New Delhi: If ‘strategy’ was the keyword in his previous press conference held last month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi time and again relied on the word “injection” during his 43-minute interaction with the media Tuesday.
On 17 April, Rahul had used the words ‘strategy’, ‘strategic’ and ‘strategically’ as many as 34 times in his 57-minute media interaction on the coronavirus pandemic.
On Tuesday, as he spoke of ways to ensure economic revival, the Congress leader stressed on the word ‘injection’ at least seven times, particularly when he spoke of funding for medium and small businesses and for providing money to the poor to sustain themselves.
“We, of course, have a view, we put that view down. We said that injection of money is required, aggressive movement on that front is required. But we were disappointed,” Rahul said.
“An injection of capital, an injection of money to small and medium businesses is required. It will be fatal if we don’t do it,” he added. “An injection of money to the poorest 50 per cent Indians is required. It will be fatal if we don’t do it.”
Rahul further said it is his party’s job as the opposition to put pressure on the government to address issues that are being ignored.
“The warning I gave in February, I am giving it today too. And I am saying this to the government with utmost respect, please take economic action,” Rahul said. “Give cash injection immediately. Otherwise, there will be economic loss.”
Listen to state, experts: Rahul to PM Modi
For “opening up” the country, Rahul said, the central government needs to take suggestions from the states and experts. “You need to open up in a systematic way, not in an ad hoc way. I clearly can see that our economy requires restarting, which means it needs a money injection, cash injection immediately so that needs to be done,” he said. “And I can clearly see we need a strategy in a non-lockdown situation so that the disease does not run amok.”
However, the word strategy did make its appearance a number of times during Tuesday’s interaction in which the Congress leader slammed the “failed lockdown”.
Gandhi said the lockdown has failed both in “its aim and purpose and the government needs to urgently work on a future strategy”. “The first strategy failed, tell us what is the next strategy,” Rahul asked PM Modi.
“The Congress party is in power in three or four states. We know what we are planning. We are giving money to poor people. We are giving food to poor people. We are managing the migrants. We are increasing our testing,” Rahul said. “We have a strategy. But states can’t function with a strategy without support from the Centre.”
Attacking the Modi government, Rahul said the PM has adopted a low-key position since his initial plan to beat the pandemic in 21 days (the first phase of the lockdown lasted from 25 March to 14 April) “failed completely”.
He also alleged that Congress-led states had complained about lack of central support in their struggle against Covid-19. The Congress-governed states, he said, are providing all the required help and financial packages but feeling “lonely and alone” in this battle.