'Want To Stuff Coronavirus In Fadnavis' Mouth': Shiv Sena MLA Amid Remdesivir Export Controversy In Maharashtra

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad has made a controversial statement saying he he would put Coronavirus in the mouth of Maharashtra Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis.

Amid ongoing controversy over hoarding of the anti-viral drug Remdesivir in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad has made a controversial statement saying he he would put Coronavirus in the mouth of Maharashtra Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis if he gets a hand on it.

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party leader for allegedly playing politics at the time when the drug is in shortage, Gaikwad said, "Had I found coronavirus, I would have stuffed it in the mouth of Fadnavis. Is this the time to play politics? What would Fadnavis have done if he was the chief minister during the pandemic. Instead of supporting state ministers, BJP leaders are mocking them and want the state government to fail."

The MLA claimed that the BJP-led Central government has asked the Remdesivir manufacturing companies in Maharashtra not to supply the drug to the state while 50,000 vials of the Remdesivir injections are being supplied to Gujarat free of cost from a BJP office in Maharashtra.

Devendra Fadnavis accused of illegally purchasing Remdesivir

Gaikwad's scathing remarks came after Mumbai Police on Saturday detained Brucke Pharma owner Rajesh Dokaniya for allegedly trying to export 60,000 vials of Remdesivir despite an export ban.

The incident took a political turn when Fadnavis later in the evening went to the police station and stated that Union Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya had asked the Brucke Pharma owner to supply maximum Remdesivir to the state.

While Fadnavis claimed that he has not done anything wrong and was not afraid of any inquiry against him, various political parties have accused the former Chief Minister of illegally purchasing Remdesivir.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to her social media account slamming Fadnavis 'for hoarding Remdesivir injections.' "When people across the country are pleading for making available Remdesivir and struggling for each vial, at this moment one BJP leader who has been on an important post is hoarding the injection which is a crime against humanity," Gandhi said in a tweet.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Preeti Sharma Menon meanwhile called Fadnavis’ move “downright illegal” and said that a political party could not “do charity" as it was not registered with the Charity Commissioner but with the Election Commission (EC).