Clipped video viral as Uddhav Thackeray making light of Coronavirus

Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray addressed the state Friday night amid a fresh COVID-19 wave in the state. He briefed about the worrisome situation and growing cases of coronavirus. He also warned about the possibility of a lockdown in Maharashtra. 

After his address, a clip of him saying “Corona, Corona kya cheez hai” (What is the fuss about corona?) is being shared with a claim that CM Thackeray is making light of the Covid-19 situation in the state. 

Fact Crescendo received many requests about this video on our WhatsApp Factline (9049053770). 

We found out that the viral video is clipped and shared with inaccurate claims.

WHAT’S THE CLAIM?

Archive

Same claims are also made here. 

FACT CHECK

First of all, we went through CM Thackeray’s whole address and found that he did not make fun of the Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra. 

In the original address, he started off by telling how Covid-19 became a threat to the entire world in March last year. Then he praised the people’s sincere contribution in fighting off the virus. 

He said, “गेल्या वर्षीआपण सगळे मिळून या व्हायरसला रोखण्यामध्ये नक्कीच यशस्वी झालो होतो. त्याच्याबद्दल काही वादच नाही. आपण सगळे हातात हात घालून एकत्र लढलो म्हणून ते शक्य झाले. साधारणतः कालच्या जानेवारी फेब्रुवारीपर्यंत आपल्याला असं वाटत होतं की, आता झालं, संपल. यह कोरोना, कोरोना क्या है? क्या चीज है कोरोना? कोविड कोविड क्या है?”

(“Last year, we fought together and successfully controlled the virus. No doubt about that. It happened only because we supported each other. Only a couple of months before in January/February, we thought it [Covid-19] was over. Some of us were even casually wondered what was all that fuss about corona?”)

You can watch the exact portion from here.

CONCLUSION

It is evident that CM Thackeray did not mock the covid-19 situation in the state. In reality, he was talking about the people’s complacent attitude about the virus couple of months before. He was only speaking about how everyone was taking Covid-19 lightly. So, the viral claims are false.