Congress leaders, including former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attending election rallies in West Bengal in the middle of a public health crisis.
While Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari, in a video message, demanded a two-day special Parliament session before things went out of hand, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan asked the Centre to use its Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) to crack down on hoarders of life saving medicines, instead of political rivals.
“Why is PM addressing 4 rallies in one day ignoring his responsibilities as PM?”asked Mr. Chidambaram on Twitter, wondering if it is “because of fear that the BJP is losing the election”.
In a video message, Lok Sabha member Manish Tewari demanded a two-day special session of Parliament before things went out of control, as the situation was ‘grave’.
Also read: BJP-NDA owes an apology to nation, says Congress leader Manish Tewari
At a virtual press conference, jointly addressed by Mr. Chavan and spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, the party asked if seeking votes for the party was more important than savings lives. “Is Modi ji, on whose shoulders lie the responsibility of running this country, not aware of his responsibility? Is seeking votes at election rally more important for him than protecting lives of his countrymen?” said Ms. Shrinate.
The former Maharashtra Chief Minister said it was time for the Centre to rise above politics and take the challenge head on.
“The government should bring in the NIA, CBI and the Enforcement Directorate against black-marketeers and hoarders of injections and vaccines. When you can use them to target your political opponents, why not utilise them sensibly against black-marketeers and hoarders?” Mr Chavan said.
He was also critical of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis “picketing” a police station when the police summoned a pharma company's top executive for allegedly stocking Remdesivir, a drug used for COVID-19 treatment.
“When a person caught by Gujarat police for black marketing of Remdesivir is questioned by Mumbai police, Fadnavis gheraos the police station along with some BJP leaders. Do you want to help the public or the black-marketeers,” he asked.
