COVID-19: Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Demands Protection for Labourers, Calls For More Testing

New Delhi (Sputnik): According to the Indian ministry of health, Covid-19 infection has claimed 826 lives with 26,917 cases. The country is currently under a nationwide lockdown until 3 May

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has raised concerns about the condition of migrant labourers while his party has demanded that the government enhance testing for Covid-19. The observations were made during Gandhi's second video conference with journalists on the on Sunday.

"The state governments are actually going to be responsible for driving this and various states will have to work out methodologies for the protection of labour," Rahul Gandhi said. 

The lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 March to stop the spread of Covid-19 led to a huge migrant labour crisis in the country. Immediately after the lockdown, fearing the loss of livelihood and shelter, the migrant labourers set out on foot to their hometowns and villages thousands of miles away. Industrial centres witnessed a mass exodus of migrant labourers. There have even been cases of labourers dying on way to their hometowns.

Seeing the unfolding crisis, various Indian state governments stopped the labourers where they were and made arrangements for them. Nevertheless, thousands of labourers remain stranded in camps.

The Congress party also criticized Modi’s government for not conducting enough tests. Former prime minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh, who was part of the video address said Covid-19 testing in India is inadequate. "Without adequate testing facilities we cannot conquer this menace," Singh added.