PM Modi should hold meeting with Chief Ministers on coronavirus: Kapil Sibal

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday said that holding a meeting with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a good step but he also must conduct a meeting with the Chief Ministers and Health Ministers across India in the wake of coronavirus.

Speaking to ANI, the senior Congress leader said, "I am very happy that the Prime Minister held a meeting with the SAARC countries, that is a good step. But he should also immediately hold a meeting with all health ministers, chief minister in India. And they must evolve a consensus on wherever the number of coronavirus cases are increasing, you must take immediate measures."

On being asked about the plunge in Sensex, Sibal hit out at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for not taking enough steps.

"It is a collection of various factors, one is coronavirus. There is a global shutdown more or less. Coronavirus erupted from Wuhan in China, it is a supplier of so many commodities to the rest of the world. So, that slowed down global trade that impacts the economy," said Sibal.

"We are part of that global economy that impacts us. On top of that our growth rate and economy are in shambles. The Finance Minister doesn't know what to do except scolding the chairman of SBI. She really doesn't know how to solve the situation," he added.

He also stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not focusing on the "real issues".

"BJP is busy with Trump and see what's happening in Delhi with the riots. So, all these agenda is going on...so how will the economy ever revive? It is time for the BJP to start forgetting about these issues and start talking about real issues," said Sibal.