Rahul Gandhi has been critical of the government’s handling of the migrant workers’ exodus after the lockdown enforced due to coronavirus outbreak.
New Delhi, March 29:
Expressing solidarity with the government’s efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, apprehending that the lockdown might have to be extended and cautioning against complete economic shutdown’s disastrous consequences.
“The world has been forced to take urgent, immediate measures to contain the rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus and India is currently in the midst of a three-week lockdown. I suspect that the government will eventually extend this even further,” read Rahul Gandhi’s letter.
“It is critical for us to understand that India’s conditions are unique. We will be required to take different steps than other large countries, who are following a total lockdown strategy,” he said.
“The number of poor people in India who are dependent on a daily income is simply too large for us to unilaterally shut down all economic activity. The consequences of a complete economic shut down will disastrously amplify the death toll arising from the Covid-19 virus.”
Gandhi, who has been critical of the government’s handling of the migrant workers’ exodus from different states, reiterated his party’s support to the government on the measures it was taking to tackle the pandemic.
“I would like to express to you my solidarity and the solidarity of millions of workers of the Congress party at this time, when our nation is facing an immense humanitarian crisis. We are all doing our utmost to cooperate with the steps, the government is taking to fight the Coronavirus outbreak in India,” he said.
The Congress leader called for a nuanced approach by the government to deal with the complex realities of the people across the country.
“Our priority must be to protect and isolate the elderly and the vulnerable from the virus and to clearly and strongly communicate to the young, the dangers of proximity to older people,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi said a complete lockdown and the resulting shutdown of the economic engine will almost certainly ensure that millions of unemployed youth rush back to their villages, increasing the risk of infecting their parents and the elderly population living there.
“This will result in a catastrophic loss of life. We must immediately strengthen the social safety net and use every public resource we have to support and shelter the working poor. Large population centres will require big dedicated hospitals with thousands of beds and ventilators,” he said.
“It is critical that we start setting up these structures and manufacturing the equipment that would be required, as fast as is humanly possible. At the same time, we need to dramatically increase the number of tests that we are carrying out to get an accurate picture of the spread of the virus and to contain it,” added Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi’s letter comes days after his mother and Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, wrote to the Prime Minister pledging her party’s support to contain the spread of coronavirus and its economic fallout.
Sonia Gandhi has so far shot off three letters to the Prime Minister – one on daily wage workers, second requesting him to implement her party’s 2019 Lok Sabha poll proposal of ‘Nyay’ or minimum income guarantee scheme and the third seeking transport services for the migrant workers on foot to their homes.
Rahul Gandhi had on Saturday criticised the government, alleging that it didn’t have a contingency plan for the migrants who were left without jobs or money and had to leave cities after the announcement of the 21-day nationwide lockdown.
“The sudden lockdown has created immense panic and confusion. Factories, small industries and construction sites have closed, tens of thousands of migrant labourers are trying to walk home to their villages and are stranded at various state borders,” the former Congress chief reiterated this in his letter to the Prime Minister.
“They are rendered totally vulnerable without their daily wages or access to nutrition and basic services. They are struggling to reach faraway homes and seek refuge. It is important that we help them find shelter and provide them with money directly into their bank accounts to help them tide over the next few months,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi also sought a mechanism to help the financial and strategic institutions absorb the impact of the pandemic.
Courtesy: Hindustan Times
