Bengal Congress chief attacks Centre, TMC govt over handling of Corona crisis

West Bengal Pradesh Congress president Somen Mitra on Wednesday attacked both the BJP government at the Centre and Trinamool Congress government in state for their handling of the corona pandemic and post-cyclone Amphan restoration work.

Mitra said that both the governments' handling of the dual crisis have pushed the people of the country to the brink of poverty.

"The politics of the BJP government at the Centre and the TMC government in the state during the corona pandemic and post-Amphan super cyclone, have brought the people of our state as well as the country to the brink of poverty", Mitra said in a statement.

He alleged that both the governments dont have any other work now except thinking about the assembly election of Bengal in 2021.

Mitra said while the coronavirus was striking at our door, our Prime Minister was busy overthrowing the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh and our chief minister was holding a press conference in Nabanna and marking signs on the roads showing social distancing.

"Amit Shah was busy claiming that India was in a better position than America in dealing with Corona. But he did not mention how many tests were done in America and how many were done in India," he stated.

Mitra said that like the rest of the country, first, the liquor stores were opened in this state to exit the lockdown.

"Now there is no such thing as social distancing. We are shocked to see the way people are huddled in buses, taxis, and autos", he said.

Mitra claimed that neither the Center nor the state government had any proper plan or sincerity to bring back the migrant workers from other states.

"The two governments moved only after Congress president Mrs Sonia Gandhi promised to pay the migrant workers' train fare", he said, adding that the Congress party is demanding that the Central government to pay Rs 10,000 in their bank account now and subsequently Rs 7,500 per month for at least six months.

Referring to the impact of Amphan super cyclone in West Bengal, he said it was unprecedented. Despite the warning from the meteorological department, he wondered whether the state government was prepared enough.

The government had to call in the army to cut down trees, bring people and machines from the neighbouring states, he said.

Mitra said the Prime Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 1000 crore which is insufficient for such a huge disaster.

"We demand that the relief work be transparent. At the panchayat level, an all-party committee should be formed to help the distressed people without seeing the color of the flag. Let every homeless person be given a home", he added.

He said there was already partiality in this state in relief material distribution.

"Now when the opposition parties are trying to provide relief, they are being attacked. Last Sunday, Leader of the

Opposition Abdul Mannan and Left Parliamentary Leader Sujan Chakraborty visited Shyampur in Howrah district", he said.

Shortly after their visit the Congress and Left activists were attacked. Congress workers were also barred from providing relief in the South 24 Parganas district", he added.