Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Covid-19 pandemic took everyone to "pre-independence days", and appealed to people to take the pledge to make the state and the country free of the disease.

In his address after unfurling the national flag at the state secretariat 'Mantralaya' on the country's 75th Independence Day, Thackeray said the state was fighting Covid-19 with determination and the vaccination drive against the disease was also being expedited. "Just yesterday, we achieved a milestone of vaccinating 9.5 lakh citizens on a single day," he noted. The CM said the country achieved independence due to people's struggle and movement.