Sonia's criticism of lockdown 'brazen lie', this is not time for politics: Nadda

BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday rejected Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's criticism of the way in which the Union government implemented the lockdown as a "brazen lie" and said her comments when the country is fighting the coronavirus unitedly are "insensitive, indecent, irresponsible and condemnable".

In a statement, Nadda said the nation is united under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in combating the pandemic and asked the Congress to play the role of a responsible political party in this difficult time and not to do petty politics.

The Indian government's efforts are being praised across the world, he said.

"This is not the time for politics but to serve the nation unitedly. We have to fight this together and win it. The statement of the Congress president will weaken India's battle. Her comments that the lockdown was implemented without preparation is a brazen lie and defy facts," Nadda said.

"The entire country is today fighting decisively and unitedly against COVID-19 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At such a time, Sonia Gandhi's statement is condemnable, insensitive, indecent and irresponsible," he added.

Top Congress leaders on Thursday discussed the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak, with party chief Sonia Gandhi criticising the Centre for "unplanned" implementation of the lockdown and calling for "solidarity" in meeting the challenge posed by the pandemic.

"The 21-day national lockdown may have been necessary but the unplanned manner in which it has been implemented has caused chaos and pain in the lives of millions of migrant workers all over India," she said.

Noting that two Congress-ruled states Punjab and Rajasthan had declared a lockdown before Modi's announcement that it will be implemented across the country for 21 days from March 24 midnight, Nadda asked if Gandhi suggested that states ruled by her party had taken the decision without any readiness.

The reality is that, the BJP president said, in about 70 per cent of the country lockdown or the condition similar to it was already in force.

Keeping the condition of states in mind and for people's safety, Modi took the decision to ensure that the coronavirus infection spread is minimised do, the BJP president said.