Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday took a pot shot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his one year in the second tenure when he asked about how much money has been given to labourers from the PM-CARES fund. “I would like to ask Prime Minister Modi, ‘Can you tell us how much money did you give to labourers from your PM-CARES fund?’ I request him to answer this question. Many people died during this period, some died while walking, some died in the train, some died of hunger,” Sibal said while addressing a virtual press conference.
Sibal said that before the lockdown there was a communal agenda which was being pursued by the BJPled government. NRC, CAA, Triple Talaq and Article 370 were the polarised agenda which was being pushed by the government, he said. The agenda, however, changed completely after 24 March — the day India got into lockdown and now people have learnt to live for each other during the crisis and we saw such beautiful pictures emerging of humanity.
“The PM should change his communal agenda and focus on education, healthcare and poor,” he said. Lashing out at the government, Sibal said that the PM announces financial package while he was clueless about the ground reality. Referring to a report by SWAN, Sibal quoted figures in its report and said that they had telephoned 30,000 workers and 93% said that they have not gotten any ration and 91% said that there is no employment since lockdown.
Quoting from another report, he added that according to the study 24% of the migrant workers on road had less than Rs 100 in their pockets and those who got tickets in Shramik trains were not provided with any food. Criticising the PM on the foreign policy, Sibal said that Nepal is showing eye to India. The PM should look in China’s eye and ask why is the MEA and the Defence Minister silent on this issue.