Reassuring, Says BJP After PM’s Address to Nation; Congress Blasts Modi for ‘Empty Words’ Amid Dire Condition
New Delhi: Top Union Ministers and senior BJP leaders on Tuesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on the coronavirus situation as reassuring for the public while highlighting his appeal for maintaining discipline and using lockdown as the last resort. Amid a second wave of the pandemic, Modi addressed the nation on Tuesday and appealed to people to follow right discipline to safeguard everyone against the novel coronavirus.
Modi in his speech has emphasised on discipline and patience, senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, adding that with the participation of public, the country will overcome this challenge. Singh further said efforts are being also made to strengthen the system.
Hailing the prime minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said he assured the country that the government will improve the health of the economy of the country as well as that of its people. He also urged states to let lockdown be the last resort and to instead focus in micro-containment zones to handle the pandemic.
“These words of Modiji while making us aware of the tough battle that we have to fight together, have also reassured us that we are in this together. That we as a nation are doing whatever it takes to ensure #IndiaFightsCorona successfully,” Shekhawat said in a series of tweets. BJP’s organisational secretary BL Santhosh said Modi has requested everybody to follow safety protocols to avoid lockdown. Amid a staggering surge in COVID-19 cases, PM Modi on Tuesday said a lockdown should be the “last resort” to deal with the raging pandemic and asked states to convince migrant workers to stay put at their places of work with a guarantee for their lives and livelihood.
However, the Congress lashed out at Modi after his address, and said he has chosen to relinquish his responsibilities and put the onus of saving India on NGOs, children and the youth. The Congress said the prime minister has left the people to fend for themselves in fighting the pandemic and described his address to the nation as “nothing but empty talk”.
“PM Modi’s address to the nation was again today nothing but empty talk,” Congress senior spokesperson Ajay Maken said in a statement. He said the nation is going through an unprecedented and deadly crisis and it is taking days to first get the tests conducted and there are no beds in hospitals, and those hospitalized are not able to get life saving drugs or something as basic as oxygen.
“The PM was expected to tell the nation as to what has the govt done in terms of increasing beds in hospitals, increasing oxygen output and streamlining supplies, making drugs like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab available, increasing the number of Ventilators and enhancing vaccination. “However, he chose to relinquish all his responsibilities and put the onus of saving India on NGOs, Youth and Baal Mitras,” Maken said.
He said the prime minister has put the onus of doing whatever little possible on state governments and that also by practically advising them to not implement lockdown. Amid a staggering surge in COVID-19 cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said a lockdown should be the “last resort” to deal with the raging pandemic and asked states to convince migrant workers to stay put at their places of work with a guarantee for their lives and livelihood.
The Congress leader said migrant labourers are yet again forced into reverse migration as state after state is being left with no option but imposing a lockdown. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “The crux of today’s lesson by Prime Minister at 8.45 PM is — nothing is in my hands. People should take care of their lives themselves.” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “Sub text of PM’s speech: Guys you are on kind of on your own.” “If you are able to finally make it to the other side we will definitely meet again in some Utsav or Mahatsov. Until then all the best. May God be with you,” Tewari said on Twitter.
Another Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, “The Crux of PM statement is — You are on your Own. Photo Credit is Mine and Crisis Management is Yours; Entire monologue was loaded with hollow sermons instead of sound strategy to come out of current tailspin.” He said the prime minister should have answered one simple question: “Why didn’t GOI prepare for the second wave?” .
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