Congress leaders attend the virtual CWC meet on Tuesday.

Launching a fresh salvo at the Centre, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said the current economic crisis and the tension on the border with China were a result of the mismanagement by the BJP-led government and the wrong policies pursued by it.

“India has been hit by a terrible economic crisis, a pandemic of huge proportions and, now, by a full-blown crisis on the borders with China. Much of each crisis is attributable to the mismanagement of the BJP-led NDA Government and the wrong policies pursued by it,” she said.

In her opening note at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting through video conferencing, Gandhi said, “Now, we have a full-blown crisis on the LAC with China. The undeniable fact is that since April-May, 2020, Chinese troops have committed brazen transgressions into our territory in Pangong Tso Lake area and Galwan Valley, Ladakh. True to its character, the government is in denial.”

She said though the Congress party was the first to offer its total support to the armed forces and the government, there is “a growing feeling among the people that the government has gravely mishandled the situation”.

“We urge the government that peace, calm and the restoration of the status quo ante along the LAC be the only guiding principles in our national interest. We will continue to closely watch the situation,” she said.

Indian and Chinese armies have been on a six-week standoff in several areas of eastern Ladakh. The ties between the two countries came under severe strain after 20 Indian Army personnel were killed during clashes with Chinese troops at the Galwan Valley in Ladakh on June 15.

Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said the crisis on the border, which if not tackled firmly, can lead to a serious situation.

‘Mismanagement of Covid-19 situation one of most disastrous failures’

On the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Gandhi said the “mismanagement” of the coronavirus pandemic will be recorded as one of the “most disastrous failures” of the Modi government.

The Congress president said the economic crisis due to the two-month-long lockdown has only become worse. “The Modi government refuses to listen to good advice.”

She said the need of the hour is a massive fiscal stimulus, putting money directly in the hands of the poor, protecting and nurturing MSMEs, and stimulating demand. “Instead, the government announced a hollow financial package that had a fiscal component of less than 1 per cent of GDP. The government has added insult to injury by mercilessly raising petrol and diesel prices for 17 consecutive days, at a time when world prices of crude have fallen,” she said.

Don’t miss from Explained: In India-China, the Russia role

The result, she said, is that a sliding economy is now hurtling toward a recession for the first time in 42 years.

Endorsing Gandhi’s views, Singh said, “The pandemic is not being tackled with the courage and magnitude and effort needed to tackle the crisis. Another instance is the crisis on the border, which if not tackled firmly, can lead to a serious situation.”