Congress chief attacks Centre over ‘mismanagement’

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has said that the economic crisis in India, the coronavirus pandemic and the crisis on the borders with China due to the mismanagement of the Centre. She made these remarks during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. The CWC is the party’s highest decision-making body.

Mrs Gandhi also said that the need of the hour is a big financial stimulus, putting money directly in the hands of the poor, protecting and nurturing the small scale industries and stimulating demand. She said the government’s response had been poor. “Instead, the government announced a hollow financial package that had a fiscal component of less than 1 per cent of GDP,” she said while slamming the government over the Rs 20 lakh crore financial package.

She also raised the issue of the fuel price, which has been raised for the last 17 days in a row. “The government has added insult to injury by mercilessly raising petrol and diesel prices for 17 consecutive days, at a time when world prices of crude have fallen,” she said.

The Congress leader also lashed out at the government over the mounting cases of the coronavirus disease. “Despite the assurances of the Prime Minister who centralised all authority in his hands, the pandemic continues to rage. The Centre has passed the buck to the state governments, but given them zero extra finances.”

The CWC had also discussed the issues of migrant workers, farmers, empowering of states to devise solutions tailored to their unique situations and challenges and adequate financial package for them to fight the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The Congress party has been relentless in its attacks on the government with Rahul Gandhi, P Chidambaram and others questioning the current position of the Centre.