scheduled to take place on April 17.

    “A case has been registered by observers of the election commission against an NCP functionary, who had organised the rally, under section 188 of the IPC,” senior inspector Arun Pawar of the Pandharpur police station said.

    The BJP’s state unit president Chandrakant Patil had earlier criticised Pawar and dared Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take action against him for the alleged violation of norms.

    While addressing the gathering, someone in the audience passed a note to Pawar, asking him to remove his mask while speaking, but the deputy chief minister rebuked him.

    “Someone is asking me to remove the mask and speak as my speech is unclear. But I will not remove it because I have been telling people to wear masks,” Pawar had said while showing the note during the meet.

  • NCP slams Centre for adopting ‘lackadaisical attitude’ towards Maharashtra despite ‘vaccine shortage’

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The NCP on Thursday accused the Centre of adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards Maharashtra amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as the BJP could not form a government in the state.

    The allegation of the NCP, one of the constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comes in the wake of the state’s claims that it was facing a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine doses.

    Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday refuted the state government’s claims, terming them as “utterly baseless” and blamed the latter for its failure to contain the pandemic.

    The state NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase on Thursday said, “Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan needs to be reminded that Maharashtra tops the chart in the country as far as the vaccination drive is concerned and this is purely due to the efforts taken by Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope and his team.”

    ALSO READ | Maharashtra COVID-19 crisis: State faces ventilator shortage; vaccination drive halted at Panvel, Pune

    The state is proactive on testing, tracing, isolating and vaccinating, he said in a statement.

    It was expected that Harsh Vardhan would respond positively to the call given by Tope, he said.

    “It is the BJP’s policy to use cheap media tricks to divert attention from core issues. It is the Modi government, which has a lackadaisical approach towards Maharashtra only because the BJP could not form a government here,” he alleged.

    The data on the number of vaccine doses received and administered is available if the Union health minister wishes to see, Tapase said.

    The party spokesperson further said some state BJP leaders who have been opposing Maharashtra government’s “break the chain” directive need to be reminded that the Gujarat High Court had to tell the Gujarat government to implement a lockdown, as it was unable to check the viral spread.

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  • Dilip Walse Patil becomes Maharashtra Home Minister following Anil Deshmukh’s resignation

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh resigned on Monday following the order of the Bombay High Court directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into allegations of corruption and misconduct made against him by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh. 

    The Bombay HC observed that charges against Anil Deshmukh are of a ‘serious nature”, which warrant a preliminary enquiry by CBI. “There is certainly a legitimate public expectation of a free, fair, honest and impartial inquiry and investigation into such allegations which have surfaced in the public domain,” the court observed. The CBI will submit its probe report in the next 15 days.

    After the order on Monday, Anil Deshmukh rushed to meet his party president Sharad Pawar and later deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar was also called for the meeting. “In the meeting, it was decided that the HC order of CBI probe is serious and it will not be right for Deshmukh to continue as the home minister. Once he steps down, he can approach the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court order. Then, the NCP chief asked Deshmukh to submit his resignation to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray,” said the source.

    Meanwhile, NCP MP Supriya Sule and state NCP president Jayant Patil were not in favour of sacking Anil Deshmukh. But Sharad Pawar rejected their arguments and asked Deshmukh not to waste more time and submit the resignations.

    “There is a limit to defend someone. We cannot let the credibility and public trust erode further. Deshmukh’s position was indefensible. Besides, prolonging this matter may damage them further,” said a NCP source.

    Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray accepted Anil Deshmukh’s resignation and forwarded it to the Governor for approval. The home ministry charge was given to close confident of Sharad Pawar, Dilip Walse Patil while his labour department charge was given to rural development minister Hasan Mushrif and excise to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

     Interestingly, the 64-year-old Dilip Walse Patil was the natural choice for home ministry when the Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed but that time Mr Patil was unwell and refused to accept the big responsibility. Therefore, the home ministry was handed over to low weighted Anil Deshmukh from Vidarbha on the insistence of Praful Patel and Supriya Sule. Dilip Walse Patil is the senior-most minister and closely worked with Sharad Pawar in past. Patil knows the law and he is a no-nonsense fellow. Earlier, he was also speaker of the Maharashtra state assembly and handled the House successfully and skillfully.   

  • NCP workers violate COVID-19 norms attending crowd meeting; case filed against organiser

    By PTI
    PUNE: In violation of COVID-19 norms, a large number of NCP workers, many of them without wearing a face mask, on Sunday attended a bypoll meeting in Pandharpur town in Solapur district of Maharashtra which was addressed by state unit president and minister Jayant Patil.

    Police on Sunday night registered a case against NCP’s Pandharpur taluka president Vijay Deshmukh, who had organised the event, for violating COVID-19 rules under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, an officer said.

    Addressing the meeting, Patil, who removed his mask while speaking, had sarcastically said, “it seems coronavirus has left the world as I can see your faces (without masks)”.

    This meeting was held at a time when the local administration has imposed strict measures like the closure of shops and commercial establishments on weekends because of the rise in cases.

    “After seeing your faces, I am pretty sure that there is no corona (virus) in the world now…so I am also removing my mask while speaking,” Patil told the gathering.

    When queried about his remarks after the event, Patil told reporters that he spoke sarcastically.

    “Whatever I said (at the meeting) was sarcasm. People were sitting in the meeting as if COVID-19 has ended. No one was wearing a face mask.

    During my speech, I also talked about the serious situation caused by a surge in infections in Maharashtra,” he said.

    The meeting was held ahead of the Pandharpur- Mangalvedha Assembly bypoll scheduled to be held on April 17.

    Patil also added that rallies were held in the state but no one wears a mask.

    “People are behaving as if they will never contract COVID-19 or they might be thinking that all of them are vaccinated. But this is not right,” he added.

  • NCP chief Sharad Pawar discharged from hospital, condition stable: Nawab Malik

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who recently underwent a procedure for a gall bladder issue, was discharged from a hospital here on Saturday, a party leader said.

    “Pawar (80) is in good health and is recuperating at home,” said NCP spokesperson and state minister Nawab Malik.

    Earlier in the day, a team of doctors checked Pawar and concluded that his condition was stable.

    Malik said doctors have advised seven-day rest for Pawar.

    “If his health parameters remain stable after the next 15 days, a surgery of his gall bladder will be performed,” he added.

    Pawar underwent an emergency endoscopy for the removal of a stone from his bile duct on March 30 at the Breach Candy Hospital.

    He was admitted to the hospital on March 30 after he experienced abdominal pain.

  • Sharad Pawar in good health, says NCP leader Nawab Malik

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar who underwent a surgical procedure for the removal of a gall bladder stone two days ago is responding well to the treatment, a party leader said on Thursday.

    He underwent a check-up at 7 pm and is now allowed to walk and take solid food, said Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik on Twitter.

    Pawar was responding well to the treatment and was in excellent health, said Malik.

    Pawar, 80, was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital here on Tuesday after he experienced abdominal pain.

    He underwent endoscopy for the removal of a gall bladder stone on the same night.