Addressing a press conference, Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala asked when the lockdown will finally end. (File)
A day after the Central government extended the nationwide lockdown by two more weeks the Congress on Saturday asked the government to explain the rationale behind the second extension, while the CPM hit out at the government over reports that migrant workers were being forced to pay for tickets to travel on special trains and buses deployed to send them home.
Addressing a press conference, Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala asked when the lockdown will finally end.
He said the Government extended the lockdown by merely issuing an order.
“What is the aim of lockdown 3.0? What is the purpose, the objective and the strategy? . Will there be a lockdown 4.0 and lockdown 5.0? When will it end completely? What is the goalpost to deal with coronavirus and the economic pandemic by May 17.What are the achievable goals by May 17 to deal with the infection and to address livelihood challenges and the huge economic crisis?” he asked.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said it was “intriguing that the Prime Minister stayed away from the announcement on national TV and left it to a notification issued by the Home Secretary.”
The CPI(M) said in a statement, “Migrant workers boarding trains from various places are being forced to pay for their own tickets and also for food. Those who have been asked to board buses are being forced to pay exorbitant rates for travel. It is sheer cruelty to expect workers who have absolutely no earnings for the last two months because of the lockdown to pay for their own train tickets. Nor can the state governments bear this financial expenditure…”