NEW DELHI: While addressing a virtual meet of UPA-governed states organised by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that reports from the US show that opening schools during the pandemic could lead to a worsening of the situation.
"There was a report from the US that about 97,000 children were infected by #COVID19 when schools were opened. What will we do if such a situation arises here?" asked Thackeray.
He further said that that's the reason why the state cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray wrote a letter to the Prime Minister demanding a delay of the educational session, and starting it from January 2021.
"It is good that in some states, the spread of COVID-19 pandemic is controlled and the situation is under control, but unfortunately we are not in such favourable situation," he said.
Thackeray said that some people might think that the process of opening the lockdown is a little slower in Maharashtra but it is better to be slow and steady than backtrack the moves later.
He also said that the central government is stopping the supply of PPE kits and ventilators that it was providing the state government from September.
"We still need assistance as the situation is not favourable in our state. I rose this issue in the last meeting with the Prime Minister," he said.
He further alleged that the central government is stopping all the assistance it was providing the state governments, one by one.
He said that such meetings should be conducted more often and all the governments should have a joint front while demanding their rights from the Central government.
"We should meet more often and not just when there is some crisis. We should also come up with a programme and approach the central government for our rights," said Thackeray.
Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting via video conferencing, with Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states and their counterparts of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Jharkhand on the issues related to GST dues of states, Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) (Main) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) (UG) exams.