Congress asks govt to stop playing politics over COVID-19 crisis

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 12, 2020

The opposition Congress on Tuesday asked the state government not to play politics in view of the prevailing situation due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The opposition was strongly reacting to a recent statement of the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on the decision of the party to pay rail tickets for stranded people including migrant labourers.

“Let me tell Prestone Tynsong, who is representing the government as Deputy CM that this is not the time to play politics or point finger at each other but collectively put heads together sharing every knowledge, experience, resources, etc to mitigate the danger from Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 and ultimately win over the menace of this disease,” All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson & secretary Zenith M Sangma said in a statement here.

Stating that the Congress as a party also have responsibilities, Sangma, also MLA of Rangsakona, informed that the Congress president Sonia Gandhi had announced to pay the 50% cost of train ticket which the government was not agreeing to pay to the migrant worker, students etc stranded in different parts of the country.

“Our main objective is that no one should be hungry and we should co-ordinate with our counterparts in every state to trace out the stranded people from Meghalaya in different States.

Congress is a big party and we have our people in every nook and corner of the country. Taking this advantage, we are working out. Our boys are working 24×7 shift-wise, like in the call centre and the number is touching almost 2000. We could trace out those, who are not having money nor anything to eat mostly in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka. They have been taken care of, through our counterparts in the Congress Party.

Is this a mistake to help the people in suffering? We are saying if they get the help from the government that’s fine. But if they are not taken care of by the Government or if there is any inadequacy we will help. Thousands of our people from the Congress Party working 24×7 across the country,” he said as he wonders if it is a crime to help helpless people.

The former minister further said that the party also heard that around 160 people including students are stranded and they were not having anything to eat even.

“When we enquired about them and were about to arrange buses to bring them to our State then only the Government suddenly woke up and arranged bus. Is it a crime that we also tried to help them?” he said.

On Tynsong’s jibe against the Congress for allegedly failing to contribute to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), Sangma said, “We have already agreed to pay 10% of our one year’s salary. Is it not a contribution through the Government?”

Meanwhile, the Congress leader informed that the AICC has also activated all the party organizations in every state in the country to help the stranded people who are in distress in all respects.

Registration of Citizens Stranded outside Meghalaya | An Initiative by the Indian National Congress Meghalaya | Click Here

“Therefore, I appeal to each and every one, let us not blame each other but let us join our hands together in fighting against this dreaded diseases COVID-19 in whatever way we can irrespective of our status and position. No amount is being considered to be small,” he stated.