Coronavirus: Merely extending lockdown won't help, says Sitaram Yechury

Emphasising that merely extending the lockdown will not serve any purpose in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, on Friday, said the Narendra Modi government had failed to utilise the lockdown so far for stepping up the fight by increasing testing capability for coronavirus, as well as arranging medical kits for healthcare professionals.

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He also found fault with exercises like lighting lamps, saying "obscurantism, sentiments or symbolism" is not a substitute to what needs to be done in the fight against the pandemic.

“A lockdown will be necessary and it will be necessary in order to use that period to increase testing, equip our health workers and that is what should have been done. We are into the third week of lockdown and unfortunately, that is not being done. Merely extending the lockdown will increase the economic misery of people. That should not be allowed to happen. The spread has to be contained through identifying, isolating and sealing areas. That is why it has to be phased withdrawal," Yechury said during a digital press conference.

He was responding to a question whether the lockdown should be extended and what could be the economic cost the country and people may incur.

"India’s first case was detected on January 30. What has happened in the 72 days since then?" he said.

The Centre should allocate more money to states and more personal protection kits to healthcare professionals, he said adding, "we need to do more testing. Why are we not doing it?"

Asked about proposals from certain quarters that the government should print more notes, he said there is no dearth of resources in the country. "Where are the thousands of rupees which the Prime Minister has collected under a new fund. Hasn't the government written off Rs 7.78 lakh crore your super rich owed? But at the same time, you are not willing for a one-time loan waiver of our farmers. The question is of will. If the will is there, the resources are there," he said.

Yechury was critical about the government not stepping up testing saying countries have gone for intensive testing and it has yielded positive results.

On spread of fake news and targeting the Muslim community, Yechury said no one is condoning the "irresponsible" act of Tablighi Jamaat but the question remains over who allowed that to happen. "Unfortunately, those who are with them (government) and supporting them are the prime movers of fake news. But Tablighi Jamaat's irresponsible behaviour should not be an excuse to target a community. Fake news undermines the unity that we need at this point of time," he said.

Queried about the government decision to suspend MPLADS for two years, he said one of the most effective ways to fight COVID-19 is to fight at the state level. "If you deny an MP to spend money in his constituency, then you are undermining this fight," he added.