Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Monday that India has entered a “crucial two-week period” along with the rest of the world in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is good that @narendramodi spoke to leaders of Opposition parties,” Chidambaram tweeted. “I have no doubt that every one of them pledged support to the government’s efforts to battle the spread of Covid-19.”
Chidambaram said that the Congress and other Opposition parties have pointed out the inadequacies of measures taken by the government to combat the virus in a “spirit of constructive cooperation and criticism”. “There is unanimity among epidemiologists, doctors and district-level administrators that the need of the hour is aggressive and extensive testing,” Chidambaram said. “Let government begin that effort today.”
The Congress had in a press release last week criticised the Centre for its handling of the crisis and for the condition of stranded migrant labourers following the 21-day lockdown. The lockdown began on March 25. In response, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders attacked the Congress. Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the party of playing “petty politics” and asked it to think of national interest.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill said he lit two lamps on Sunday, “for motivation and in memory of those who died of coronavirus”, and said he would light seven more lamps if the government lives up to people’s expectations. Shergill, in a video, said he will light the other lamps when doctors and nurses battling against the disease have good protective gear, when the number of testing kits have been increased, and testing is free for the poor and the pensioners.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked Indians to switch off lights in their homes and light lamps at 9 pm on Sunday for nine minutes, as a symbol of solidarity.
India has so far reported 4,067 cases of the virus, and 109 people have died, while 291 have recovered and one has migrated, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Globally, 12,76,302 people have been affected, and 69,527 killed by Covid-19 so far, according to an estimate by Johns Hopkins University.
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