Rahul Gandhi Draws PM Modi's Attention to Exodus of Migrant Workers

New Delhi, March 29, 2020:

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider the nationwide lockdown, which would have a devastating impact on India's economy.

Gandhi said that the sudden lockdown called due to the novel coronavirus has created immense panic and confusion. "It is critical for us to understand that India's conditions are unique. We will be required to take different steps than other large countries who are following a total lockdown strategy," he said in a letter addressed to the PM.

Rahul Gandhi said the number of poor people in India who are dependent on a daily income is too large to unilaterally shut down all economic activities in the wake of the pandemic.

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"The consequences of a complete economic shut down will disastrously amplify the death toll arising from Covid-19," he feared.

"Factories, small industries and construction sites have closed, and tens of thousands of migrant labourers are undertaking an arduous journey to reach their home states. The Gandhi scion said the labourers have been rendered vulnerable without their daily wages or access to nutrition and basic services.

It is important that we help such sections find shelter and provide them with money directly into their bank accounts to help them tide over the next few months, he said.

The Congress leader added that a complete lockdown will almost certainly lead to millions of unemployed youths rushing to their villages, thus increasing the risk of infecting their parents and the elderly population living in villages. "This will result in a catastrophic loss of life," he noted.

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Rahul Gandhi called for a more nuanced approach that takes the complex realities of India's people into consideration. "Our priority must be to protect and isolate the elderly and vulnerable from the virus, and to clearly and strongly communicate to the young the dangers of proximity to older people, he said.

It may be mentioned here that the 21-day lockdown called by Prime Minister Modi has become a real pain for the migrant workers who were left jobless and hence homeless in the city. Lakhs of migrant workers on Saturday crowded the Anand Vihar metro station in Delhi/NCR. A lot of them walked on foot to their village. One of them was reported as dead.

India has surpassed the 900-mark in the total coronavirus or COVID-19 cases on Saturday to reach 987 infected people in the country as on Sunday.

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Among the States and Union Territories in India, Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of positive coronavirus cases — 193 (including three foreign nationals). Kerala has 176 positive cases (including eight foreign nationals), Karnataka has 76, Telangana has 65, Uttar Pradesh has 61, Gujarat 58, Rajasthan 56, Delhi -49, Tamil Nadu 42, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh 39 each, Jammu & Kashmir 33, Haryana 21, Andhra Pradesh 19, West Bengal 18, Ladakh 13, Bihar and Andaman & Nicobar Islands have 9 cases, Chandigarh 8, Chattisgarh and Goa have 6 each, Uttarakhand 5, Himachal Pradesh 4, Puducherry, Manipur and Mizoram have one cases each.

Internationally, 30,888 deaths have been reported till date due to the coronavirus, with a large chunk of those being reported from Italy (10,023). In all, 664,248 people have been infected by the virus till now, with 142,366 having recovered. Somewhat gravely, 25,207 are said to be in a “serious” condition.

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