New Delhi, Mar 29 (UNI) Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing solidarity over Coronavirus outbreak, however, asking the government to consider a nuanced approach while imposing the lockdown.
“The world has been forced to take urgent, immediate measures to contain the rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus and India is currently in the midst of a three-week lockdown. I suspect that the government will eventually extend this even further”, Mr Gandhi said,
“It is important that the government consider a nuanced approach that takes the complex realities of our people into consideration,” he added.
Stating that the country is facing an ‘immense humanitarian crisis’, the Congress leader said, "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. The number of poor people in India who are dependent on a daily income is simply too large for us to unilaterally shut down all economic activity. The consequences of a complete economic shut down will disastrously amplify the death toll arising from the Covid-19 virus”, he warned.
Mr Gandhi said that the country’s 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.
“Millions of India’s elderly live in villages. A complete lockdown and the resulting shut down of our economic engine will almost certainly ensure that millions of unemployed youth rush back to their villages, increasing the risk of infecting their parents and the elderly population living there. This will result in a catastrophic loss of life”, he stated.
Mr Gandhi’s remarks came amid India witnessing a large scale exodus of migrant workers in several states, caused by the 21-day lockdown.
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