New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (April 14, 2020) said that mass testing for coronavirus infection is key to fighting its spread but the country is currently "nowhere in the game".
Stating that the country has quite a low level of testing for coronavirus infection, the Gandhi scion said that with only 149 tests per million population, India is currently in the league of nations like Laos, Niger and Honduras. "India delayed the purchase of testing kits & is now critically short of them," the Congress MP said on Twitter.
"With just 149 tests per million Indians, we are now in the company of Laos (157), Niger (182) & Honduras (162). Mass testing is the key to fighting the virus. At present we are nowhere in the game," he added in his tweet.
India delayed the purchase of testing kits & is now critically short of them.
With just 149 tests per million Indians, we are now in the company of Laos (157), Niger (182) & Honduras (162).
Mass testing is the key to fighting the virus. At present we are nowhere in the game.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 14, 2020
His party also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out the Centre`s plans for the stranded migrant workers and farmers, who are waiting to harvest their crops.
In an hour-long press conference after Prime Minister Modi’s address to the nation today, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari claimed that the PM has not spoken about the plight of migrants, who are quarantined at state borders.
"The PM told the countrymen what he expects out of them but he did not address the major concerns of the people or talk about what his government is doing for the citizens of India, something the people wanted to hear," he said.
"What the Prime Minister has not spoken about and made for the most horrifying images when the lockdown was first implemented, is about the plight of the migrant workers. They are residing in camps in various parts of the country," he added.
"What is the Central government`s roadmap for harvesting? Are you going to allow farmers to go in the fields and carry out the harvest? How will the harvest then be collected and transported to the procurement centres? How will the procurement be facilitated? Will the Centre provide a bonus over the minimum support price," Tewari asked.
The Congress leader said that Prime Minister Modi did not mention about ensuring maintenance of supply chain of essential commodities. Asking about the testing strategy to fight COVID-19, Tewari said, "What we have not heard from Prime Minister Modi is this government`s strategy regarding testing. Will it be limited to hotspots or will there be community-level screening as it has happened in Bhilwara? What is the strategy of this government," he asked.
However, Tewari said that his party understands the importance of the lockdown and hence it supports the extension as the Centre and all the States agree over the extension of lockdown.
It may be noted that PM Modi on Tuesday (April 14, 2020) announced that the lockdown across the country will be extended till May 3 to fight the coronavirus pandemic, saying the measure has produced a significant outcome in containing the infection.
In a nearly 25-minute televised address to the nation, PM Modi said implementation of the lockdown will be strictly ensured in its second phase and detailed guidelines will be brought out on Wednesday to ensure that outbreak does not spread to new areas.
Some relaxations may be allowed after April 20 in places where there are no hotspots, the PM said. "Follow the rules of lockdown with full devotion till May 3, stay where you are, stay safe," the Prime Minister told citizens.
PM Modi said that India has managed to contain the pandemic well compared to many developed countries due to its holistic approach in dealing with the crisis and sacrifices made by people of the country in the fight produced tangible results. The PM sought the support of the people in seven areas, including taking care of elderly people, maintaining social distancing and helping the poor and downtrodden.
"If India would not have adopted a holistic approach if an integrated approach was not initiated, India's situation would have been different (compared to many developed countries). It is clear from the experiences of the past few days that the path we have chosen is right," the PM said.
India, he said, received huge benefits from the 21-day lockdown in checking the pandemic, adding that the country has dealt with the situation better with "limited resources". The lockdown that came into effect on March 25 was to expire at midnight on April 14.
