In his sixth address to the nation since acknowledging Corona pandemic in India, PM Narendra Modi once again showed callous and criminal disregard to the concerns of the people who are groaning under soaring epidemic and plunging economy. His address was full of banalities showing callous and criminal disregard to the urgent medical and economic conditions faced by the people. People of India are getting used to hearing such sermons from this Prime Minister that mock conditions of their life.
The only announcement that he made was supply of free food grains for every ration card holder – 5 kg of cereal per month and 1 kg of pulse free of any charge. So ingrained is imperial mindset that he repeatedly emphasized that it was “free”. An extension for five months i.e. from July to November of such meagre allocation could well have been announced through a govt. notification. His address once again proved that RSS-BJP govt. is not willing to increase govt. expenditure to meet this situation. The whole address was bereft of any steps to meet the medical emergency or to address people’s conditions due to contraction of economy and total lack of any income for vast sections of people.
Modi’s address to nation once again blamed the people for spread of Corona virus accusing them of not following lockdown rules. Govt. has been totally opposed to extending any help to the people, it has been in the overdrive to give all out concessions to foreign and domestic corporate. In fact the lockdown period has been used only to frame and arrest anti-CAA protesters and take pro-corporate measures against workers and peasants.
Modi’s address was also to divert attention from the mess that he and his Govt. have created of clash with China. On the one hand, Modi has asserted that there had been no Chinese intrusion into Indian Territory and on the other his Govt. has vowed revenge on China with RSS-BJP propagating ‘Boycott China” with corporate media backing them applauding. Modi did not deliberately even mention the issue and did not clarify the situation and his Govt.’s position.
CPI (ML)-New Democracy strongly condemns this total insensitivity displayed by the Prime Minister and RSS-BJP Govt. and calls upon the people to hold the Govt. accountable. CPI (ML)-New Democracy calls for a broad-based movement on people’s issues, particularly those arising out of pandemic.
CC, CPI (ML)-New Democracy
July 1, 2020
