[Marxistindia] Joint Letter by Major Opposition Parties to PM

[news from the cpi(m)]

May 12, 2021

Press Release

We are herewith releasing the joint letter sent by major opposition  
parties to the Prime Minister today on immediate steps to be taken by  
the government to deal with the Covid pandemic.


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Joint Letter by Major Opposition Parties to the Prime Minister

Dear Mr Prime Minister,

The Covid-19 pandemic in our country has assumed unprecedented  
dimensions of a human catastrophe.

We have repeatedly in the past drawn your attention, independently and  
jointly, to the various measures that are absolutely imperative for  
the Central government to undertake and implement. Unfortunately, your  
government has either ignored or refused all these suggestions. This  
only compounded the situation to reach such an apocalyptic human  
tragedy.

Without going into all the acts of commission and omission by the  
Central government that have brought the country to such a tragic  
pass, we are of the firm opinion that the following measures must be  
undertaken on a war footing by your government.

Procure vaccines centrally from all available sources - global and domestic.
Immediately begin a free, universal mass vaccination campaign across  
the country.
Invoke compulsory licensing to expand domestic vaccine production.
Spend budgetary allocation of Rs. 35,000 crores for the vaccines.
Stop Central Vista construction. Use the allocated money for procuring  
oxygen and vaccines, instead.
Release all money held in the unaccounted private trust fund, PMCares  
to buy more vaccines, Oxygen and medical equipment required.
Give all jobless at least Rs. 6000 per month.
Free distribution of foodgrains to the needy (over one crore tonnes of  
foodgrains are currently rotting in central godowns).
Repeal farm laws to protect lakhs of our annadatas becoming victims of  
the pandemic so that they can continue to produce food to feed the  
Indian people.

Though it has not been the practice of your office or government, we  
would appreciate a response to our suggestions in the interests of  
India and our people.

sd/-

Sonia Gandhi (INC)
HD Deve Gowda (JD-S)
Sharad Pawar (NCP)
Uddhav Thackeray (SS)
Mamata Banerjee (TMC)
MK Stalin (DMK)
Hemant Soren (JMM)
Farooq Abdullah (JKPA)
Akhilesh Yadav (SP)
Tejaswi Yadav (RJD)
D Raja (CPI)
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M)