Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre of discrimination in extending support to non-BJP-ruled States in the fight against COVID-19, the Congress party has urged people in Punjab to raise the national tricolor from their homes and rooftops on May 1 as a mark of protest.
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‘Losing revenue’
The idea was mooted by Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar at a video conference with party MLAs today. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh pointed out that the State was losing ₹3,360 crore as monthly revenues because of the pandemic and lockdown-curfew. Punjab would end up with a loss of almost ₹50,000 crore in a year, he said, adding, “The State has received no help so far from the Centre to tackle the crisis.”
Sunil Jakhar said the event, coinciding with May Day (labour day), will serve to underscore the right of Punjab to Central aid in this unprecedented crisis. “Punjab is an integral part of India and the Central government cannot discriminate against us,” he said, asserting that the party would demand ₹20,000 crore as immediate relief to support the State’s efforts to fight the pandemic.
‘Mark solidarity’
“The event will also mark solidarity with farmers, workers and all corona warriors who are battling the crisis from the front,” Mr. Jakhar said.
Mr. Jakhar said Punjab was “not begging for anything but merely asking for its rightful share”. In any case, he said, what Punjab was asking of the Central government was very little in comparison with what other States had demanded.
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Mr. Jakhar said the party would organise national flags for participants in the May 1 event.
