Opposition leaders on Friday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for exhorting people to light candles on Sunday evening, saying they had expected him to announce a second financial package to alleviate the pain and anxieties of the people.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said he listened to the “Pradhan Showman” where there was nothing about how to ease people’s pain, their burdens, their financial anxieties”.
While former Finance Minister P Chidambaram advised the PM to listen to the Opposition and to the wise counsel of epidemiologists and economists, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra asked Modi to “get real” and provide a fiscal package to protect poor workers. “Turn out lights and come on balconies,” she asked in a tweet.
“Get real Mr Modi. Give India fiscal package worth 8-10 per cent of GDP. Ensure immediate wages to construction and other labour during lockdown -- laws exist permitting this. Stop gagging real press in name of curbing fake news,” said the TMC leader.
Chidambaram questioned why the Government had not announced a second Financial Action Plan for the poor amid the three-week nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
“What we expected from you today was FAP II, a generous livelihood support package for the poor, including for those categories of poor who were totally ignored by the Finance Minister on March 25,” he tweeted.
“Every working man and woman, from business person to daily wage earner, also expected you to announce steps to arrest the economic slide and re-start the engines of economic growth.”
He said people were disappointed on both the counts, adding that “symbolism is important, but serious thought to ideas and measures is equally important”.