Shiv Sena targets PM Modi over his views on battle against COVID-19

The Shiv Sena on Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the PM had expressed confidence that the battle against COVID-19 would be won in 21 days, but it has been over 100 days and the crisis still persists.

The fight against COVID-19 is more difficult than the mythological war of Mahabharata, an editorial in Sena mouthpiece ''Saamana'' said, adding that the battle against the pandemic will continue till 2021 as the disease vaccine won''t be available before that.

It is unfortunate and serious for the country, which is dreaming to become a financial superpower, to report over 25,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, the Sena said.

We left Russia behind in terms of the number of cases. We will attain the number one slot in this unfortunate area if the number of cases continue to go up," it said.

Patients are recovering on a big scale in Maharashtra, but the situation in some areas of the state turns one restless, it said citing the example of Thane district, which has been a major COVID-19 hotspot.

"The coronavirus will be there and (we) need to live with it...the vaccine for coronavirus will not be available before 2021...that means (we) will have to live with coronavirus at least till then, it said.

Without naming anyone or any party, the Shiv Sena said questions are being raised as to for how many days the lockdown will continue.

But when you open the door (ease restrictions), the "messengers (threat) of coronavirus" are right out there, the Marathi publication said.