Centre ignoring states' demands, promoting 'personality cult' amid COVID-19: CPIM

The CPI(M) on Saturday hit out at the government and accused it of "tying up the hands" of the state governments by its restrictive policies on testing for coronavirus while focusing on promoting a "personality cult".

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said state chief ministers had made specific demands from the Centre during the video conference with the Prime Minister, but instead of fulfilling those requests the Centre's focus, he alleged, has been on blaming the states while avoiding all responsibility for its delayed and haphazard actions.

"Restrictive policies on testing enforced by Centre tied up state govt's hands. Orders for protective health gear weren't placed on time. Even now, focus of Centre is on promoting a personality cult and PR than on working closely with state governments and meeting their demands," Yechury said.

"Many state governments have been proactive and responsive in dealing with the health and humanitarian crisis. The elected political leadership in these states has taken responsibility and communicated with the people and the press. The Centre should follow their example," he said in a series of tweets.

He also said the state governments are best placed to deal with the districts and the Centre should coordinate with the state governments and deal through them in this hour of crisis as per the constitutional principle of federalism.

He also slammed the centre over the mass exodus of migrant workers and alleged that there was no planning before the announcement of the lockdown.

"This is in the national capital, right under Modi's nose. It clearly shows that there was no planning or preparation by the Centre before announcing the lockdown. There is no concern for the poor and the vulnerable. Modi is adding a humanitarian disaster to a medical one," he said, adding that Kerala has opened 4,603 relief camps for over one lakh migrant 'guest' workers.

"Kerala has set the right example. Centre must support the states, as has been demanded by many CMs, to overcome the crisis. That is its constitutional responsibility in our federal structure," he said.