Centre behaving like East India Company: Congress

The Congress accused the ruling BJP of not planning before implementing the lockdown as it caused suffering to millions. The party also said that both in the lockdown and demonitisation, the central government behaved like the East India Company by looting the common man.

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday compared the lockdown with demonetisation and accused the government of behaving like the East India Company for not planning before the announcement of the lockdown as it caused suffering to millions.

"The commonality between lockdown and demonetisation is that the BJP government failed the basic rule of governance think and act rather than act without thinking," said the Congress.

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, "Both in the lockdown and demonetisation, BJP government behaved like the East India Company by looting the common man, ignoring the pain of the weaker sections of society, focussing on filling government coffers rather than pocket of the people of India."

"Three I's, ill-planning, insensitive approach and irrational decision making, are the common traits exhibited by the BJP government during demonitisation and lockdown causing pain, anguish and distress to the vulnerable sections of the society," added Jaiveer Shergill.

The Congress said, "BJP adopted an ostrich-like approach by completely ignoring the devastating effects of demonitisation and now again by neglecting the urgent need to provide oxygen to the dying economy. Both in demonitisation and lockdown, common man, labour force, MSME paid with their blood, pocket and sweat for the misadventures of the BJP ruled Central government."

The Congress spokesperson charged that the Centre displayed "ill-planning when it came to supply of the PPE/Test Kits, insensitive approach when it came to deal with stuck migrant labourers and completely irrational decision making by cutting the interest rate on small saving schemes, cutting interest on the SBI Saving Account, raising excise on fuel and charging migrant labour train fare even in this hour of humanitarian crisis."

Congress Senior spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "We cannot but help notice the similarities between demonetisation and lockdown, no planning or relief measures for the public."

The Congress insisted that mismanagement of the migrant workers and treatment meted out to them, shows and reflects the approach of this government to the poorest segments that too during the pandemic and reveals a very bizarre development model for India during the crisis times.

The Congress said that their is disconnect between the issues, "Such an approach and lapse suggests a disconnect between India as it exists and the imagination as it is found in 7, Lok Kalyan Marg," Singhvi added.

IANS Report