Taken up with FM non-release of Rs 500 cr to Punjab that is hampering Covid fight: Capt

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 2

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said though the lockdown was essential to combat Covid-19, its unplanned implementation had caused tremendous chaos.

Addressing a virtual meeting of the Congress Working Committee, Gandhi said there was no alternative to constant testing.

The CWC was joined online by former PM Manmohan Singh, who said the Congress stood by the country at this time of crisis.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was also live and apprised the committee of the steps he was taking against the pandemic in the state.

He said the non-release of Rs 5,000 crore state share by the Centre was harming Punjab’s fight against COVID and that he had taken up the issue with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged states to issue advisories warning the elderly who were more vulnerable to the disease and claimed that the government had not understood the enormity of the crisis.

Sonia Gandhi in her opening remarks said the most vulnerable to the consequences of this pandemic are the poor and disadvantaged.

“We must come together for their sake and do all we can to support them through the difficult days that lie ahead,” she noted.

She said the 21-day national lockdown might have been necessary but the unplanned manner in which it had been implemented had caused chaos and pain in the lives of millions of migrant workers all over India.

“It has been heart-breaking to see lakhs of people walking for hundreds of kilometres towards their villages without food or shelter,” the  Congress chief added.

She said there is no alternative to constant and reliable testing and sought protective gear for doctors and nurses.

“Hazmat suits, N-95 masks must be provided to them on a war footing. Equally important are ventilators and breathing equipment, isolation beds and designated hospitals to treat Covid-19,” she said asking the Government to publish details of designated hospitals, number of beds, quarantine and testing facilities, as well as information regarding the availability of medical supplies to the general public.

She demanded help for farmers saying they’ve faced the wrath of inclement weather this season and now have to cope with the harvesting season.

Noting that 90 per cent of Indians are in the unorganised sector, Sonia demanded relief for the segment as also for middle class people.

She said the Central Government should prepare and publish a Common Minimum Relief Programme for all the affected sections of society.

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