The Gandhi scion said the labourers have been rendered vulnerable without their daily wages or access to nutrition and basic services.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that the 21-day lockdown to combat coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in India was announced 'suddenly' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has hence caused 'panic' and 'confusion' among the citizens of the country.
Gandhi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi, highlighting the plight of the poor and called for serious measures to ease the struggles of the poor and the dispossessed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown, adding that it is 'critical' to understand that India's conditions are 'unique'.
"It is critical for us to understand that India's conditions are unique. We will be required to take different steps than other large countries who are following a total lockdown strategy," Gandhi wrote in his letter to Prime Minister Modi, adding that the number of poor people in India who are dependent on a daily income is too large to unilaterally shut down all economic activities in the wake of the pandemic.
"The consequences of a complete economic shut down will disastrously amplify the death toll arising from COVID-19," he feared.
"The sudden lockdown has created immense panic and confusion," he said, adding "factories, small industries, and construction sites have closed, and tens of thousands of migrant labourers are undertaking an arduous journey to reach their home states".
The Gandhi scion said the labourers have been rendered vulnerable without their daily wages or access to nutrition and basic services.
"It is important that we help such sections find shelter and provide them with money directly into their bank accounts to help them tide over the next few months," he said.
The Congress leader added that a complete lockdown will almost certainly lead to millions of unemployed youths rushing to their villages, thus increasing the risk of infecting their parents and the elderly population living in villages.
In light of the heightened concern on the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in India, the country has been placed under complete lockdown for 21 days. Authorities have asked citizens to maintain strict social distancing to cut the spread of the virus outbreak.
As of 06:34 PM on Sunday, around 987 people across India have been reported to have contracted the COVID-19 disease. The virus has affected around 679,977 people worldwide. The global death toll has hit 31,734, according to the COVID-19 statistics center at the John Hopkins University.
(With PTI inputs)
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 "Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi")
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