General secretaries of the five Left parties said in a joint statement here on Saturday that the Narendra Modi Government will lose its moral right to continue in power if it ignores public demand for help during a pandemic.

They said the country is in the grip of the worst humanitarian health crisis since independence.” Immediate measures to combat the pandemic, protect people’s lives and livelihoods are needed to be undertaken by the Centre on a war footing,” the leaders said.

They demanded the Centre to provide oxygen to all hospitals and people needing it must be ensured. They wanted the government to launch a free universal vaccination programme across the country. “Spend the budgetary allocation of ₹35,000 crore; release the money collected in PM Cares Fund and stop construction of the ₹ 20,000 crore Central Vista, use this money for procuring vaccines,” they said, adding that compulsory licensing must be invoked to produce vaccines and life-saving drugs by all competent facilities.

“Strictly control prices of essential drugs and oxygen. Clampdown on their hoarding and black marketing. Direct transfer of ₹7,500 to all families in the non-income tax paying bracket; free distribution of foodgrains to all needy,” they demanded.

comment COMMENT NOW