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Updated: Apr 23, 2020 16:24 IST

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said the Centre doesn’t appear to have a clear idea on how the situation will be managed after May 3, when the nationwide lockdown to contain the Covid-19 pandemic is expected to end.

“A lockdown of the present nature after that date would be even more devastating,” she said in her opening remarks at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) held through video conference.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi initially announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown from March 25, and later extended it till May 3. A decision on lifting the lockdown is expected to be made after Modi’s meeting with chief ministers on April 27.

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Sonia Gandhi said states and local governments are the in frontline of the battle against Covid-19 and alleged that funds legitimately owed to Congress-ruled states were held back.

“Let me also share with you something that should worry each and every one us Indians. When we should be tackling the coronavirus unitedly, the BJP continues to spread the virus of communal prejudice and hatred. Grave damage is being done to our social harmony. Our party, we will have to work hard to repair that damage,” she said.

“There are a few success stories and we should applaud them. Most of all we should salute every single Indian leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in spite of the absence of adequate PPE – doctors, nurses, paramedics, health workers, sanitation workers and all other essential service providers, NGOs and the lakhs of citizens providing relief to the most needy all over India. Their dedication and determination truly inspire us all,” she added.

Sonia Gandhi reiterated her party’s commitment to extending constructive support to the government in dealing with the crisis due to the Covid-19 outbreak, but she said the situation had worsened since the CWC’s last meet.

“Since our meeting three weeks ago, the pandemic has increased disturbingly – both in spread and speed,” she said.

She said the focus must continue to be on successfully engaging with health, food security and livelihood issues.

“We have repeatedly urged the prime minister that there is no alternative to the testing, trace and quarantine programme. Unfortunately, testing still remains low and testing kits are still in short supply and of poor quality. PPE (personal protective equipment) kits are being provided to our doctors and healthcare workers but the number and quality is poor,” she said.

According to the health ministry, India has reported over 21,300 infections and 681 deaths as of Thursday morning.

Sonia Gandhi, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders have repeatedly demanded scaling up of testing, calling it the biggest weapon against the Coronavirus. “If we don’t ramp up testing and go for aggressive testing, we will be forced to again go into lockdown,” Rahul Gandhi told a news conference last week.

At the CWC’s meeting on April 2, the party’s highest decision-making body pledged to continue its unstinted support to the Centre and state governments in dealing with the situation. However, it criticised the Centre for “not giving any thought to the deteriorating” economic situation following the pandemic, and demanded a task force consisting of world renowned economists to suggest measures to deal with the crisis.

With the lockdown being extended, Sonia Gandhi said all sections of society, particularly farmers, farm workers, migrant labour, construction workers and workers in the unorganised sector, continue to face acute hardship and distress.

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She said trade, commerce and industry had come to a halt and crores of livelihoods had been destroyed.

She said since the lockdown began on March 25, she had written several times to the Prime Minister and offered her constructive cooperation and also made several suggestions to alleviate the suffering of rural and urban families.

Sonia Gandhi has so far written six letters to Modi, mentioning the problems faced by construction and rural workers and migrant labour, and demanded financial packages for them. She also sought the suspension of the Rs 20,000-crore “central vista” project and transferring all funds from the PM CARES Fund to the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PM-NRF) to fight the pandemic.

Sonia Gandhi told the CWC these suggestions had been framed using feedback received from different sources, including Congress chief ministers.

“Unfortunately, they have been acted upon only partially and in a miserly way. The compassion, large-heartedness and alacrity that should be forthcoming from the Central government is conspicuous by its absence,” she said.

Sonia Gandhi said the entitlement of food grains under the National Food Security Act have not yet reached beneficiaries, contending that 11 crore people in need of subsidised food grains continue to be outside the public distribution system.

“It should be our commitment to provide 10 kg of food grains, 1 kg of pulses and half a kg of sugar to each person of the family every month, in this hour of crisis,” she added.

She also contended that 12 crore jobs were lost in the first phase of the lockdown and insisted that unemployment is likely to increase further as economic activity remains at a standstill. “It is imperative to provide at least Rs 7,500 to each family to tide over this crisis,” she said.

Referring to migrant workers, she said they are still stranded, jobless and desperate to return home. “They have been hit the hardest and must be provided with food security and a financial safety net in order to survive this period of crisis.”

Farmers are facing serious difficulties too, Sonia Gandhi said, adding the weak and unclear procurement policies and disrupted supply chains need to be addressed without delay. “Necessary facilities must be made available to the farmers for the next round of kharif crops, which will begin in the coming two months,” she said.

She said micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) employ nearly 11 crore personnel and make up a third of the GDP. “If they are to be protected from economic ruin, it is imperative that a special package be announced urgently for their survival,” she added.

Sonia Gandhi has constituted an 11-member consultative group, headed by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, to deliberate on matters related to the Covid-19 outbreak, and frame the party’s views on various issues. Rahul Gandhi is a member of the panel.

At its first meeting on Monday, the group discussed the revival of the MSME sector, smooth crop procurement and the issue of stranded migrant workers. The panel on Wednesday sought public suggestions for an economic stimulus package for MSMEs.

The Congress has reiterated its demand for immediate direct cash transfer of Rs 7,500 in all Jan Dhan, pension and PM-Kisan scheme bank accounts to enable the poor to sustain themselves during the lockdown.

In a video message issued last week, the Congress chief praised doctors, police, health and sanitation workers who are at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 despite the shortage of PPE, calling them “corona warriors”.

She regretted reports of harassment of doctors in some parts of the country and urged people to adhere to the lockdown guidelines and social distancing norms.

“This fight will weaken without your support, and we should not allow this to happen. At some places, I hear reports about ill-treatment meted out to doctors. This is wrong. Our culture and tradition does not allow this and we should support them,” Sonia Gandhi had said.