Chief Ministers of the Congress ruled states accused the Centre of non-cooperation in dealing with Covid-19 pandemic, taking decisions arbitrarily without consulting them, and not providing them funds.
Carion India
NEW DELHI — During a meeting of Chief Ministers of the Congress ruled states, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the exit strategy of the lockdown post May 17.
The meeting, held in New Delhi on Wednesday via video conferencing, was called to discuss the situation in the country during the lockdown 3.0.
“After May 17, what? And after, May 17 How? What criteria is the Government of India (GoI) using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue….” Sonia Gandhi said during the meeting, reports IANS.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also raised the question about what the government was going to do after the lockdown ended. He said, “We need to know, as Soniaji said, what will happen after lockdown 3.0?”
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who spoke first, raised the demand of the stimulus package.
“Until extensive stimulus package is given, how will states and country run? We have lost 10,000 crore of revenue. States have repeatedly requested Prime Minister for a package, but we are yet to hear from GOI,” Gehlot said.
Meanwhile, Chief Ministers, during the meeting, also accused the Centre of non-cooperation in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, taking decisions arbitrarily without consulting them, and not providing them funds.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who has set up two committees — one to strategise on how to come out of the lockdown and the other on economic revival — said, “Concern is people sitting in Delhi are deciding on classification of zones without knowing what’s happening on the ground,” according to the report.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “The States are facing dire economic crisis. They need to be provided immediate assistance.”
He said in his state 80 per cent of the Small Industries have restarted and nearly 85,000 workers have returned to work.
Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayansamy also accused the Centre of taking one sided decisions. “The Government of India is deciding on zones without consulting the states and this is creating an anomalous situation. People sitting in Delhi can’t tell the states. No State or CM is consulted. Why?” asked the Chief Minister.
“PM isn’t saying a word on the economic package for states,” he added.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi also attended the meet.
Manmohan Singh advised the Chief Ministers that they needed to “deliberate and ask as to what is the strategy of the Centre to get the country out of the lockdown?”
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi suggested that the “The central piece of strategy to fight Covid-19 is to protect the elderly as also those who are diabetic and with heart condition.”
Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram stated, “States are bleeding in terms of finances, but no money is being allocated by GOI. A number of newspapers have brought out the unavailability of finances with states.”
