Congress may write to President over COVID crisis

While addressing a press conference, after the meeting, Congress' Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed her deep concerns over the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country and therefore asked him to write a letter to the President of India about the suggestions that were being given by the Standing Committee of Health and Family Welfare.

New Delhi: Congress Parliamentary Committee on Friday decided to write a letter to the President of India reiterating all the suggestions that were made in the report of the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

A virtual meeting was called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, earlier on Friday, to discuss the COVID crisis with the party's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs.

While addressing a press conference, after the meeting, Congress' Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed her deep concern over the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country and therefore asked him to write a letter to the President of India about the suggestions that were being given by the Standing Committee of Health and Family Welfare.

He also informed that all the Congress MPs have been asked to utilize the amount left in their MPLAD fund for COVID-19 relief works in their respective constituencies.

"If these suggestions were considered earlier by the government then such kind of situation wouldn't have come. We don't want to do any politics over the matter and therefore we will continue to give constructive suggestions to the central government," Kharge said.

Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi had also made a scathing attack on the central government during her opening remarks in the meeting, saying, "The Modi government has been unable to constructively channelize India’s many strengths and resources. I say this categorically, India is crippled by a political leadership today that has no empathy for the people. The Modi government has failed the people of our country."

Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who was also present during the meeting, alleged that the current situation is a case of distrust, failure and chaos on part of the government.

He also informed about the suggestions that he gave to the Congress Chief during the meeting. Sonia Gandhi asked him to give those suggestions in writing so that the party can consider them for a further course of action.

"A lot of our efforts need to be tied together into an overall framework. Some of the suggestions were, a Possible Congress COVID charge, maybe 100, 500 or even 1000, from each registered member of Congress so that it can be used for COVID emergency needs," Singhvi suggested.

Earlier on Friday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving various suggestions to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also attacked the government, stating, "Today the disease is growing explosively. It is currently on the verge of overwhelming all of our systems. GOI’s failures have made another devastating national lockdown almost inevitable."

When asked if the Congress party is in favour of a nationwide lockdown, Singhvi replied, "We are in the middle of a crisis. A lockdown is inevitable and necessary, as Rahul Gandhi has written."

He further added, "If he does so, he is doing too little too late. Also, he has to set the minimum standard of control. It has to be calibrated and nuanced area-wise, district wise, containment zone wise and region wise. So, this has to be a collaborative effort."