Dal mein kuch kaala hai: Thackeray takes swipe at Centre over promised foodgrains
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has indicated that foodgrains, meant to be distributed to the poor, have not been delivered by the Centre.
April 27, 2020 / 08:09 AM IST
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, on April 26, took a swipe at the Centre over the delay in delivery of dal (pulses) to the state during the novel coronavirus lockdown.
Speaking to reporters via a video link, Thackeray said: "dal mein kuch kaala hai, pehle dal toh aaney do (there is something wrong with the dal, but first let it come). The expression “dal mein kuch kaala hai” typically means there is something wrong.
"Dal mein kuch kaala hai... we have been asking them (the Centre) for dal because, under the food security scheme, whatever grains we have to distribute, there is only rice. Wheat and dal is required,," NDTV quoted Thackeray as saying.
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In March, while announcing the Rs 1.75 lakh crore relief package for sections of the society hit hard by the outbreak, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the they would be given five kilograms of wheat/rice and one kilogram of their preferred dal free of cost for three months.
However, Thackeray indicated that the foodgrains had not been delivered by the Centre.
With over 7,600 confirmed COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra is the worst-affected state in the country. While over 1,070 patients have recovered in the state, around 320 have died.
The nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the virus is till May 3 for now. Thackeray said that Maharashtra would take a call on extending the lockdown by the end of the month.
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