The Prime Minister has failed to assure crores of downtrodden hungry people and workers in his address to the nation on Tuesday, All India Trade Union (AITUC) General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3 to contain COVID-19.
In a statement, Kaur said, "Prime Minister fails to assure crores of the poor downtrodden hungry masses and the workers. The address of Prime minister to the nation was another disappointment today."
She said the address appeared to be more of an exercise to justify and reply to the criticism of delayed cognizance of Covid-19 pandemic and sudden lockdown without any consultation with the chief ministers, political parties and even Parliament which was on till March 23.
The government knows that this sudden step of lockdown has affected migrant workers, students and others, she said.
Among the worst sufferers are the crores of migrant workers who are facing hunger, anxiety and high handedness from authorities instead of empathy, counselling and access to basic needs of food, water, medicines and hygiene, the trade union said.
There were 6 lakh persons who arrived in India from different parts of the world, including from the Covid-19 affected nations since December 19, it said.
No screenings were done in the beginning and there were no strict advisories for 14-day self quarantine.The tests in comparison to our population are too little, it noted.
The Prime Minister once again failed our frontline fighters by not condemning or restraining those who are attacking / harassing them at the work places, residential places or the markets, it said.
Neither did he assure them that the government would meet all their needs of safety and expansion of health facilities for the citizens, it noted.
The Prime Minister advising companies not to remove workers from jobs has no relevance until implementation is ensured, it said, adding that the earlier advisory by the Ministry of Labour in March is being flouted with impunity by employers.
The Prime Minister also did not utter a single word about the payment of wages or very poor implementation of cash transfers to Jan Dhan accounts, it said.
The delivery of rations to BPL-APL card holders is not being implemented properly and poor masses without documents are facing hunger, it added.
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