ITANAGAR, SEP 17:
The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has called for an independent and evidence-based review of the Centre’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) begins its month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ from September 17 to October 17.
The APCC said the campaign, being held to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public life, includes blood donation camps, cleanliness drives, welfare outreach, youth programmes, cultural activities and the ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ initiative.
In a statement issued on Thursday, APCC General Secretary-cum-Spokesperson and Chairman of its Media and Social Media Department Kon Jirjo Jotham said the commemoration should also provide an opportunity to examine the decisions and humanitarian consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown.
“Public service is not merely about celebrating achievements; it is also about accepting responsibility, acknowledging shortcomings and answering the legitimate questions of citizens who suffered,” the APCC said.
The party acknowledged that COVID-19 was an unprecedented global crisis that required difficult decisions, but said the timing, preparation and implementation of the nationwide lockdown announced on March 24, 2020 warranted retrospective examination. The Union government had announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown beginning at midnight that day.
The APCC raised 12 questions covering the short notice for the lockdown, the preparedness for migrant and informal workers, public-health infrastructure, the use of symbolic campaigns during the crisis, the migrant exodus, transportation arrangements, availability of data, prolonged restrictions and communication of government measures.
On the migrant crisis, the APCC referred to the large-scale movement of workers towards their home states after the lockdown disrupted employment and livelihoods. The Supreme Court subsequently took suo motu cognisance of the difficulties faced by migrant labourers, including reports of workers travelling on foot and bicycles over long distances amid shortages of food and water.
The APCC also questioned the timing of transportation arrangements for stranded workers. Indian Railways began operating Shramik Special trains from May 1, 2020, following requests from state governments, to transport stranded migrant workers and others to their home states.
The party said the pandemic experience should be assessed through data and testimonies rather than political narratives. It sought greater transparency regarding migrant movement, deaths, relief measures, employment losses, food distribution, health infrastructure and pandemic expenditure.
The APCC also called for an assessment of preparedness and procurement of personal protective equipment, testing facilities, medicines, oxygen and hospital beds, besides a national framework incorporating lessons from the pandemic for future emergencies.
“Let there be celebration, but let there also be accountability,” the APCC said, adding that the lessons of the pandemic should not be overlooked while marking the present campaign.
The statement concluded with the APCC’s call for “Seva Sankalp” to be accompanied by “Janata Se Hisab”, urging an assessment of the lockdown’s health, economic, social and humanitarian consequences.
