Congress asks PM Modi to spell out plans for migrant workers, farmers

The Congress party on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out the Centre's plans for the stranded migrant workers and farmers, who are waiting to harvest their crops.

In an hour-long press conference after Prime Minister Modi's address to the nation today, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari claimed that the PM has not spoken about the plight of migrants, who are quarantined at state borders.

"The PM told the countrymen what he expects out of them but he did not address the major concerns of the people or talk about what his government is doing for the citizens of India, something the people wanted to hear," he said.

"What the Prime Minister has not spoken about and made for the most horrifying images when the lockdown was first implemented, is with regard to the plight of the migrant workers. They are residing in camps in various parts of the country," he added.

"What is the Central government's roadmap for harvesting? Are you going to allow farmers to go in the fields and carry out the harvest? How will the harvest then be collected and transported to the procurement centres? How will the procurement be facilitated? Will the Centre provide a bonus over the minimum support price," asked Tewari.

He also said that Prime Minister Modi did not mention about ensuring maintenance of supply chain of essential commodities.

Asking about the testing strategy to fight COVID-19, Tewari said: "What we have not heard from Prime Minister Modi is this government's strategy regarding testing. Will it be limited to hotspots or will there be community-level screening as it has happened in Bhilwara? What is the strategy of this government," he asked.

However, Tewari said that his party understands the importance of the lockdown and hence it supports the extension as the Centre and all the States are in agreement over the extension of lockdown.