May 4, 2020
Noted Lawyer Kapil Sibal Mocks at Modi Government over Coronavirus Pandemic
Syed Rifaquat Ali
The Indian prime minister Narendra Modi abruptly announced on March 24 a 21-day total lockdown to contain Coronavirus, which spread like a wild fire from Wuhan city in China.
And the lockdown, which was to end on May 3, has been extended for another two weeks. Modi's overnight announcement without any consultation with the Opposition leaders, or for that matter with the States, caused unprecedented worries for 1.3 billion people, half of which live in the slums.
Veteran Congress leader and noted lawyer, Kapil Sibal, launched a scathing attack on the BJP government for mishandling the pandemic disease, causing untold miseries to the common man.
"You can't have a lockdown of people and a lockout of the economy," he said. Why the States were not consulted before the lockdown was imposed? Sibal questioned the central government.
"You never held discussions with the State governments before announcing the lockdown, just like you did while announcing the decision on demonetisation," Sibal said.
Kapil Sibal also questioned the union government's decision to freeze the dearness allowance till 2021 to save, with the States collectively, Rs.1.20 Lakh crore to fund the fight against Covid-19 pandemic.
Sibal says when fifty per cent of the population in India live in slums, is it not unwise to preach of social distancing?
At the ABP news conclave, Sibal suggested that there aught to be a national plan under the Disaster Management Act 2005 to combat national calamities like the Coronavirus pandemic.
The problem with the Modi government is that it is democratic only on paper, but total autocratic on ground which is causing one national problem after another.
It only smacks of the government's arrogance unprecedented in Independent India. India has brilliant minds who can take the country forward rapidly.
But Modi being a tea vendor before he embarked on the political stage, it seems he is shy of confabulating with the intellectuals on national and international issues.
Leaders with no strong educational background have no vision,no foresight to deal with national and international issues.
And that's the rub with the Modi government. Home Minister Amit Shah cannot speak proper English, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is a tyro in defense matters, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman is not an economist, says Harvard-educated BJP leader, Dr.Subramanian Swamy. With such people in Modi government holding key posts, what one can expect from BJP government which is totally unfit to govern a big country like India.
To fight the Coronavirus pandemic, the Indian government has allocated Rs.15,000 crore to strengthen the health infrastructure.
Till date, 37,257 Coronavirus cases have been reported in India, and 1,223 deaths. 4,397 people died in Gujarat, while the lowest with only one has been in Mizoram.
But with extended lockdown, there could be rapid deaths due to hunger. Poverty already looms in India and with extended lockdown, the situation is likely to aggravate uncontrollably.
Syed Rifaquat Ali is Sydney-based journalist
The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
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Prof. Arthur Scott
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Maryam Turab
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