Sonia condemns unplanned lockdown, ‘miserly’ relief

New Delhi: Sonia Gandhi, the interim president of the Congress said on Thursday said that while the ongoing 21-day lockdown may have been required to fight the

New Delhi: Sonia Gandhi, the interim president of the Congress said on Thursday said that while the ongoing 21-day lockdown may have been required to fight the spread of the coronavirus disease, the unplanned manner in which it was implemented caused chaos and pain, provoking an immediate reaction from BJP president JP Nadda who accused the Congress of politicising the issue.

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Gandhi was speaking at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, which also found fault with the relief package announced by the government. “The Financial Action Plan (FAP) I announced on March 25 was miserly, hopelessly inadequate and left out several vulnerable sections. It failed to instil confidence in the poor and, as a result, we witnessed the tragic spectacle of thousands of migrant workers desperately trying to go back to their villages by any means whatsoever, including on foot,’’ it said in a statement.

Gandhi also hit out at the Centre over the exodus of migrant workers following the imposition of the three-week lockdown , saying the “tragic spectacle” of thousands of them walking back to their villages will “forever remain a blot on the Modi government”.

Information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar said the comments were “unfortunate, false, and unnecessary.”

Thousands of migrant workers left jobless by the lockdown began fleeing cities for their homes on foot last week in absence of public transport. The Centre last week announced an economic stimulus plan to provides direct cash transfers and food to the poor hit by the lockdown.

The CWC, which is the Congress’s highest decision-making body, demanded FAP II to reassure the poor and also to provide adequate financial support to the sections left out earlier.

“The NYAY [minimum income guarantee] scheme put forward by the Congress [as a pre-poll promise last year] offers a useful model that can be adapted and implemented,” said the resolution, which was passed after Gandhi chaired a CWC meeting via video conferencing.

The CWC said the government has not given any thought to the deteriorating economic situation and demanded constitution of a task force of world-renowned economists to suggest three plans to deal with the crisis. “...firstly an emergency plan within one week, secondly a short to medium term plan within one month and thirdly a medium to long term plan within three months in order to protect and revive the economy.”

The CWC said it is conscious that India and the world face an unprecedented crisis due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 while pledging its support to the government.

The statement said the order of priorities before the government should be to contain the spread of virus, medical treatment to the infected, livelihood support to the poor and maintenance of supply of essentials and measures to deal with a sliding economy.

The CWC regretted that the government has “miserably failed” to provide adequate livelihood support to the poor. The party said supply chains to crores of people, especially those living in towns, cities and remote villages have been severely disrupted by poor preparation and thoughtless orders and notifications.

Gandhi said there is no alternative to constant and reliable testing to fight Covid-19 and demanded Personal Protection Equipment for doctors, nurses and health workers as also ventilators and breathing equipment, isolation beds and designated hospitals for patients. “The onus lies on governments to ensure that the spread of infection and casualties are not caused owing to lack of infrastructure or preparedness.”

She urged the government to prepare a Common Minimum Relief programme, and insisted that Covid-19 does not differentiate between political ideology, religion, caste, age or gender.

“The choices we make today will have a direct impact tomorrow on our family, neighbourhood, community, environment and nation. How effectively we meet this challenge, how we protect all sections of our society, especially the most vulnerable among us, will define us for generations to come. Only if we act together in solidarity, we will overcome.”

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the country has to fight Covid-19 with a specific strategy and consultation, and stressed the need to ensure that the most vulnerable and the poor as also aged people are protected .

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the Congress stands one with the nation to take on the challenge posed by the pandemic.