<p class="p1">Hoisting the national tricolor at Mantralaya and other locations today, to mark the 74th Independence Day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the country is now fighting another war for freedom from the corona pandemic.</p>
<p class="p1">"The Covid-19 has limited our boundaries of personal freedom, but we have to conquer it unitedly with weapons like self-discipline, cleanliness, hygiene, and wearing masks. Only then can we achieve independence from the Coronavirus," Thackeray urged.</p>
<p class="p1">The Maharashtra Chief Minister lauded the efforts of all corona warriors like doctors, nurses, police, conservancy staff, who have been "working all out, without fear, amid the pandemic at great risk to themselves".</p>
<p class="p1">"On this auspicious occasion, I bow before them. I pay my respects to all the soldiers who fought for India's Independence from the British and the jawans who safeguard our borders, Thackeray said.</p>
<p class="p1">He appreciated the manner in which people of all religions celebrated their major festivals with great restraint in view of the pandemic and the series of lockdowns which proved to be an example to the whole country.</p>
<p class="p1">Thackeray highlighted the government's tough measures and strategies to combat the pandemic — medical and financial assistance given to Covid-19-infected persons, tribals, the steps to normalize academics, reopening of more than 66,000 industries/factories with more than 1.6 million workers returning to jobs.</p>
<p class="p1">During the lockdown, the state government also successfully attracted foreign investments worth more than Rs 16,000 crore for various projects and is finalizing deals for another Rs 8,000 crore, putting the state firmly on the path to recovery and speedy development, said Thackeray.</p>.