Sack Nawab Malik over Remdesivir claims, BJP requests Maharashtra Governor Koshyari

A BJP delegation on Monday approached Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari seeking dismissal of Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik from the state cabinet for raising a "baseless" allegation that the Centre had blocked the supply of Remdesivir injections to the state. BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, who led the delegation, told reporters that Malik tried to create distrust among the people about the Centre by making such allegations.

Bhatkhalkar said the delegation requested the governor to remove Malik using his special powers if the state government does not register an FIR against the senior NCP leader.

"The state's minority affairs minister levelled baseless allegations against the Centre that it was threatening companies producing Remdesivir injections to not supply the same to Maharashtra. I had demanded proofs from him. But he did not give any. With this (allegations), he tried to create distrust among the people towards the Centre," the BJP MLA said.


Malik on Saturday tweeted: "It is sad and shocking that when Government of Maharashtra asked 16 export companies for Remdesivir, we were told that the Central government has asked them not to supply the medicine to Maharashtra. These companies were warned, if they did, their license will be cancelled".

"This was a dangerous precedent and under these circumstances, the state government will have no choice but to seize the stock of Remdesivir from these exporters and supply it to the needy," he had said in another tweet.