Sonia terms economic package a ‘cruel joke’

NEW DELHI: In her opening remarks to a virtual meeting of 22 like-minded political parties, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on described the government’s Rs 20 lakh crore economic package as a “cruel joke” on the country and the government does not have an exit strategy from the successive lockdowns that have yielded diminishing returns.

She also said the Modi government has also abandoned any “pretence” of being a democratic government. “All power is now concentrated in one office, the PMO.” Gandhi said even before the first COVID--19 cases were identified in the country, India was facing an economic crisis because of demonetisation and a hasty and flawed GST being the main causes. “The economic downturn began in 2017-18. Seven quarters of declining GDP growth was no ordinary event; it was unprecedented. Yet, the government carried on with its misguided policies and incompetent governance,” she said.

Referring to the WHO declaring COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 1, Gandhi said the entire “Opposition offered its full support to the government. Even when the lockdown was imposed on March 24, with barely 4 hours’ notice, all of us supported the decision despite its suddenness and obvious unpreparedness.”

All power is now concentrated in one office, the PMO Sonia Gandhi, Cong Chief

She said initial optimism of the Prime Minister that the war against the virus would conclude in 21 days has turned out to be misplaced. It seems that the virus is here to stay until a vaccine is found. “I am also of the view that the government was uncertain about criteria for lockdowns, nor does it have an exit strategy.”

She said the economy has been gravely crippled. “The Rs 20 lakh crore package has turned out to be a cruel joke on the country.”

The defining image of the pandemic, she said, has been the lakhs of migrant workers, many with children, walking hundreds of kilometres, without money, food or medicines, desperate to reach their home states. Gandhi pointed out many renowned economists are predicting that 2020-21 will end with negative growth of up to minus 5 per cent.