The Congress on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi what the purpose or strategy was behind the latest lockdown extension, appearing to suggest the government was adopting an escapist approach instead of trying to sincerely tackle the Covid-19 crisis.
While the Congress did not explicitly oppose the extension of the nationwide lockdown, the questions it asked betrayed a sense of frustration.
Rahul Gandhi had already stressed that the lockdown was just a “pause button” while the Congress Working Committee had warned that extending the current restrictions could be counterproductive.
On Saturday, Congress communications chief Randeep Surjewala said the pandemic demanded a united fight, not a unilateral one.
“What are the objectives and strategy behind lockdown 3.0? What is the road map? Is this the final extension and will the lockdown end on May 17? Or are a fourth and fifth extension also lined up?” he said.
He asked a series of questions: “What are the goals to be achieved till May 17 in terms of corona infection, livelihoods and economy? Has the government finalised the objectives and are concrete measures in place to achieve the target till May 17 when the lockdown is to end? Has the exit plan been prepared? Has the government made plans to revive the economy; is the road map to the future ready?”
Surjewala refused to directly say whether the Congress supported a lockdown extension, claiming the answer was implicit in the questions he had asked.
“What is the Prime Minister’s thought process about future strategies? Have plans been readied for harvesting and payment to farmers, for the sowing of the kharif crop, for the availability of seeds and fertilisers?” he said.
Surjewala also asked if arrangements had been made towards the “livelihood and rations (for) around 40 crore people” in the villages and cities.
“Is the relief package for MSME sector, which employs 11 crore people, ready? Any solution to the rampant incidents of retrenchments and salary cuts of employees in the private sector?” he asked.
“Any plan to resume activities in tourism, construction, textile, automobile, aviation and transport industries?”
Surjewala sought the government timetable for the return of 10 crore migrant workers to their homes.
“(The) migrant problem was not handled in a humane and compassionate manner. For the first time since Partition, India witnessed old persons, pregnant women, children walking for hundreds of kilometres to reach their homes,” he said.
“They were stranded without food and money. How can fellow Indians be treated like this? Why was Rs 7,500 not transferred to their accounts? If only buses (are) to be used for their transportation, how many months will this exercise take? For instance, Ludhiana alone has 7 lakh migrant workers wanting to go home.”
Surjewala asked the Prime Minister to implement the suggestions provided by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the Congress Working Committee to ease the miseries of the people and the MSMEs.
He insisted that Rs 7,500 be deposited in every account and 10kg wheat or rice and 1kg dal be given to all the poor.
He demanded that the “entire yield of farmers be bought and all the dues be cleared within 24 hours; loan recoveries be put off by a year and the interest component be scrapped; wasteful expenditure like the Central Vista project and bullet trains be scrapped”.
Asked whether the Congress supported the armed forces’ plan to show “gratitude” to the virus fighters by conducting fly-pasts, showering petals on Covid-19 hospitals and lighting up naval vessels, Surjewala referred to the earlier plate-banging and candle-lighting programmes.
“We clanged plates and burnt candles when Modiji demanded. We will do whatever he says. But please arrange for PPEs for health workers who are dying of infection and food for the poor who are starving to death. People in distress need support more than salute,” he said.
