In an address to the nation, at the end of 21 days lockdown Narendra Modi announced that India will remain under lockdown until early May, with stricter measures to be implemented in order to ensure adherence to the extension.
The Prime Minister in his address to the nation, had listed ‘7 Mantras’ to help as India is going through a difficult phase where it has to choose between life and livelihood.
[splco_box title=”Modi 7 Mantras at the end of 21 days lock down ” style=”glass”]First, the Prime Minister advised, take special care of the elderly, especially those with pre-existing illnesses. Secondly, he asked for strict adherence to social distancing norms that have been so far effective in combating coronavirus. Thirdly he asked to follow the guidelines given by the Ayush Department. Fourthly, he appealed to every citizen to download and use the Aarogya Setu App. This app has been developed especially to track coronavirus cases. Fifth, he appealed to the people to help the poor and needy especially by providing food and protective gear such as face masks. Sixth, Modi asked employers to have compassion at this time of crisis and not to resort to layoffs of their employees. Seventh, he asked to show respect to health workers who are in the forefront in the battle against Covid-19. [/splco_box]
With lack of strategy and zero assistance scheme during the lockdown period Opposition leaders grilled ruling establishments misgovernance over Corona virus Management
Rahul Gandhi Opposition Congress Party MP targeted BJP Government over Mass testing failure and he tweeted “India delayed the purchase of testing kits & is now critically short of them. With just 149 tests per million Indians, we are now in the company of Laos (157), Niger (182) & Honduras (162). Mass testing is the key to fighting the virus. At present we are nowhere in the game ”
DMK Leader M.K Stalin reacted strongly in his tweet and targeted over lack of financial package and said people of India are not looking for PM advice but financial assistance during their troublesome days
Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala accused the BJP government that from February 1 till April 13 only 217,553 tests have been done. This works out to 3021 tests a day and asked when the government is going to start testing more people.
“Lakhs of acres of Rabi crop is standing there as there are no arrangements for harvesting. What about the purchase of the crops on MSP and is there no responsibility of the government towards the farmers,” questioned Surjewala.
There is mass unemployment and people are being retrenched from jobs. Where is the economic recovery taskforce, where will the youth go for employment and what is the government roadmap to streamline the economy, mainly the support system for farmers, small shopkeepers and marginalized workers, he asked.
[splco_quote]”In comparison the the world the government is at the bottom in providing economic relief in the pandemic,” said Surjewala. [/splco_quote]
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the prime minister has not talked about the plight of migrant workers who are quarantined at state borders and what the government intends to do about them, as most of them have completed their 14-day quarantine.
“The PM told the nation what he expects out of the people but the PM did not address concerns of the people or talk about what his government is doing for the people of India, something the people wanted to hear,”he said.
“What we have not heard from the PM is what is this Govt’s strategy regarding testing. Will it be limited to hotspots or will there be community level screening as it has happened in Bhilwara. What is the strategy of this Government,” he asked.
“What the PM has not spoken about and made for the most horrifying images when the lockdown was first implemented, is with regard to the plight of the migrant workers. They are in camps, spread out in various parts of the country,”he said asking whether the government has any plan to ensure that they are taken back to their homes.
DMK Leader M.K.Stalin and Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi during a political meeting in Chennai
[splco_quote]”Essentially, if someone has gone through the mandatory quarantine period and is not showing any symptoms, does it not become the Government’s responsibility to facilitate their return. That’s what we wanted to hear, what is the Government doing about it,”Tewari asked.[/splco_quote]
“Are you going to allow them to go back to their homes? Is there a calibrated plan to facilitate their travel,” he asked.
The Congress leader said the party understands the inevitability of the lockdown and hence the Indian National Congress supports the extension of the lockdown, as the Centre and all the states agree on this.
He also asked about steps the government is taking to stop retrenchment of workers and asked whether it will take action against those employers sacking their employees at such time of crisis.
“What is Government’s roadmap for harvesting? Are you going to allow people to go in the fields, carry out the harvest? How will the harvest then be collected and taken to procurement centres. How will procurement be facilitated, will Govt pay a bonus over the MSP,” he said.
Tewari said one has not heard from the PM about our frontline workers who are battling Covid-19, health workers, municipal workers and what is the status with regard to procurement of their PPEs.
He said the country wanted to hear from the PM is with regard to tests, as there is no vaccine and so far the only medical treatment available is preemption and prevention and for that what we require is mass testing
