CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that in 49 days of the lockdown, which ends on May 17, the government has achieved very little, since it failed to ramp up testing and supply of personal protection kits for the medical staff.

The government, he said, has been inhuman towards the migrant workers who were left with little option but to trudge to their homes in the face of hunger. Mr. Yechury was interacting with reporters online during a live session on social media on Tuesday.

“We have completed 49 days of this lockdown. When it was first announced, the number of positive COVID-19 cases were 566; today it stands at 70,756. The number of deaths was 10 and today its 2,295. We could have done a lot better if we had done more testing, if we had provided adequate protection to our doctors,” he added.

Slams claims

Mr. Yechury also debunked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that there was global appreciation for India’s handling of the pandemic.

“If there is global ,appreciation it is for Kerala; at least 35 dailies of repute have carried on their front page how Kerala has managed to contain and minimise the loss of life. An example that the country should emulate,” he added.

Prime Minister Modi should ensure that all the migrant workers stranded in the cities are ferried back to their homes free of cost; all non-income tax payees should be given ₹7,500 per month for the next three months and the needy must be given 10 kgs of food grains per individual per month for next six months, Mr. Yechury demanded.

Questionable submission

He pointed out that on March 21, the government in a submission to the Supreme Court had said no migrant workers were on the road and all those hungry are being fed.

“Even today, 42 days later, we find lakhs of them are on the road trudging along 1,000 kilometers, hungry and starving. And no one government agency to help them,” the CPI(M) leader said, adding that this was inhuman.

Referring to the Aurangabad tragedy where 16 migrant workers heading home were run over on railway tracks by a good train, he said trains are carrying the dead bodies of those workers instead of ferrying them.

“At least now on 49th day, the PM should make arrangement for free transportation to take them home and stop threatening them that if you don’t report to work, action will be taken. We must remember, in India workers are not slaves,” Mr Yechury said.

He said it was unfair to push the responsibility of looking after the migrant workers on the State governments when they have not been given any additional aid and worse, still not even paid their dues.

“The government must immediately transfer ₹7,500 for per month for the next three months for all those not paying income tax. Immediately, 10 Kgs of food grains, per individual, should be distributed for all the needy people for the next six months. This is what needs to be done immediately,” he said.