Freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy celebrated his 102nd birthday and interacted with well-wishers via Facebook Live from his residence on Friday. Several organisations in the State had planned to celebrate his birthday on a grand scale this year, but the pandemic has confined celebrations to the Internet.
Mr. Doreswamy, who had recently come under attack from a section of BJP leaders for his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented and could only be defeated when people were awakened and took it upon themselves to fight it. “The Mai-Baap governments seem to have infantilised our people to such an extent that they now depend on the government for everything. In a country as large as India, there are limits to what governments can do, which both the government and the people need to understand. The government has done its best. Now people need to take responsibility and fight the pandemic. But what we are seeing today is communalising of the pandemic, which is sad,” he said.
He also spoke about the impact of COVID-19- on the economy of the country, especially the poor. “I hope at least now Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn’t go back to his earlier programmes - National Population Register, National Registry of Citizens and Citizenship Amendment Act - clearly diversions from the real problems of the nation... I hope the PM focuses all his energies on restoring the country back to normalcy. That is his foremost duty now,” he told The Hindu.
Mr. Doreswamy had earlier announced that if the PM did not focus on the real issues of the day - unemployment, rural distress and economic slowdown - by the year-end, he would launch a non-cooperation movement. “I stand by my word. The pandemic has only given a break to all people’s movements. If the Union government doesn’t respond to the issues of the people, I will launch an agitation,” he said.
