The Congress held a press conference today which targeted the ruling BJP government over the handling of the coronavirus and the lack of financial assistance in its aftermath. Gourav Vallabh said that unemployment, inflation, job losses, debt, and stagnant incomes were hitting people despite losing their loved ones.

He demanded that the government should do ‘hand holding’ now that these people have expended all their savings for their loved ones.

Alka Lamba said that the Covid Justice Campaign Lanched by Rahul Gandhi was in Gujarati to ensure that the Prime Minister got the message. Over 3 lakh deaths had occurred due to the pandemic in Gujarat alone, Lamba said. She said that while the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had reduced the promised relief package from ₹4 Lakh to ₹50,000.

Therefore, one of the main pushes of the campaign is to demand a compensation of ₹4 lakh, and this issue will not just be a slogan but will also be raised in Parliament’s Winter Session starting Monday.

Even if the government statistics of 4 lakh deaths due to COVOD are acceted, it still means that ₹16,000 crore should be paid out, said Alka Lamba. Then, she listed the other expenses like the Central Vista project and the Prime Minister’s plane which costs more than this outlay.