Cong questions govt’s strategy, asks what after May 17

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the government over the criteria it adopted to judge how long the COVID-19-induced lockdown will continue. Addressing a meeting of chief ministers of states where the Congress is in power, Sonia Gandhi asked “what after May 17?”

CMs of Congress-ruled states also highlighted their states were reeling under financial stress and asserted they would urge the PM again to provide an assistance package to cope with the pandemic as well as the economic situation.

Former PM Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi were also part of the meeting held through video-conferencing.

“After May 17th, What? and After May 17th, How? What criteria is GoI (govt of India) using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue...,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala quoted Sonia Gandhi as saying in the meeting to discuss the Covid-19 situation and the post-lockdown work.

She thanked farmers, particularly of Punjab and Haryana, for ensuring food security by giving bumper wheat produce despite all odds. Former PM Manmohan Singh said, “We need to know, as

Soniaji said, what will happen after lockdown 3.0?” “Soniaji has already pointed out. CMs need to deliberate and ask as to what is the strategy of the government of India to get the country out of the lockdown,” Singh asked.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the central piece of the strategy to fight Covid-19 is to protect the elderly as well as those who are diabetic and with heart conditions. “All CMs were unanimous in stating the Govt of India is pushing states towards fiscal stress and were not providing with financial assistance to fight Covid-19 as well as economy," Surjewala said at a press conference.

He said this is true for not only the Congress-ruled states but was also true for rest of the states. “The CMs opined they will once again write to the PM to assist states in fighting virus,” he said.