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Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has said that India has been caught off guard in its fight against the deadly coronavirus once again despite having a year to prepare. She said this at a virtual Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, which met today to discuss the steps needed to deal with the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in India.
"We have extended our hands of cooperation right from February-March, 2020. We cannot, however, lose sight of the fact that the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the country with fury. Despite a year to prepare, we have, regrettably, been caught off guard again," Gandhi said.
At the meet, she said that the Modi government was unprepared in evaluating and managing the crisis. She added that the Congress believed that fighting the pandemic was national challenge and that it should be kept above party politics. She said that the government did not listen to constructive suggestions made by the Opposition on the management of the pandemic, and that Union ministers attacked leaders of opposition for giving suggestions.
"This convoluted 'me versus you' debate is childish and totally unnecessary," Gandhi asserted.
True 'rajadharma'
Gandhi also accused the Centre of giving preferential treatment to some states while maintaining "thundering silence" on requests of states ruled by the Congress and opposition parties.
"Reduce Covid-19 immunisation age to 25 years," she added. It is a matter of grave concern that life saving drugs like Remdesivir and medical oxygen as also other basic supplements are subjected to 12 per cent GST, the Congress chief said.
"As the central and state governments move ahead to control the situation by resorting to partial curfews, travel restrictions, closure and lock downs; we will again be restricting economic activity that will hit the already beleaguered people, especially the poor and the daily wagers," she said.
It is, therefore, imperative to provide monthly income support and transfer an amount of Rs 6,000 in every eligible citizen's account, Gandhi said.
Taking on these challenging times as Indians rather than as political opponents will be true 'Rajadharma', she stressed.
The CWC meeting, was chaired by Sonia Gandhi, was attended by former party chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretaries, other permanent invitees and State in-charges of the party.
The Congress has been critical of the Modi government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recently, both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to expand the country's vaccination drive.
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