Nation awaits clear exit strategy from coronavirus lockdown: Congress to PM Narendra Modi

The Congress on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out a clear exit strategy for coronavirus lockdown after May 3, saying the nation is waiting for it.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the prime minister is expected to lead the nation in a crisis like these.

"We once again appeal to the prime minister to come out with a clear exit strategy for the lockdown, to state the roadmap for economic revival and to deal with the health pandemic post-May 3, as also restrict the lockdown only to hotspot zones," he told reporters at a press conference through video conferencing.

He said the chief ministers requested the prime minister to tell the nation what is the exit strategy from the lockdown.

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"What is the government's strategy on the health front and the economic front in terms of post lockdown period. What is the roadmap for the future course after May 3.

"How is the prime minister going to come out with financial action plan 2 as Sonia Gandhi has demanded and so have many experts, be it for starvation, migrant labour, or be it for kickstarting the economy or the small and medium enterprises," the Congress leader said.

The appeal comes a day after Modi met chief ministers of various states through video-conferencing and sought their views, while also spelling out the government's strategy on tackling COVID-19.

Most of the chief ministers have demanded extension of the lockdown and urged the prime minister to take a call on the exit strategy while asking him to have a cautious approach in opening it.