Does Sonia Gandhi want Italy-like coronavirus situation in India, asks BJP's NV Subhash

After Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi termed the ongoing nationwide lockdown as 'unplanned', Telangana BJP leader NV Subhash on Thursday slammed her comments and asked whether she would like an Italy-like situation in India where over 12,000 people died of coronavirus.

"I wonder why Gandhi is talking on such an issue. Does she want the same situation in India as Italy? In a population of over 130 crore people, a decision had to be made. Is Gandhi going to take responsibility for the mortalities due to COVID-19 if the lockdown was not implemented?" Subhash told ANI.

The BJP leader stated that the decision to implement lockdown needed to be taken for a good cause.

"In today's Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Gandhi commented about the Central government about the 'untimely, unplanned and hasty implementation of the lockdown'. If this 21-day lockdown had not been implemented, the situation would have become more disastrous, as bad as the current situation in Italy," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on March 23, announced a three-week long nationwide lockdown as a measure to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The Congress president, earlier on Thursday, had termed the step as "unplanned" and said it caused chaos and panic for migrant workers in the cities.

Subhash stated that such statements were made only for political gain.

"The situation is the responsibility of the government of India, which has been efficiently undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now the situation is under control," he added.