New Delhi: Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday sought to know what the Narendra Modi government’s post-lockdown roadmap is and the criteria being used to judge how long it will continue, even as chief ministers of Congress-ruled states reiterated their demand for financial assistance to handle the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gandhi was speaking at a meeting of chief ministers (CMs) of the Congress-ruled states to assess how they were faring and discuss their lockdown strategy, including the status of migrant workers who were returning to their respective states.
“After May 17th, what? And after May 17th, how? What criteria is the Government of India using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue?” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala quoted Gandhi as saying in the video conference with CMs.
The Centre had on 1 May extended the nationwide lockdown by two weeks as India works to contain the spread of the infection.
Besides Gandhi and the CMs of Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Puducherry, the meeting was attended by senior party leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former finance minister P. Chidambaram and Rahul Gandhi.
Manmohan Singh demanded to know what will happen after the third extension of the lockdown ends on 17 May.
“As Soniaji has already pointed out, we need to know what will happen after lockdown 3.0,” he said, adding that CM’s need to deliberate and ask the government for a strategy.
Rahul demanded that the government immediately withdraw its decision to raise petrol and diesel prices by Rs 10-13 per litre, which he said was “unfair”, while the CMs were concerned if there would be further extensions of the lockdown.
Also read: Modi’s Covid-19 strategy has Congress party’s ‘first family’ split in its political response
More funds needed, say states
Surjewala said that all the four CMs — Punjab’s Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan’s Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh’s Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry’s V. Narayanasamy — were unanimous in their view that the Centre was pushing the states towards fiscal distress by not giving additional resources to tackle Covid-19.
Addressing a media briefing, Surjewala said all four CMs will write to Prime Minister Modi again, asking for financial support. The lockdown caused massive losses across the country as industries were forced to shut down overnight while PM Modi urged employers to avoid pay cuts and lay offs.
Gehlot asked how states were expected to run without an extensive stimulus package. “We have lost Rs 10,000 crore of revenue. States have repeatedly requested the PM for a package but we are yet to hear from GOI,” he said.
Baghel also highlighted the dire economic crisis Chattisgarh has been facing because of the lockdown.
The CMs also told Gandhi that they have decided to pay for the travel of migrant labour. “The railways are charging Rs 870 per ticket, which the state is paying,” he said.
Also read: India has allocated over Rs 200 cr for new Covid-19 projects: Science secretary
Delhi can’t decide classification of Covid zones in states
In the meeting, the CMs also raised issues with the Centre deciding on hotspots in states.
Amarinder Singh said that the concern was the people making the decision were sitting in Delhi with no real knowledge of the ground reality.
The issue was also flagged by Narayanasamy, who said, “Govt of India is deciding on zones without consulting the States and this is creating an anomalous situation. People sitting in Delhi can’t tell the States, No State or CM is consulted. Why?” the Puducherry CM tweeted.
Govt of India is deciding on zones without consulting the States and this is creating anomalous situation. People sitting in Delhi can’t tell the States, No State or Chief Minister is consulted. Why?
Prime Minister is not saying a word on economic package for States.
— V.Narayanasamy (@VNarayanasami) May 6, 2020
On Monday, chief secretaries of several states flagged the same issue in their meeting with the Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba.
Depending on the severity of Covid-19 cases, the Union health ministry has been categorising the country’s 736 districts into red (hotspot), orange (no new cases in 14 days) and green (no new cases in 21 days) zones.
The categorisation is dynamic as it changes based on the situation. As of 1 May, India has 130 red zones while the number of active cases crossed 33,000 Wednesday morning.
Also read: Covid lockdown has ended only opposition politics in India. BJP’s shop is very much open
Go Italy and feel safe zone
Congress still seem to believe that Sonia is the PM of India and Modi is Manmohan Singh. Congress is left with only duffers.
Why you should be told?
Aukat main raho.
That question is not only highly premature but shows that Congress is only intent on raising issues for public attention than to really help the country in this situation as a responsible opposition. In the still available 12 days to 17th May, a lot can happen, nothing may happen, or things may happen unpredictably. The recent mad and huge rush for liquor, trains carrying hundreds together, sudden relaxation of restrictions in many areas abandoning all distancing guidelines can throw up many more new cases, which will be known only after 14 days of incubation. ONLY after a careful study of the situation at the end of the week ending 17th, can any realistic assessment be made. But ‘The Family’ wants its presence known as “DOING SOMETHING” questioning the Government.. So they are making pointless noises.
You Congress Duffers – Lockdown 3.0 is actually Reopening 1.0
My answer: “None whatsoever. Probably another extension which will go beyond Ramzan.”