Telangana Congress has demanded that the government increase the number of tests for coronavirus as pointed out by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and withdrawal of false cases against Congress leaders involved in relief activities.
At a video conference Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy had with senior leaders they expressed concern over the small number of testing and several poor people being left out of the relief measures.
Mr. Uttam Reddy said tests should be done at a largescale to identify the affected people and lockdown was not the only solution to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The video-conference was attended by AICC Telangana incharge RC Kuntia, CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, MPs Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and A. Revanth Reddy, MLAs D. Sridhar Babu, Jagga Reddy, P. Veeraiah, TPCC working presidents Ponnam Prabhakar and Kusum Kumar among others.
Mr. Reddy said cases were being registered against the Congress party leaders to prevent them from distributing food and other essential items among needy persons. At the same time, TRS ministers and leaders were moving around at various places, including Red Zone areas, in utter violation of norms.
CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka condemned the registration of case against Bhadrachalam MLA P. Veeraiah and former MP V. Hanumantha Rao. Expressing their views the Congress leaders asked the government to adopt a humanitarian approach and maintain transparency in financial matters.
As demanded by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the MGNREGA workers should be paid advance payments for 21 days. They also discussed the issue of purchase of agriculture products and said that the process has not yet begun in many villages. They said the economic crisis and unemployment caused due to lockdown should also be addressed by the government.
They said of nearly 8 lakh migrant workers in Telangana governnment was providing assistance to nearly 3 lakh workers only. They said the Chief Minister had announced that ₹ 30,000 crore would be earmarked for procurement of agricultural products while only ₹ 20,000 crore is said to be sufficient for the purpose.
