Even as former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said in Delhi that the Narendra Modi government was ill-prepared to deal with the economic ‘tsunami’ that is going to be exacerbated because of COVID-19, in the Lok Sabha, his party colleague Karti Chidamabaram complimented the government.
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Though he highlighted the issue of 'sub-standard and unhygienic' conditions of the quarantine facilities for international passengers, Mr. Karti, Lok Sabha member from Tamil Nadu, prefaced it by saying, “I must compliment the government in the efforts it is taking to contain the corona pandemic. It's a fast evolving crisis and one should not play with it. We must compliment the government for their efforts and support the government in whatever it's doing".
Mr. Karti said many of the people, most of whom were quarantined following their return from abroad, have the wherewithal for self-isolation and should be allowed to do so.
Mr. Gandhi told reporters, “I have been saying that an economic tsunami is coming and even before COVID. Now I can say 100 per cent it is coming and would ask the government to get ready for it. I am trying to tell the Prime Minister get your head out of the sand. Your head is right now in the sand, pull it out, look around what is going on.”
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On Monday, Mr. Karti's father, senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, was critical of the government's effort. “We got a video conference that left us no wiser,” he said, referring to the conference of leaders of the SAARC countries on the coronavirus issue on Sunday
“I think the States are ahead of the Centre in handling the crisis. The time has come for the Central government to take firmer, bolder and tougher measures,” he said in another tweet.
