CPI demands an all party meeting from PM Modi; says the country must come together

Amid the outbreak of Coronavirus, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to hold consultations with the heads of all recognised political parties on the issue of COVID-19 pandemic. With the country battling coronavirus threat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with floor leaders of various political parties on April 8 through video conferencing and discuss ways and means to strengthen the fight against the disease.

The statement from D Raja comes after PM Modi addressed all the state Chief Ministers via video conference on Thursday, reviewing the COVID-19 situation across the country. In his letter, Raja stated that government, political parties and all those who matter in shaping the political, economic and social course of the country must come together and make plans to eradicate the virus. 

"The government, political parties and all those who matter in shaping the political, economic and social course of the country must come together and put their heads and efforts together to contain the COVID-19 pandemic," Raja wrote in the letter.

"The Prime Minister has decided to have an interaction with the floor leaders of political parties in Parliament in which some of the important parties are left out on the basis of a technicality. However, our party is of the view that the initiative taken by the Prime Minister must be followed by holding consultations with the heads of all recognised political parties at the national and state level," he added.

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, 33 more cases were detected in Maharashtra, taking the state tally up to 781. The death toll due to novel coronavirus rose to atleast 111 and the number of cases in the country climbed to 4,067 on Monday, according to the Union Health Ministry. While the number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 3,666, as many as 291 people were cured and discharged, and one has migrated, it stated. The total number of cases includes 65 foreign nationals. The country is currently in lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The 21-day lockdown was announced by the Prime Minister on March 24.

READ: BREAKING: Anurag Srivastava takes over as MEA spokesperson as Raveesh Kumar 'passes baton'

READ: PM Modi's FULL Covid speech to BJP cadre: 'This is a long battle; mustn't tire; must win'

PM Modi Videoconferences With State CMs On Coronavirus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed all the state Chief Ministers via video conference on Thursday, reviewing the COVID-19 situation across the country. PM Modi is believed to have addressed the migrant labourer situation and the crisis surrounding the same among other important issues and steps taken by the state governments to tackle the pandemic. PM Modi also raised the issue of tracing and testing those who attended the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi. 

Home Minister Amit Shah was also part of the video conference, which comes on Day 9 of India's 21-day Coronavirus curfew, and at a time when the country has witnessed its largest jump in number of cases, currently standing just under 2000 cases and with 50 people succumbing.

READ: Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India's confirmed cases cross 4000-mark; 109 deaths confirmed

READ: India's Coronavirus testing gets big boost: ICMR to get 7 lakh rapid antibody testing kits