Extending his support to PM Narendra Modi, the Centre and all state governments in the fight against Covid-19, he demanded immediate scaling up of the testing facilities to contain the pandemic.
Staff Reporter / NEW DELHI
Raising question on government effort to curb coronavirus, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi today said lockdown is not a solution to defeat Covid-19 but a pause button, and stressed the need for having a comprehensive exit strategy in place to ensure that the coronavirus does not come back once the restrictions are lifted.
Rahul Gandhi said the government should strategically open key areas and use the testing to identify hotspot and non-hotspot zones across the country whenever the lockdown is lifted
Extending his support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and all state governments in the fight against Covid-19, he demanded immediate scaling up of the testing facilities to contain the pandemic.
“The biggest weapon to fight this virus is testing. Our rate currently is very slow and we are not using the testing strategically. We are at present chasing the virus. We should immediately and aggressively push for rapid testing, maximise it and use it strategically. If we don’t ramp up testing, we will be forced to again go into lockdown,” Gandhi said, addressing a news conference through video-conferencing.
The Congress has been demanding adequate personal protection equipment (PPE) for doctors, nurses and other health workers apart from aggressive testing to fight the coronavirus.
“Whatever has happened has happened. We are at an emergency level today and need to look to the future and fight the coronavirus together as one, irrespective of religion, caste and age and unitedly defeat it. We will lose the fight if we remain divided,” Gandhi said when asked that he had warned the government of the looming crisis on February 12.
The Congress leader called for empowering the government machinery at district and at state levels. “We can’t have a top down approach to fight the virus. It should be bottoms up. The Prime Minister and the chief ministers should empower districts and the Centre should immediately release the money and resources to states to enable them to deal with it in a nuanced manner,” he added.
However, Gandhi urged the government to manage its funding to enable the country to tide over the massive financial backlash due to the coronavirus, saying it cannot be controlled but has to be dynamically managed to defeat it.
“We will see the first wave of unemployment immediately after the lockdown and then it will spiral. We have to ensure that we don’t destroy our economy. I get worried seeing blunt instruments being used to deal with the pandemic. We need to decentralise and start conversation and particularly knowing Modiji’s style one can work around it,” he said.
On the suspension of MPLADs, Gandhi, who represents Kerala’s Wayanad constituency in the Lok Sabha , dismissed it as “not a major issue” in the present situation. “We need to utilise all our assets and also effectively use the administration and resources. We don’t need to use blunt instruments and instead focus on a strategic approach, besides open up communication with districts and try to fulfil their demands.”
Gandhi said the government should strategically open key areas and use the testing to identify hotspot and non-hotspot zones across the country whenever the lockdown is lifted. “Lockdown is in no way a solution to Covid-19. It is like a pause button. When you lock up the people, the disease gets locked up and when you open up the disease rushes out. So, it is important to create two zones – hotspots and non-hotspots and once you identify the hotspots you clamp down on those,” he said.
The Congress-ruled states and the party had supported the lockdown announcement with many leaders saying that it was the only way out to contain the pandemic.
On the issue of stranded migrant labourers, Gandhi said some mistakes were initially made as a result of which a lot of migrants are stuck in different states. “It is important to have a strategy to deal with this crisis. The government needs to act on it quickly otherwise there will be social unrest in the country. You have to respond quickly and be compassionate while addressing the issue. I have told Congress chief ministers that they need to handle this situation with extreme care and gentleness.”
The former Congress chief demanded a food safety net for the poor and the needy, claiming that the biggest cause of worry is that there will be massive food shortage in the future.
“We have enough food supply in godowns and it should be distributed immediately even to those who don’t have ration cards. I suggest that 10 kg of wheat and rice, one kg of sugar and one kg of pulses should be given to the poor every week,” he said.
Asked if he agreed with the Prime Minister that India took early steps to contain Covid-19, Gandhi said it was not the time to criticise the government and insisted that he wanted to give constructive suggestions. “I disagree with the Prime Minister on several issues and will continue to do so but this is no time to fight. It’s a long battle and all of us need to fight it together. It’s also a test for our country and we need not be scared of it but embrace it. We must not look at it through a prism of fear. I don’t want any credit and whoever wants to take it can take it but we would give constructive suggestions even if the government takes it or not,” he added.