NEW DELHI: The Congress Working Committee, chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi , on Thursday said the Centre’s response to coronavirus crisis has been woefully short of expectations and the escape on foot by desperate migrant workers was a “blot forever” on the Modi government.The apex Congress body said the Centre’s Financial Action Plan of March 25 was “hopelessly inadequate” which has ignored vast sections of poor, including farmers, landless agricultural workers, MGNREGA workers without work and laid-off industrial workers.“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. That spectacle will forever remain a blot on the Modi government,” said a statement after the CWC meeting which was attended among others by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, senior party functionaries and four party chief ministers.While asking the government to urgently unveil Financial Action Plan-2 to instil confidence among those left out of the first one, the CWC demanded that the Centre constitute an “economic task force” with top world economists to draw up a short to long-term plan for economic revival.“It will require massive resources in the order of Rs 5-6 lakh crore. Anything less will be totally insufficient and may actually exacerbate the situation,” the party stressed.Seeking comprehensive preparations for immediate harvesting and procurement of wheat and other Rabi crops at minimum support price, Congress said absence of immediate action would risk food security of the country.At the same time, Congress said its review was done “in a spirit of co-operation” and urged the BJP government to see it as “constructive criticism”.Congress chief ministers Amarinder Singh, Ashok Gehlot , Bhupesh Baghel and V Narayanaswamy complained that the Centre is sitting on funds of states, ranging from GST to MGNREGA share. Baghel put the GST arrears of Chhattisgarh at Rs 2000 crore and Singh said the Centre owed Punjab Rs 5000 crore. Gehlot said it will be difficult to manage if the funds were not released soon.At the four-hour long meeting assembled through video conferencing, Congress veterans Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel, P Chidambaram, AK Antony, Ambika Soni stressed that the party is supporting the government in its efforts to combat the problem but it should not back out of pointing out its mistakes.“The government hasn’t understood the enormity of the crisis completely,” Chidambaram said.Rahul Gandhi said the fight against corona was not limited to lockdown but should include a structural plan to fight “economic devastation” and help the poor. He called for “India-specific strategy”, arguing what worked in other countries may not be adequate for India.“No country in the world has attempted a lockdown with huge migrant labour without arranging for their stay, food and ration, and pushing them back home,” he said.Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lamented that police was beating up migrants returning to UP and was also spraying them with insecticides.As part of its suggestions, Congress said GST rates on mass consumption goods be cut for three months. It reiterated that Rs 7500 be transferred to every Jan Dhan account and 10 kg free ration be supplied to every individual through PDS for the lockdown period.Congress said the government’s employment of limited testing of coronavirus was rendering the lockdown a futile exercise and demanded that testing be scaled up. It also demanded that personal protective equipment (PPE) be distributed to all health workers.Home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday slammed Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for her critical remarks about the government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis, accusing the opposition leader of playing “dirty politics” and calling her comments “insensitive” and “uncalled for”.“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India’s efforts to fight coronavirus are being lauded domestically and globally. Over 130 crore Indians are united to defeat Covid-19. Yet, Congress is playing dirty politics. High time they think of national interest and stop misleading people,” Shah tweeted in response to Sonia Gandhi’s criticism of the government.At the CWC meet, Sonia Gandhi charged the government with "unplanned" implementation of the 21-day countrywide lockdown which she said had caused "chaos and pain" to millions of migrant workers.“While whole nation is united and fighting against Covid-19 under the leadership of PM Modi, the remarks of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi are insensitive and uncalled for. The time is not for politics but to serve the nation. We must fight with unity,” Nadda said.The BJP chief said Modi has waged war against Covid-19 taking all chief ministers together as part of “Team India”. “In these tough times, Congress should act as a responsible opposition party,” he said.BJP vice president and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said, “It is painful to read the comments of @INCIndia leaders! At least in these challenging times, rising above partisan considerations, the opposition party should refrain from crass negativism! Is it too much to expect this?”