In a rather sarcastic comment, Shiv Sena said that incumbent Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis has expressed confidence in the public health system by stating that he must be admitted to a government medical facility if he was diagnosed with COVID-19.
An editorial on Saturday in the party’s mouthpiece Saamna praised ‘an emotional and touching statement’ by Fadnavis, wherein he asked his close aide and former minister Girish Mahajan to get him admitted to a government hospital if he was infected with the virus. It also said that Fadnavis was doing a ‘good job’ as the leader of opposition.
The newspaper has Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s wife Rashmi as the editor and Rajya Sabha Member of the Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut as the executive editor.
The Shiv Sena said the former CM was touring the state, visiting government hospitals and COVID-19 facilities and letting loose a fusillade in case he found something amiss. This led to the government machinery pulling up its socks. The editorial said Fadnavis’ statement was a vindication of the government’s work in tackling the pandemic, and indicated that he was ‘satisfied with the government’s work.’
Dismissing trolling and criticism about this statement being a ‘stunt,’ the editorial lauded Fadnavis for reposing faith in the government machinery and its doctors and medical staff. It added that this confidence in the state public health system would ‘serve as a morale booster to the government and the thousands of COVID-19 patients.’
