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Updated July 28th, 2020 at 07:50 IST

'Would like to thank the PM..': Mamata after PM Modi inaugurates COVID testing facilities

Even as friction continues between West Bengal government and Centre, Mamata Banerjee thanked PM Narendra Modi for his cooperation in tackling the COVID crisis

Reported by: Navashree Nandini
Mamata Banerjee
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Even as friction continues between West Bengal government and Centre, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his cooperation in tackling the COVID-19 crisis in the state. However, taking a dig at the state's Governor, Banerjee alleged that "a few people holding constitutional posts' are disturbing the state government regularly. West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Banerjee are at loggerheads over a host of issues, including the management of COVID crisis in the state.

'This is not acceptable': Mamata

During an online programme where the prime minister inaugurated new COVID-19 testing facilities in West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, CM Mamata Banerjee said that both the state and the central governments are elected bodies and they should work together.

"I would like to thank the prime minister for holding several discussions (with chief ministers) on the COVID crisis. And so far, there has been no non-cooperation from his end. I want to thank him for that. But a few people, who are holding constitutional posts, are regularly disturbing the state government. This is not acceptable," Ms Banerjee said without naming anyone.

READ | Suspected COVID-19 patient, pregnant wife 'assaulted' in Bengal; Mamata says fight disease not those infected

Bengal Guv meets Home Minister

On July 20, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised him of the situation in the state. He said that he discussed the "worrisome situation" in the state with Home Minister Shah in his hour-long meeting. 

"Alarming rise in COVID deaths and positive cases, lawlessness and wanton targeting of political opponents and rampant corruption in Amphan relief" were discussed at the meeting, Dhankhar wrote on Twitter. In a statement, the Raj Bhavan said the governor found it expedient to discuss with the Union home minister the "alarming cliff-edge governance situation" in West Bengal from the perspective of his constitutional obligation. 

READ | New testing labs to help check spread of coronavirus in UP, Maha, West Bengal: Amit Shah

Bi-weekly lockdown

In a bid to contain the spread of Coronavirus, the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal announced a complete lockdown across the state for two days every week. Moreover, the state government requested the Civil Aviation Ministry to cancel all flights to and from Kolkata airport during the days of bi-weekly lockdown. The Civil Aviation Ministry then approved the request. The West Bengal government has also imposed temporary restrictions on arriving flights to Kolkata Airport from six cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Nagpur, and Ahmedabad — up to July 31. 

READ | BJP equates CM Mamata's Martyrs' Day speech to a circus, predicts her defeat in 2021 polls

Bengal's COVID tally

In a first, more COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals on a single-day in West Bengal than the number of new cases detected, as per the state Health Department bulletin issued on Monday.

The state reported 2,112 new cases, while 2,166 people were discharged from different hospitals in the last 24 hours, the bulletin said. The total number of cases rose to 60,830 with the detection of fresh infections. Further, 39 patients died of COVID-19, taking the toll to 1,411. There are 19,502 active cases in the state at present and so far, 39,917 people have recovered. 

READ | For first time in public, Bengal CM directly demands release of financial dues to PM

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Published July 28th, 2020 at 07:50 IST

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