GUWAHATI, June 23 - The Assam government�s management of COVID-19 crisis has been very good and the State has done well to upgrade its health infrastructure to tackle the pandemic, said BJP national president JP Nadda.
Addressing the Asom Jana Sambodhan Virtual Rally today, Nadda said the battle against the pandemic is likely to be a long-drawn affair and he urged everybody to follow norms of social distancing and maintain hygiene.
Nadda said timely action of the Centre in the imposition of the lockdown has helped the country fight the pandemic.
The BJP president addressed the rally online from New Delhi. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass and other senior leaders of the party were present at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here while party workers and others followed the event through the social media.
�At a time when questions are being raised regarding the pandemic management in countries like the US, China and Brazil, timely action taken by the Modi government has helped the country. The lockdown helped the country to develop and augment its help infrastructure to face the pandemic. Assam also did very well in developing its health infrastructure... The Assam government�s management of the pandemic is noteworthy,� said Nadda.
He said the State government�s efforts have helped curb the number of cases.
Nadda added that similarly, at the national level, the various social welfare schemes as well as the projects for up-gradation of the health infrastructure have helped India to a great extent. He said schemes for the poor, farmers, pensioners, old women, Divyangs and others have benefited crores of people during the pandemic.
�We have to live with coronavirus in the foreseeable future. So, all of us must maintain social distancing and hygiene and look after our health. Respect everyone but suspect everyone,� he said.
Speaking about the Atmanirbhar Bharat concept, he said Assam could focus on bamboo, tea, petroleum products, muga and jute to make the state more self-sufficient.
He said Assam has achieved a lot under the tenure of the Modi-led government at the Centre and the Sonowal-led government in the State.
Regarding the CAA, he said the areas falling under the Inner Line Permit and the Sixth Schedule have been kept under the purview of the Act. He termed abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, making Triple Talaq illegal and the recent Bodo peace accord major achievements during the first year of the second government headed by Modi.
Nadda also accused the Congress of trying to demoralise the armed forces as well as citizens and health workers. He said the stand of the Congress on the India-China issue, as well as the pandemic and the lockdown has been �irresponsible�.
�We were also in opposition for many years. However, in 1962, the entire country stood with Pandit Nehru, in 1965, everybody stood with Lal Bahadur Shastri, and in 1971, everybody stood with Indira Gandhi... But now in the India-China issue and the fight against the coronavirus, the Congress party has been indulging in cheap politics,� said Nadda.
