Lockdown Extension: 'Hollow And Rhetorical,' Congress Leaders React To PM Modi’s Speech

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi has lashed out against the message given by Prime Minister and called it ‘Hamlet without Prince of Denmark’. Chidambaram also criticized the speech given by the PM. He said that it only discussed what was obvious which was the lockdown.

(Photo by Sonu Mehta/via Getty Images)

New Delhi: Several Congress leaders including Abhishek Singhvi and P Chidambaram lashed out against the message given by Prime Minister  Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Tuesday, where he extended the lockdown till May 3. In the message, PM Modi announced the nationwide lockdown extension till May 3^rd, 2020. PM Modi also thanked and praised all the citizens in the country for maintaining disciple and adhering to lockdown guidelines dutifully. Singhvi who is the National Spokesperson for the party took to Twitter to criticise the speech and said that it was full of rhetoric and missed important points that people have been waiting to hear such as news about concrete palliatives for deprived, middle class and MSMEs.  ‘

" Amazing PM address. Exhortation, rhetoric, inspiration.....yet hollow on specifics! No financial package, no details, no concrete item. Neither for poor nor middle class nor industry nor businesses. Lockdown is good but cannot be end in itself! Where is single livelihood issue? "

-Abhishek Singhvi, Congress

Singhvi also questioned about details of GDP allocation and relief packages that will be necessary during the lockdown. He said that the Prime Minister’s address ‘without specific guidelines is like Hamlet without Prince of Denmark’.

Amazing #PM address. Exhortation, rhetoric, inspiration.....yet hollow on specifics! No financial package, no details, no concrete item. Neither 4poor nor middle class nor industry nor businesses. #Lockdown is good bt cannot be end in itself! Where is single livelihood issue?

— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) April 14, 2020

#Pm address wo single specific and wo guidelines is like #Hamlet wo #Prince of #Denmark. Like #PM wo details! We want increased #GDP allocation; specific targeted monetary injections; #Keynesian spending; loosen #FMRB etc. not a single word!

— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) April 14, 2020

Congress leader Chidambaram also criticized the speech given by the PM. He said that it only discussed what was obvious which was the lockdown. On twitter, he wrote that the Prime Minister has not heeded to the CMs demand for monetary assistance or the suggestions given by economists such as Raghuram Rajan, Jean Dreze, Prabhat Patnaik and Abhijit Banerji.

The poor have been left to fend for themselves for 21+19 days, including practically soliciting food. There is money, there is food, but the government will not release either money or food.

Cry, my beloved country. — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 14, 2020