Class 10, 12 pupils must also be promoted without exams: MNS chief

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) supremo Raj Thackeray on Tuesday addressed a press conference from his residence and said that class 10 and class 12 students who are appearing for board exams should be promoted without examinations, “just like other students” amid rising coronavirus cases.

“We have no clue about the mental trauma these kids are facing during this pandemic. Just like other students, class 10 and 122 students should also be promoted,” Thackeray asserted.

Speaking on the lockdown-like restrictions imposed in Maharashtra to curb COVID-19 infections, the MNS president said he had discussed the measures with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who was himself under quarantine after his staffers tested positive. “We discussed about various issues in a virtual meeting… The number of covid-19 cases in the state are increasing. I asked the Chief Minister why this COVID-19 surge was only seen in Maharashtra. The truth needs to be told to the people. As Maharashtra is an industrial state, the number of people coming from outside is huge.”

“We are not aware how many cases are being reported from other states like West Bengal. People are coming from outside states and there is no count of COVID-19 such patients in Maharashtra. Once the numbers are counted, we would know how many numbers are coming from other states,” Raj Thackeray added.

Noting the need to improve health infrastructure in the state, the MNS chief said, “Despite the availability of space in many hospitals, COVID-19 patients are not getting beds. At such a time, the government should adopt a strict policy. Patients need to get beds.”

Raj Thackeray also demanded that electricity bills in Maharashtra be waived off for the lockdown period when industries and offices are shut and people have lost jobs. “How can people pay huge electricity bills?” he asked.