Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and former chief minister Nabam Tuki on Monday called upon the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government to come out with accurate and true data of Covid-19 deaths in the country.
He also asked the government to compensate the families of Covid victims with Rs 4 lakh each.
“Millions of families are devastated while millions have lost their loved ones due to the BJP’s mismanagement and failure to control the Covid-19 pandemic. The Central government had earlier promised to provide Rs 4 lakh each as ex-gratia to the families of those who died of the viral disease but the Modi government has now revised the amount to Rs 50,000/-,” Tuki said.
He was addressing a gathering after the Jagran Abhiyan Padyatra at Sagalee in Papum Pare district.
Tuki, who earlier led the padyatra, said getting compensation is not a gift but the right of every Indian.
“The Modi government which can spend around Rs 20,000 crore on a non-essential project like ‘Central Vista’ is not ready to give Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the families of those who died due to Covid. This shows how much the Central government values human life. This is what happens when the fascists are in power,” Tuki said.
The APCC president further said that the Congress will not allow the Covid affected families to face injustice and will put in every effort to ensure that these families are compensated with Rs 4 lakh each.
It may be mentioned here that the state’s disaster management department while complying with the Supreme Court’s direction has approved for grant of Rs 50,000 from the State Disaster Response Fund to the next of kin of those who passed away due to Covid-19.
A total of 280 people have lost their lives due to Covid-19 in Arunachal Pradesh so far while the figure of the country stands at 4.69 lakh until Monday.
Tuki also took a dig at the Central government for the rise in the prices of fuel and essential commodities and its alleged mishandling of the economy and pandemic.
The Jagran Abhiyan Padyatra was organized by the 15-Sagalee Block Congress Committee from Sagalee to Rach Tabiu as a part of Indian National Congress’s 15-day nation-wide agitation ‘Jan Jagran Abhiyan’ that began on November 14.
The abhiyan was aimed at highlighting the issue of inflation and price rise, among others, in the country.
Meanwhile, the day also saw three independent gram panchayat chairpersons of Sagalee Circle namely Teli Yatup (Lerin), Teli Kayung (Rusuk) and Tadar Puri Techi (Khemlee) join the INC.
