‘Cry, my beloved country’ : Former Union Minister Chidambaram after PM Modi’s address
14th April: Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to extend the lockdown till May 3, Congress leader and Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram declared his support to the decision but also raised fair questions about several underlying issues that appears to be ignored by the government.
We reciprocate the PM’s New Year greetings. We understand the compulsion for extending the lockdown. We support the decision
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 14, 2020
Chidambaram said, “The poor has been left to fend for themselves for 21+19 days, including practically soliciting food. There is money, there is food, but the government will not release either money or food. Cry, my beloved country.”
CMs’ demand for money elicited no response. Not a rupee has been added to the miserly package of March 25, 2020
From Raghuram Rajan to Jean Dreze, from Prabhat Patnaik to Abhijit Banerji, their advice has fallen on deaf years.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 14, 2020
The poor have been left to fend for themselves for 21+19 days, including practically soliciting food. There is money, there is food, but the government will not release either money or food.
Cry, my beloved country.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 14, 2020
Other Congress leaders too followed suit by welcoming the decision to extend the lockdown but at the same time questioned the lack of relief measures for the poor and the industry.
Amazing #PM address. Exhortation, rhetoric, inspiration…..yet hollow on specifics! No financial package, no details, no concrete item. Neither 4poor nor middle class nor industry nor businesses. #Lockdown is good bt cannot be end in itself! Where is single livelihood issue?
— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) April 14, 2020
I support the announcement by @PMOIndia @narendraModi of #Lockdown extension. Can't discard the gains being made. But he should have also announced serious relief for those who cannot make ends meet. MNREGA payments, JanDhan accounts, GST dues to states,&aid to sweeten the pill.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 14, 2020
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation, said that the lockdown is going to be extended across the nation till 3rd of May, 2020.
The 21-day lockdown was supposed to end today but amid the increasing number of cases in many parts of the country, PM Modi took the most obvious and much needed decision to extend the lockdown.
Several states including Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan had alredy declared an extended lockdown in the respective states.
PM Modi’s speech was soon followed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s video message. In the video, Gandhi urged people to stay indoors, stay safe and observe the lockdown stipulations, saying it will not be possible to win the battle without everyone’s support.
कांग्रेस अध्यक्षा श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी का देश के नाम संदेश:-
कोरोना संकट में डॉक्टर्स, सफाईकर्मियों, पुलिस सहित सरकारी अधिकारियों के डटे रहने से बड़ी "देशभक्ति" कोई नहीं है। हम एकता, अनुशासन और आत्मबल के भाव से कोरोना को परास्त करेंगे। धैर्य एवं संयम के लिए देशवासियों का धन्यवाद। pic.twitter.com/Sl4zkKURTv— Congress (@INCIndia) April 14, 2020
