The Opposition BJP on Monday urged Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to recommend the dismissal of NCP Minister Nawab Malik from the State Cabinet and registration of an FIR for making baseless allegation against the Union Government regarding Remdesivir vials, floating rumours and creating disaffection in the minds of the people about the Centre.
Upping the ante against the statements made by senior NCP leader and Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik against the Centre for its discriminatory attitude towards the Maharashtra Government over the supply of Remdesivir vials, State BJP president Chandrakant Patil shot off a memorandum to the Governor seeking Malik’s dismissal from the State Cabinet and registration of an FIR against him for creating disaffection in the minds of the people about the Centre.
In its memorandum, Patil cited the following tweet put by Malik on April 17, 2021: “It is sad & shocking that when the Government of Maharashtra asked the 16 export companies for #Remdesivir, we were told that the Central Government has asked them not to supply the medicine to #Maharashtra. These companies were warned, if they did, their license would be cancelled”.
The State BJP chief said that though Malik had made a serious allegation against, he had not provided any proof to substantiate his allegation. “This tweet has been widely discussed in social media. In my opinion, the minister has committed a crime”.
Among other things, Patil charged that the State Minister had made a baseless allegation against the Centre and in the process had created disaffection in the minds of the people in the state about the Union government. He alleged that despite being a state minister, Malik had –through his allegation against the Centre – had tried to undermine the constitutional machinery in the country.
Patil also alleged that Malik had committed crimes like floating rumours in a health emergency-like situation the one state was passing through and had tried to create fear and panic in the minds of the people during the Covid 19 crisis period.
Patil said that taking serious cognisance of the offences committed by Malik should recommend immediate dismissal of Malik from the State Cabinet and registration of an FIR against the latter for his crimes.
It may be recalled that Malik had in one of the series of tweets put out on the Remdesivir shortage issue said: “It is a dangerous precedent and under these circumstances, Maharashtra Government will have no choice but to seize the stock of Remdesiir from these exporters and supply it to the needy”. He tagged the Prime Minister’s Office and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in the tweet.
“There are 16 export oriented units in our country that have 20 Lakh vials of #Remdesivir, since exports are now banned by the government, these units are seeking permission to sell this medicine in our country but the central government is denying the same,” Malik had said.
“The government says it should be sold only through 7 companies that are producing it. These 7 companies are refusing to take responsibility. This is a decision making crisis. While there is a requirement of this medicine and availability too, a quick decision is the need of the hour. This problem must be solved and the vials must be supplied to government hospitals in all states immediately," the minister had said.