Maharashtra BJP leader accuses NCP of violating COVID protocol during office inauguration, seeks action

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 20 (ANI): After a massive crowd gathered for the inauguration of the National Congress Party's (NCP) office in Pune amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Pravin Darekar, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Maharashtra Legislative Council on Saturday demanded action against NCP leaders for flouting COVID protocol.
While speaking to ANI, the BJP leader said that Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who was also present on the occasion, had 'no moral right' to urge people to follow COVID-19 guidelines.
He also pointed out that in the past, FIRs had been filed against leaders of other parties for flouting COVID norms.
"If 8,000-10,000 people gather in an event then Ajit Pawar has no moral right to urge people to follow COVID guidelines. They had filed FIR against other party leaders for flouting COVID norms. Action should be taken against them," Darekar said.
Maharashtra is now seeing a decline in the number of coronavirus cases as the second COVID-19 wave has ravaged the country's medical infrastructure in the last two months. The state was one of the worst affected in the country.
In the last 24 hours, 8,912 new coronavirus cases, 10,373 recoveries, and 257 deaths. There are currently 1,32,597 active cases in the state. A total of 57,10,356 recoveries and 1,17,356 deaths have been reported so far.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had said that that the local administration can take a call on easing or tightening restrictions in their zones as the intensity of the pandemic varies across the state.
In a meeting with Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, and the Police, the Chief Minister dispelled the impression that the restrictions have been eased across the State.
"Based on the situation, the local administration can take a call on easing or tightening restrictions. It must decide on easing the norms based on the criteria and the five levels set under Break The Chain," Thackeray said.
He further said, "The intensity of the pandemic varies across the State. Hence, these five levels were meant to break the transmission chain and ensure that the economic and social activity was conducted in a disciplined manner."(ANI)