Sonia accuses Modi govt of 'gross unpreparedness'

New Delhi: Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over "thundering silence" amid repeated appeals about medical oxygen, hospital beds and vaccines, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday accused the Modi government of "gross unpreparedness" and "adhocism" in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis.

However, suggesting the government to deal with the pandemic such as reducing the immunisation age to 25 years and providing income support to people, the Congress chief said that India has "regrettably been caught off guard again despite a year to prepare."

At the virtual meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC), which was attended by former party chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretaries and state in-charges of the party, the Congress chief accused the Centre of giving preferential treatment to some states while maintaining "thundering silence" on requests of states ruled by the Congress and opposition parties.

Taking a jibe at the Centre for not listening to constructive suggestions of Opposition leaders, Sonia Gandhi said, "Instead of listening to the constructive suggestions of the opposition, Union ministers are pressed into service to attack leaders of opposition for giving those suggestions. This convoluted "me versus you" debate is childish and totally unnecessary."

"The Congress has always believed that fighting the Covid-19 pandemic is a national challenge that should be kept above party politics", she said, adding, "We have extended our hands of cooperation right from February-March, 2020. We cannot, however, lose sight of the fact that the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has hit the country with fury. Despite a year to prepare, we have, regrettably, been caught off guard again."

On partial curfews, she said, "As the central and state governments move ahead to control the situation by resorting to partial curfews, travel restrictions, closure and lockdowns; we will again be restricting economic activity that will hit the already beleaguered people, especially the poor and the daily wagers."

It is, therefore, imperative to provide monthly income support and transfer an amount of Rs 6,000 in every eligible citizen's account, Gandhi stressed.

While taking on the government over the worsening Covid-19 situation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "This government has no strategy against Covid. It has no proper vaccination strategy and no oxygen strategy."

The Congress Working Committee on Saturday accused the central government of "colossal mismanagement" in the war against the COVID pandemic and cautioned of an "unprecedented catastrophe" unless urgent corrective measures are taken.