Aggressive testing key to fight battle against COVID-19: Manmohan Singh

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said that without aggressive testing facilities, India cannot conquer challenges posed by COVID-19.

Testing and tracing are the key to fighting the menace, he said in a video released by the Congress.

"There are problems with regard to the inadequacy of testing facilities and without more aggressive facilities of testing, we are not going to conquer this menace," Manmohan Singh said.

The Congress shared the thoughts of various leaders in the video to resolve the current crisis relating to the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown. The leaders are members of a consultative group headed by Singh and formulate the party's views on various matters.

They also stressed on the issue of humanism, protection and financial security to drive the approach to dealing with migrant labourers.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the party should have a broad framework for protection of migrants.

"We must insist that migrants are protected. But, we must also acknowledge that state governments are actually going to be responsible for driving this thing. Different state governments might choose different methodologies to solve this problem," he said.

Gandhi said, "Our migrant strategy should include protection. The idea that you can tell the migrant that it is his problem, that has to be central. Movement of the migrant should depend on the two states and they should have a conversation."
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said "The government is failing in this battle and we have to put pressure on the government for the people of the country."