The government is likely to extend the ongoing countrywide lockdown beyond April 14 to combat the coronavirus, the Congress indicated on Wednesday after an all-party meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad,said the prime minister told the meeting that he has received several requestsfor extension of the lockdown to contain COVID-19, but will take a call on itonly after consulting experts and the chief ministers of various states.
Azad said around 80 per cent of the leaders from variouspolitical parties, who interacted with the prime minister throughvideo-conferencing, favoured extending the lockdown.
“It is likely that the government may extend thelockdown,” Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury toldPTI after the meeting.
He said his party put forth certain suggestions with regardto the crisis in the farming sector.
“The prime minister told the all-party meeting that heis happy that political parties have risen above politics and come together innational interest in this hour of crisis,” Azad said.
He added that Modi told the meeting that he will try andimplement the suggestions put forth by various leaders.
“The prime minister said he is receiving requests forextending the lockdown, but he will talk to chief ministers and experts beforetaking any decision in the best interest of the nation,” the Congressleader said.
Azad suggested to the prime minister to set up a task forcecomprising Union ministers and chief ministers of various states to recommendthe way forward and help people tide over the crisis.
He also suggested setting up of a multi-party working groupto help the government tackle the COVID-19 crisis.
Azad said the Congress has called for a special financialpackage for the states most affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
Chowdhury said the Congress has suggested to the primeminister that farmers may be exempted from the 21-day lockdown for theharvesting of rabi crops. The party has also demanded that all taxes onfertilisers be withdrawn.
Chowdhury said his party has suggested that those enrolledunder the rural job scheme MGNREGA be given priority while carrying outharvesting of the standing crop.
Azad and Chowdhury were the Congress representatives at themeeting of the floor leaders of various parties with the prime minister.