Addressing a virtual rally on Monday, Defece Minister Rajnath Singh slammed the Shiv-Sena-led govenment in Maharashtra over its handling of the COVID-19 sitation, stating the that current situation look like a circus is in place instead of governance.
He said, "The state government of Maharashtra is a government of three parties. It seems that there is circus instead of the government. Maharashtra government doesn't have the type of vision for development for vision that it should have. The central government is providing all possible help."
On the other hand, he also said that despite the current situation, the state has been fighting the COVID-19 crisis and braved cyclone Nisarga as well.
He spoke about how Bollywood actor Sonu Sood deserves credit and not criticism for helping the stranded migrants, adding that the central government has also provided a lot of help to them through different measures.
“The Maharashtra government should learn from UP and Karnataka how to contain the spread of coronavirus,” he added.
Poetry Jibe at Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a jibe at Home Minister Amit Shah over his comment that India is the only country after the US and Israel that is “able to protect” its borders. “Everyone knows the reality of the border," tweeted Gandhi, who has asked the government to clarify on the border standoff with China in Ladakh.
Shah, at a virtual rally on Sunday, had said that the surgical and air strikes after the terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama showed that India's defence policy was strong and the country knows how to protect its borders.
Gandhi on Monday shared his remark on Twitter with an improvisation of legendary Urdu-Persian poet Mirza Ghalib's creation, apparently referring to the India-China standoff in Ladakh.
Responding to Gandhi’s jibe, Singh said, “When there is a pain in the hand then get treatment, but what should one do when the hand is the pain itself.” ‘Hand’ is the symbol of the Congress party.
The original lines were authored by 20th century poet Manzar Lakhnavi and not Mirza Ghalib like Singh said. He improvised it by replacing “heart” with “hand.”
On India-China Tensions
Singh said, “Several leaders of the Congress are asking what is happening at the border. I want to assure the people of the country that I will give the details in Parliament. I will not mislead the people of this country.”
In the rally, he also said that talks at military and diplomatic level are underway between India and China. Stating that the meet between military leaders on 6 June was “positive,” he noted that the talks to resolve the border dispute will be taken forward.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)