COVID-19: Cong asks govt to call meeting of CMs

In the wake of the coronavirus scare, Congress has demanded that the Narendra Modi-led central government should hold video conferencing with the Chief Ministers of the state to prepare a strategy to tackle the disease, which has infected 110 people so far.

New Delhi: After the Prime Minister's video conferencing with representatives of the SAARC countries, the Congress has demanded that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi should also talk to the chief ministers and health ministers of all the states.

The party leader P. Chidambaram said, "The states are taking strict measures and Prime Minister should hold video conferencing with the CMs."

The former finance minister alleged that the government is not doing much on coronavirus.

Another senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, "The government should talk to the health ministers of the state and the Union Home Minister has the prime responsibility on taking measures against the pandemic."

The Congress on Friday had demanded that Prime Minister Modi should head the committee on COVID-19, which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Congress alleged that the Prime Minister was securing himself by not attending the Parliament and by not going for public functions.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that Modi should assure the country about the way the pandemic is being handled. Surjewala said that if a certain area needs to be quarantined, who would take the decision? That is why the Prime Minister and the Home Minister should be part of the committee, he added.

The Union Health Ministry said till Sunday night, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across India were 110, including the foreign nationals.

IANS Report