Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused the BJP of spreading the virus of communal prejudice and hatred in the country, asserting that “grave damage” is being done to social harmony in the country.
Addressing a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, Sonia said it should worry every Indian and her party will have to work hard to repair this damage.
“Let me also share with you something that should worry each and every one as Indians. When we should be tackling coronavirus together, the BJP continues to spread the virus of communal prejudice and hatred,” Sonia said at the CWC meet through video-conferencing. This is the second CWC meet this month while she has been taking stock of the situation through various party meetings.
“Grave damage is being done to our social harmony. Our party, we will have to work hard to repair that damage,” she added.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and top Congress leaders attended the meeting through video-conference.
Manmohan said the success of the lockdown will be judged later on how the Covid-19 pandemic is handled by the Government. He also said the cooperation between the Centre and States was key to success of the country’s fight against coronavirus.
The top leaders of Congress repeated their earlier complaints that the Centre was not doing enough testing to detect coronavirus cases. Sonia also slammed the Government on the poor quality of PPE kits and their shortage.
The Congress president said coronavirus pandemic has increased disturbingly in the past three weeks and called upon the Government to increase testing for it.
Sonia said she has written several times to the Prime Minister since the lockdown was enforced and suggested several measures and constructive cooperation. “Unfortunately, they have been acted upon only partially and in a miserly way. The compassion, large-heartedness and alacrity that should be forthcoming from the Central Government is conspicuous by its absence,” she said.
The Congress chief said the focus of the party must continue to be on successfully engaging with health, food security and livelihood issues.
She claimed that around 12 crore people have lost jobs in the first phase of the lockdown and urged the Government to provide a relief package for the MSME sector, which accounts for one-third of the GDP.
Sonia called upon the Government to provide food and financial security to migrants and jobless stranded at various places and were desperate to reach back home.
“We have repeatedly urged the PM there is no alternative to testing, tracing and quarantine. Unfortunately, testing still remains low, testing kits still in short supply,” she noted.
She claimed that around 12 crore people have lost jobs in the first phase of the lockdown and urged the Government to provide a relief package for the MSME sector, which accounts for one-third of the GDP.