COVID-19 India: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urges PM Modi to decentralize power, "Trust the Chief Ministers".

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that if the fight against COVID-19 virus is centralized, then it'll be a "calamity". Gandhi urged PM MODI to make the states partners in decision making and thereby to devolve power. Rahul demanded transparency from the government in their battle against Coronavirus in a press conference via video conference. 

Gandhi has also called upon the government to inject the poor with direct cash and provide a financial package so as to revive the economy. He said," We need to decentralize power in dealing with the virus. If we keep this fight in PMO, we will lose. The PM must devolve power. If we centralize, there will be a calamity. PM has to trust chief ministers and chief ministers have to trust district magistrates." He stressed that lockdown is a transition which cannot be implemented successfully without the cooperation of every government body. He also questioned the government to provide proper information to the people on easing the lockdown or extension of it, post 17 May. 

He wants a direct injection of a sum, Rs 7500, into the hands of poor so as to restore their hope and confidence in them. He demanded that the industry that provides job must be protected and a financial package must be thought upon. "We have to protect the job creators and have to build a wall for them to protect jobs and wages of workers. We have to give them financial support," stated Gandhi. "We need to start our economy soon, the more time we lose, the worse impact it will have." he further added.

India's Coronavirus death toll rose to 1886, and the number of reported cases went up to 56,342 today. 103 deaths and 3,390 cases were registered in the last 24 hours.