Economic package neither helps in fighting COVID-19 nor help people: Yechury

Dubbing the Rs 20 lakh crore package as "Modi Covid Care" that neither helps in fighting the pandemic nor in addressing people's problems, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said the Centre is "washing its hands off" its responsibilities and now putting the ball in states' courts without assisting them financially.

Yechury said the CPI(M) has already given a call to Opposition to come together against the Centre's move depriving states its legitimate dues and financial share and would once again invite all those willing to join them at a time the government is moving ahead with "surrendering" national interests by privatising even core and sensitive sectors.

"The Prime Minister gave an illusion that the lockdown will contain the pandemic. He announced lockdown unilaterally with short notice. Now, he has told the states that it is up to you to take care of people. This is duplicity and Modi is known for that. The agitation will continue and grow," Yechury told at a digital press conference.

He said the extra spending from the government is less than Rs 2 lakh crore in the total package of Rs 20 lakh crore announced over a period of last five days and there was no such announcement that put money in the hands of people to drive demand. There was no package for states too, he said.

Claiming that the government decision defied "common sense", he said the package announced by the Modi government through Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was not going to build 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' (Self Reliant India). It is not going to provide much needed immediate relief for people, he added.

"Loans are not the answer. Economy can be revived only when you generate demand and this can be achieved only when you put money in the hands of people. What is needed is large-scale public investment. Through the so-called reform measures, national assets are being sold. The harsh reality of the so-called package from Modi government is that everything is for the cronies, nothing for the deserving," he said.

He said the CPI(M) have already presented an alternative economy revival plan during Covid-19, which included giving Rs 7,500 to each non-income tax paying individuals, free food for the poor and free travel of stranded migrant workers.

"There is no self reliance without people's welfare. The new spending the package woefully inadequate as it is less than 1% of the GDP," he said.