Vijayawada: Central government told to wake up from slumber and come to the rescue of the people who are suffering due to the Coronavirus

Vijayawada: As part of the nation-wide protest demonstrations, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday exhorted the central government to wake up from slumber and come to the rescue of the people who are suffering due to the Coronavirus.

CPM state executive member Ch Babu Rao who participated in the protest demonstrations ridiculed the Central government for lifting up the lockdown without helping the suffering people. The common man benefited nothing from the package of Rs 20 lakh crore. He demanded the government to provide financial assistance of Rs 7,500 to each family for six months.

He deplored that the schemes like three free gas cylinders for every family and additional financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to the pensioners were not implemented. Moreover, the Modi administration has been trying to lining its pocket with Rs 2 lakh crore by hiking petrol and diesel prices, he alleged.

The central government has been indulging in anti-people policies in the name of reforms in the Electricity Act and issuing ordinances in agriculture sector.

He assailed the Centre for attempting to purchase special aircraft for the VIPs spending Rs 7,000 crore at the time the country is in deep crisis. Moreover, the government has kept the public sector undertakings for sale to the corporate houses.

He demanded supply of quality essential commodities to people through public distribution system and unemployment doles to the youth.

Babu Rao regretted that both the ruling YSR Congress and the Opposition TDP remained silent over the people's problems causing immense damage to the state and the country. "They should fight united with the Centre to get necessary funds for the state," he said. Several CPM activists participated in the protest demonstrations.