Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a meeting with the floor leaders of political parties represented in the Parliament to discuss several key issues related to the spread of coronavirus even as the country entered the 15th day of the nationwide lockdown announced to contain the viral infection.

The meeting was held through video conference and it included members of parties with four or more members in the Parliament. It came in the backdrop of varying opinions on the crucial question of extending the lockdown beyond April 14 and on fiscal measures taken by the Central government to meet the exigencies arising from the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.

The meeting is said to have started at 11 am this morning, a day after a parliamentary committee slashed the constituency allowance and office allowance of Members of Parliament in addition to deductions made in their salaries and the diversion of the MP area development fund (MPLADS) for a period of two years. Several opposition leaders including those from the Congress party had criticised the decision to suspend the MPLADS funds while welcoming the move to slash the salaries of the public representatives as part of the pruning of government expenses due to huge economical challenges presented by the outbreak.

Congress leader and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, who is among the fiercest critique of the current dispensation, has cited the ballooning unemployment rate after the implementation of lockdown– which took away livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of daily wage workers employed in the unorganised sector– to demand that government announced additional cash-aid for the poor to mitigate the impact of the lockdown. He, however, praised the government for broad-based consultations with political parties including those in the opposition.

The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), which tracks unemployment data on a weekly basis, estimates that unemployment has risen from 8.4% in the week ended March 22 to 23% .

 

The Centre has held several rounds of discussions with the chief ministers of Indian states and also with other leaders of prominent political parties in a bid to mount a coordinated action plan against the outbreak. The Prime Minister has often stressed the need for a united response if the country was to emerge victorious from this unprecedented crisis.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Trinamool Congress’ Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, Biju Janta Dal’s Pinaki Misra, Nationalist Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bahujan Samaj Party ‘s SC Mishra, YSR Congres Party’s Vijay Sai Reddy & Mithun Reddy, Janta Dal United’s Rajeev Ranjan Singh were among the prominent leaders who attended the video conference on Wednesday.

 

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on ‘Hanuman Jayanti’ and said the life of the Hindu god also known as the “Pawanputra” was a symbol of devotion and strength which inspires all to face every crisis and overcome it.

“Heartfelt greetings on the auspicious occasion of Hanuman Jayanti,” he tweeted.

The life of “Pawanputra” is a symbol of devotion, strength, dedication and discipline, inspires us to face every crisis and overcome it, he said.