Puducherry Chief Minister V
Narayanasamy has said the Prime Minister had the responsibility to protect the nation with a "practical approach" during the lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19 and not by resorting to calls for lighting lamps and clapping hands.
Narayanasamy, who had been among those who immediately welcomed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for "lighting lamp or a few other measures earlier" made a U-turn and criticised such steps.
"The Prime Minister has every responsibility to protect the nation with a practical and down-to-earth approach as he cannot shirk his responsibility," he said adding the coronavirus scourge can't be driven away by clapping hands or lighting lamps.
Speaking to reporters after lighting lamps at his residence here on Sunday, he also hit out at the Centre for not responding to the plea of the governments of Puducherry and other states for funds to handle the Covid-19
"Prime Minister should now ponder over what he should do to relieve the people, industrialists, workers, weaker sections and others of their current sufferings arising out of the closure of undertakings", the chief minister said.
"The Centre had not released even a paise to Puducherry although the territorial government had pleaded for a grant of Rs 995 crore to meet the exigency caused by the pandemic," he said adding the territorial government was managing the situation from out of its own funds.
Narayanasamy said that the Prime Minister had held meetings with cinema industry, cricket stalwarts and others.
However, a meeting with economic experts is what is immediately required as the experts with their rich experience would offer suggestions to the Centre to tide over the current predicament, he added.
Necessary medical equipment like ventilators, monitors and masks, protective covers for doctors and para medical staff were not available and the Centre had taken no action to plug this shortcoming, the Chief Minister, a senior Congress leader said.
The country's economy had been shattered, farmers were in deep waters and the cascading effect of the closure of industries had been perceptible, he said.
"What plan the Prime Minister had evolved for the post lockdown period," he asked.
Narayanasamy said that during the previous Congress- led UPA government, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in consultation with the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had evolved practical steps to protect country's economy in 2009.
Justifying the lock down, he said it was "inevitable and necessary." Narayanasamy said the Centre should immediately hold consultations with the economic experts and come out with action plan to ensure that the economy recovered fast and the vulnerable sections are protected.
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