Centre needs to maintain transparency in fighting COVID-19: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the Government must start giving transparency to its actions in fighting COVID-19 by cooperating with states and making them partners in decision-making.

Addressing a press conference through video conference, he said the lockdown is not an on/off switch and it is a transition which requires cooperation of all - Centre, states, district magistrates and the people of India.

The Congress leader also called upon the prime minister to devolve power and take the states and district magistrates into confidence.

"We need to decentralise power in dealing with the virus. If we keep this fight only in PMO, we will lose. The PM must devolve power. If we centralise, there will be a calamity. PM has to trust chief ministers and chief ministers have to trust district magistrates," he said.

Gandhi also called upon the government to tell the people what criteria it would use to open the lockdown or continue it post May 17.