'Those who wanted President's Rule in Maharashtra should see COVID-19 numbers': CM Uddhav

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, while announcing the Coronavirus numbers, on Sunday, slammed his critics and said that those who wanted President's Rule in the state should see the numbers now. "Maharashtra has 65,000 cases currently including the first case we found in the State, but our first case got well and he is at home," he said while addressing a news conference.

'...out of this 24,000 are asymptomatic'

"28,000 people have been discharged so far and are doing well at their home. Active cases are 34,000, out of this 24,000 are asymptomatic. Those who wanted to call the Army and were questioning the situation in the State and wanted the President's Rule in Maharashtra should see these numbers" said Thackeray.

On a day his government granted a slew of relaxations in non-containment zones while extending the latest lockdown till June 30, Uddhav Thackeray said people should tread cautiously while beginning the "new life".

'If lockdown is science, lifting is an art'

In his televised address to the state, the CM said the "Mission Begin Again", the nomenclature chosen by the state government for the fifth phase of the lockdown which it extended till June 30, is aimed at restarting lives again.

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"The permission for outdoor physical activities, opening of shops and markets, offices are a trial to check on how we should move forward, but we should tread cautiously. Lockdown should now be thrown into the dustbin," he said. He said if lockdown is science, lifting it is an art. Thackeray likened the "Mission begin again" to walking in heavy rains with people holding their hands and walking carefully.

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"But even as we begin afresh, we have to take cautious steps," he said. Under "Mission Begin Again", all markets, market areas and shops, except malls, will be allowed to open from June 5 on the odd-even basis in non-containment zones across Maharashtra. However, religious places, shopping malls, hotels and restaurants will continue to remain closed.

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Thackeray also said the prevailing situation is not conducive to allow holding of the final year university exams. "Aggregate Marks of semester exams will be taken and students will be given marks," he said.

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(With agency inputs)